Do names affect personality?

[QueenofDeen]

Does the meaning of your name affect your personality or would the personality of the one you're named after affect your personality?

EG

So say you're named Yusuf. It means '(God) shall add (another son)' According to an Arabic site.

The Prophet Yusuf was also a very chaste and pious person as those who know his life story will know. (If not, a brief summary: http://www.islam101.com/history/peop...ets/joseph.htm)


So in this case, does the meaning of the name affect the personality or does the person you're named after affect the personality?

Quran/Sunnah references would be much appreciated

[Reflection09]

that's a very good question! I would also like to know

[x--x]

well i dont know about the personailty, but once i went pakistan and some molvi (or i dont know who he was really) told us that we need to change my bro's name as he was going to have an accident in the future...
not sure how true that was, and he was only asking us to change one letter of the name and that would apprantly save him.

[ImperfectBeauty]

Names do affect the personality most of the time thats why people should choose good names for their children.

[QueenofDeen]

Really? I've heard Hindu's see pundit's in some kind of 'naam karan' ceremony and the pundit decides whether the name of the baby will be suitable by looking at the 'kundali' (horoscope book)

[ImperfectBeauty]

Really? I've heard Hindu's see pundit's in some kind of 'naam karan' ceremony and the pundit decides whether the name of the baby will be suitable by looking at the 'kundali' (horoscope book)

Ye but thats the Hindi religioun and culture. In islam we should just choose a good name for the children for example.

[x--x]

Really? I've heard Hindu's see pundit's in some kind of 'naam karan' ceremony and the pundit decides whether the name of the baby will be suitable by looking at the 'kundali' (horoscope book)

yea dont they consult those guys for everything? they probably makes a ton of money out of it...

[.: Anna :.]

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Because names have meanings, these meanings will inevitably have an effect on the person who carries the name. Names have an effect on the things that are named, and the things that are named have an effect on their names, whether they are beautiful or ugly, light or heavy, subtle or crude.

[x--x]

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Because names have meanings, these meanings will inevitably have an effect on the person who carries the name. Names have an effect on the things that are named, and the things that are named have an effect on their names, whether they are beautiful or ugly, light or heavy, subtle or crude.

but then shouldnt people with the same name have the same personailties?

[A-R]

but then shouldnt people with the same name have the same personailties?

They aren't going to be identical are they..

[ImperfectBeauty]

but then shouldnt people with the same name have the same personailties?

Names affect people in different ways because like Jameela means beautiful, and 1 person who has that name might be beautiful whilst another may be beautiful in another aspect...

[Massilia]

This not rocket science lol. Maybe some of the character's person can be linked to his/her name.
However my name means safe and peace and it totally suits me

[.: Anna :.]

but then shouldnt people with the same name have the same personailties?

it says it has an effect on the personality which is dif to determining the whole personality. its one aspect, other things also hav an effect

[x--x]

it says it has an effect on the personality which is dif to determining the whole personality. its one aspect, other things also hav an effect

true, i was only thinking that mostly all names are beautiful and have a good meaning but then obviously there are horrible people in the world with those names...

[ahaneefah]

Does a name have any effect on a person's character?

Praise be to Allaah.

There is nothing wrong with giving names that do not have bad meanings and which have good meanings but do not imply excessive praise of the one who is so called. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did change some names because they were ugly or because they had bad meanings.

A name does not have any effect on a person's character, apart from reflecting optimism for him. On this basis, one should give one’s children good names and not give bad names. So we should use names like ‘Abd-Allaah (“slave of Allaah”), ‘Abd al-Rahmaan (“slave of the Most Merciful”), Muhammad, Ahmad, etc., and we should not use names which have bad meanings, such as Sa’b (difficult), etc.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-Kareem al-Khudayr .

http://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/11368

[Siradbarkat]

Names do affect the personality most of the time thats why people should choose good names for their children.

Totally true... People should name their kids meaniful names like abdullah, Dikhrah etc..

[neelu]

I don't know one of my colleagues is very sure that names affect people's character but I don't believe it. I do believe there is some shariah evidence that Muslims should give their children good (Islamic) names but that's about it. One of my relatives is called Zahid (means 'pious') but he's one of the most unIslamic antireligious people I know.

[ImperfectBeauty]

I don't know one of my colleagues is very sure that names affect people's character but I don't believe it. I do believe there is some shariah evidence that Muslims should give their children good (Islamic) names but that's about it. One of my relatives is called Zahid (means 'pious') but he's one of the most unIslamic antireligious people I know.

Sister, It is not definite that whoever has a good name, their persnality will reflect upon that, inmost cases its true an also, if u dont choose a good name because you beleive that it doesnt reflect personality then the person really might turn out to be bad.

[Jihaan]

My name definately reflects my personality alhumdulilah

[ImperfectBeauty]

My name definately reflects my personality alhumdulilah

Everyone says that my name reflects my personality too....

[Jihaan]

Everyone says that my name reflects my personality too....

What does your name mean?

[ImperfectBeauty]

What does your name mean?

It meas a lamp...

[xBIx]

arite so what about if u change ur own name l8a in life? dus dat affect da rest of ur life or personality??