Names, Islamic Names and Nicknames

I am not an expert, but I think some nicknames would translate as "The Desert Lion" or "Mighty in Battle".

Abu means father and Umm means mother- so it shows family relationship.
Some names get very long because the name shows the ancestors, most commenly 2 generations.Then you find either the word Ibn ( son) or Bint ( daughter) in the name.


Or it could be used as a name of honor. in a metaphorical sense. Like "Father of Wisdom"

Adullah, son of Elhaidy Mohammed Assize, also called Father of Das ( no idea what Das means).

Most islamic names are in arabic and can be translated into english directly, such as:

abdullah = slave of god
abdulrahman = slave of the merciful

but some i believe are arabian names that predate islam, such as mohammed or khalid. I do not know what these names mean, but they now come to represent islamic personalities

ie. the prophet Mohammed and Khalid, the sword of allah.

note: islam means submission or surrender, so names such as the slave of god are fitting for those who acknowledge that they have surrendered their will utterly to God.

the name Joe Nation mentioned;

Adullah bin Elhaidy Mohammed Assize

can be translate as

slave of god, son of the Haidy* Mohammed the loved.

*not sure what this means or translated to - could be a dialectic form or al-hady (the calm one).

sorry, didn't answer joes question at all ..

nicknames are common especially for parents. its not an islamic thing, just arab cultural.

so if i had a son called Haitham, my friends might call me

Abu Haitham, a) to acknowledge that i am a father and b) to acknowledge that i am no longer a youth but am now a full man.

the names stick and people who meet you afterwards might only know you by this name.

my late grandmother was called um jima'a (mother of jima'a). i don't actually know her real name.

Africanus--

Very interesting, thank you.

This is what I am asking about, not what the names mean, but how are the nicknames decided upon, and what makes them stick. It seems to be a common thing for a Arabic man to have at least two names, his formal birth name and then the name by which he is best known.

I may have to start remembering to write down examples.

Joe(I had a friend named Sonny, but that wasn't his name)Name