Can I Give My First Name to My Child as His Surname?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

Can I give my child my first name as their surname instead of them having my surname? For example, if I am named Haytham Malik, can I name my child Wahhab Haytham instead of Wahhab Malik, is this permissible?

Answer

Thank you for your question.

Permissible

It is permissible to name your child as such. For generations, children have been identified by their first name and father’s name together, so this is not a foreign concept.

Custom

I still recommend that you attach your surname, as is the custom, in the end, and make it, for example, Wahhab Haytham Malik. I feel that it will be easier for documentation and for general matters pertaining to his identity and lineage. Perhaps you can communicate why you wouldn’t want to give him your surname.

Please see more details here:
Are Hyphenated Surnames Permissible?

May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.