Can I Name My Daughter Uswa?

Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad

Question

I want to name my daughter Iswa. I have read it means a good example or role model. Is this an accurate understanding of the name? I have read that “aswa’” means ‘worst’ in Arabic, so wondering if that is too close to the name of Iswa.

Answer

Thank you for your question. May Allah make your daughter the coolness of your eyes and make her a means for many blessings and good in this world and the next.

Uswa/Uswah

The word that you mention for a role model or example is Uswa (pronounced Ooswa). The verse of the Quran that mentions this word is: “Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often. [Quran, 33:21] This name has a good meaning, and I found that it is suitable to be used for a girl’s name.

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 and completed her Master’s 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.