PUTRAJAYA: The names Muhammad, Abdul, Nur and Siti continue to be the most popular names for Muslim newborns in the country, according to the National Registration Department (JPN).
JPN director-general Badrul Hisham Alias said the names were often chosen for their strong ties to Islamic identity and Malay heritage.
“Names like Muhammad, Abdul, Nur and Siti are commonly followed by a second name. Parents typically draw inspiration from baby name books, parenting websites, the Quran, hadiths or language experts before making their choice,” Badrul Hisham said, reported Bernama.
Parents today tend to favour names that are not only easy to pronounce and remember but those that also carried positive meanings, he added.
He said Islamic and Arabic-inspired names such as Aisyah, Maryam and Rayyan remained popular for their beautiful meanings.
Badrul Hisham also noted a growing trend of parents altering the spelling of traditional names – with Amir now often spelled as Ameer and Zahra as Zara, for example.
JPN records showed that the longest registered names contained 15 words, while the shortest was just two letters, he said.
While creativity in naming their child was welcomed, he advised parents to consult JPN beforehand if they are uncertain about name choices to avoid complications later during registration.
Under Section 16 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299) for Peninsular Malaysia, the Registrar-General has the authority to accept or reject a name.
JPN has also introduced official guidelines for naming children, which included three categories of names that would not be accepted.
These categories are names that are official ranks and titles, undesirable and linked to ancestry.
“Titles such as Tan Sri, Datuk, Tun, Haji, Nabi, Governor, Dr and Mahaguru are prohibited,” Badrul Hisham said.
Parents are also advised against naming children after animals, fruits, vegetables, or objects, and abbreviations like D, Mohd, Abd or M are not permitted, he added.
For hereditary titles such as Tengku, Megat and Puteri, JPN will take measures to assess whether the title is genuinely inherited before approving its use.
Non-Muslim families are also required to adhere to relevant naming guidelines, which prohibited names that implied divinity, he added.
