Asalam alaikum, Pleasr let me know if it is acceptable to name a baby girl Dua'a. I have been told it is not by a relative, however i can not see where this name would not be acceptable. Please clarify. Jzk

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

We do not know of anything preventing someone from naming a girl Du‘aa’ (supplication). In principle, names are deemed lawful unless proven otherwise.

A name is deemed prohibited or disliked in the following cases:

1) If the name implies servitude/enslavement to something other than Allaah such as ‘Abd Ar-Rasool (slave of the Messenger) or ‘Abd Al-Ka‘bah (slave of the Ka‘bah), etc.

2) If the name is peculiar to Allaah alone or one of His attributes with the definite article "Al" prefixed to it such as Ar-Rahmaan (The Most Merciful), Al-‘Aleem (The All-Knowing), and Malik Al-Mulook (King of Kings).

3) If the name has means something reprehensible, such as Harb (war), Murrah (bitter) and Hazn (rough, hard natured).

4) If it is coquettish and has no meaning such as Zoozu and Meemi.

5) If it implies self-praise.

6) If it is peculiar to the disbelievers.

If none of the above elements is present, then there is no harm in using that name.

For more benefit, please refer to Fataawa 85795, 88517, 271513 and 266275.

Allaah Knows best.