Hi, my name is Samantha. I am American and my husband is Muslim. I just became Muslim. We are going to have a baby soon. She will be born in America, so why does she have to have his name on the birth certificate? I am fine with her having an Arabic first name, but I want to add some American name that I like, like, for example, Aya Victoria Ashraf Hussein. My husband says that it is haram to do this. I just do not understand what I have to do now. Please help. Thank you.

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. 

Firstly, we would like to congratulate you for embracing Islam and the upcoming birth of your baby.

As for choosing a name for your child, the best female names are Maryam and the names of the wives of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam; his daughters; and the wives of the Companions and righteous predecessors.

If the parents disputed regarding naming the child, then the father has more right to choosing the name. Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote, “Naming the child is the right of the father, not the mother, if they are in dispute over it, as indicated by the ahaadeeth reported to this effect.” [Tuhfat Al-Mawlood]

As for the name Victoria, it is impermissible because this is the name of the goddess of war in Roman mythology, as stated on Wikipedia. For more benefit, please refer to fataawa 247855 and 289231.

Allaah knows best.