Assalaamu alaykum. I would like to know what 'Niche' (Mishkaat) means? Is it related to Allaah's light in any way? Is it allowable to name a girl Mishkaat?

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Ibn ‘Aashoor clarified the meaning of Mishkaat (niche) in At-Tahreer wat-Tanweer  as he said:

“The Mishkaat, as per the linguists, is a niche (concave space) in the wall, like a small window without an opening to the outside, and if it has an opening to the outside, it is called Kuwwah. There is nothing else in the statements of the trustworthy Arab linguists other than this. Ar-Raaghib as well as the author of Al-Qaamoos and Al-Kash-shaaf did not mention other than this, and they agreed that this term is an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) word which the Arabs introduced into their speech, and it was counted among the words mentioned in the Quran that are not from the language of the Arabs.” 

The relationship of the niche with the light of Allah is a relationship of resemblance, as Allah says (what means): {Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp; the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.} [Quran 24:35]

As-Sa’di said in his Tafseer, “The example of His light to which He guides, which is the light of Eemaan (faith) and the Quran in the hearts of the believers, is like a niche (in the wall) within which is a lamp, because the niche gathers the light of the lamp, thus preventing it from being dispersed. The lamp is inside glass that is so pure, as if it were a pearly [white] star, meaning it lights like a star. That lamp which is in that glass is lit from the oil of a blessed olive tree. A fire lit with olive oil is among the brightest of fires.”

It is permissible to name a girl Mishkaat because it does not include a dispraised meaning in Islam.

The Kuwaiti Fiqh Encyclopedia reads, “In principle, it is permissible to name (a child) with any name unless a certain name is prohibited in the Sharia.”

Allah knows best.