How Most Parents in the United Arab Emirates Select Baby's Name - Essay Example

How Most Parents in the United Arab Emirates Select Baby's Name? Since the United Arab Emirates is an Islamic country, most of the cultures and religion are inclined towards the Islamic culture. In this regard, it is worth noting that only the conventional Muslim names are acceptable and any foreign name is highly discouraged in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E). Essentially, most parents in the United Arab Emirates name their children using a number of factors (Gulfnews, 2014). These include the character of the child or the intended character of the child.

Another criterion for naming children in the United Arab Emirates is the naming of children after famous Muslim people who have succeeded in various fields (Cultures of the world, 2008).When it comes to the naming of children according to character, most parents in the United Arab Emirates tend to pick soothing lively names that would go a long way in motivating their children. Such names include A’azz that is a male name meaning a person who is mighty and strong. Another female Arabic name is A‘ishah, which means a woman who is lively and superior (Al, 2001).

Normally, parents in the UAE select such names in order to influence their children’s behaviour and character. As far as the naming of children after famous businesspeople is concerned, it is important to note that many children have been named after Sunil Baby, who is a renowned Financial Controller at IAL Container Line (UK) Ltd (Gulfnews, 2014).Although many trendy names are available in the modern era, the conservative United Arab Emirates strongly prohibits the adoption of such names especially western names that are considered foreign and ‘dirty’.

It means that parents in the United Arab Emirates have to pick only from the available options, as going against the Arabian culture is considered a taboo. Additionally, the culture of naming children in the United Arab Emirates highly prohibits interchanging names in either gender. Therefore, parents in the country are only supposed to give their males children male Arabian names and the female children should also bear female Arabic names. Contrary names could attract disciplinary actions according to the Islamic laws (Al, 2001).

Until recently, parents in the United Arab Emirates used to name their children after the prince and names that depicted the prophets but Saudi Arabia has banned over fifty names, and effect that is soon spiralling in the United Arab Emirates due to similarity in cultures. Names such as Amir that denoted the prince and Abdul Nabi are since prohibited in Saudi Arabia and the implication is that parents cannot select such names for their children (Cultures of the world, 2008). Accordingly, Dubai is set to adopt similar laws in uniformity with its Saudi Arabian counterpart, meaning that fifty names will be scrapped off the menu where parents select their names.

Such names of royalties and those that contradict religion are no longer part of the accepted names in the United Arab names (Gulfnews, 2014).Overall, most parents in the United Arab Emirates select their baby’s names according to a number of criteria. These criteria include, gender of the baby, intended character, time of birth, season of birth, the clan of the baby, and the prevailing Muslim leader at the moment. Such factors are critical in determining the personality of the baby, especially when they grow up.

Additionally, parents choose such names in order to emphasize on the need to adopt and retain the conservative Muslim culture that flourishes in the United Arab Emirates.ReferencesAl, A. I. (2001). United Arab Emirates: A new perspective. London: Trident Press.Cultures of the world. (2008). New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.Gulfnews (2014). Saudi Arabia Bans 50 Baby Names. Retrieved from http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/saudi-arabia/saudi-arabia-bans-50-baby-names-1.1303898