Need some advice about my baby's name from someone who knows Arabic well!

As-salamu alaykum everyone. My husband and I recently welcomed a beautiful baby girl and we chose the name 'Laanah'. We say it like 'Lana' (LAA-NA). Our hope is for her name to carry the lovely meaning of 'Lana' (لانا), which we understand is about softness and tenderness. But we've started to worry a bit. We've seen that the spelling we used, 'Laanah', might be connected to another Arabic word, 'La’nah' (لَعْنَة), which means a curse. This is obviously not the meaning we want for our daughter's name, and we want only goodness and blessings in it, in sha Allah. Could anyone with a good understanding of Arabic language and grammar help us understand this better? We would be so grateful for any clarity, jazakum Allahu khayran.

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6comments

Masha Allah, congratulations! The pronunciation makes it clear it's Lana, so I think it's beautiful and fine. Don't overthink it.

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Tbh the spelling matters a lot. I'd change it to avoid any bad connotations. The meaning you want is so lovely, just a small tweak would secure it.

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Walaykum salam! Such a sweet concern for your daughter. In my opinion, since you say it as Lana, the intention is what counts. But if it causes worry, a simpler spelling brings peace of mind.

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Jazak Allah khair for asking this! My cousin had a similar issue. They ended up adding a slight variation (Lina) and are happy with it. Wishing you all the best!

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Congrats on your baby girl! I've seen Lana written as 'Lana' or 'Lena' more often. The double 'a' in Laanah does make me read it differently. Maybe ask an imam or Arabic teacher for the safest option?

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You're right to check. Laanah as written is very close to the word for curse. Maybe consider spelling it Lana or Lena to avoid any confusion? May Allah bless your baby.

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