Praise be to Allah.
Does One Who Accept Islam Have To Change His Old Name To A New, Muslim Name?
That is not obligatory, unless the name is one that is not permissible according to Islamic teachings, such as a name that is indicative of servitude to someone other than Allah, and the like.
If your name is George, Olayinka,UgoChukwu or ‘Ali before Islam. No need change your name!
But if your name is Stone, Satan, Burn, Red, Ogunwale, Èṣùbiyi, Ẹfunṣetan, Lampard, C.Ronaldo, Messi, etc, it’s better you change them to stop venerating idols, humans or the kuffar!
In that case he must change his name. The same applies if it is a name that is uniquely used by the disbelievers, and is not used by anyone else. In that case it must also be changed, so that he will not be resembling the disbelievers, and so that he will not feel attached to this name that belongs only to the disbelievers, and so that no one will think that he has not become Muslim yet. (End quote)
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him).
Al-Ijabat ‘ala As’ilat al-Jaliyat (1/4)
