فَخَرَجَ عَلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلْمِحْرَابِ فَأَوْحَىٰٓ إِلَيْهِمْ أَن سَبِّحُوا۟ بُكْرَةً وَعَشِيًّا ١١
So he came out to his people from the prayer chamber and signaled to them to exalt [Allāh] in the morning and afternoon.
أَبُو بَكْر
Abu Bakr: meaning of the name
Boy Arabic origin Abū Bakr
CompanionA kunya meaning “father of the young camel”, that of the first caliph
Abu Bakr in Islam
Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, the constant companion of the Prophet ﷺ, was with him in the cave during the Hijra: the commentators explain that he is the companion (sahib) of the verse in which the Prophet ﷺ is called “the second of two” (9:40). The Prophet ﷺ then said to him: “What do you think, Abu Bakr, of two whose third is Allah?” (al-Bukhari 3653). He was the first caliph of Islam, from the year 11 to the year 13 of the Hijra.
Meaning of the name Abu Bakr
Abu Bakr is a kunya, that is, a by-name formed with abu, “father of”, followed by a noun: bakr means a young camel, the camel’s equivalent of a young man (root b-k-r, which also expresses earliness and the morning, bukra). It was not the first caliph’s name, which was ʿAbd Allah ibn ʿUthman, but the kunya by which he is known; it has become a given name in its own right, especially in Africa (Abubakar) and Turkey (Ebubekir).
- In Arabic
- أَبُو بَكْر أبو بكر
- Transliteration
- Abū Bakr
- Root
- ب ك ر · 12 occurrences in the Quran
- Gender
- Boy
- Origin
- Arabic
Is Abu Bakr in the Quran?
The name Abu Bakr does not appear as such in the Quran, but its root (ب ك ر) occurs 12 times. Examples:
وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا ٤٢
And exalt Him morning and afternoon.
لِّتُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا ٩
That you [people] may believe in Allāh and His Messenger and honor him and respect him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] and exalt Him [i.e., Allāh] morning and afternoon.
All the words of the root ب ك ر in the Quran (12 occurrences)
In the hadiths
Authentic
Sahih al-Bukhari 3653
I said to the Prophet (ﷺ) while I was in the Cave. "If any of them should look under his feet, he would see us." He said, "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two (persons) the third of whom is Allah?"
قُلْتُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَنَا فِي الْغَارِ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ نَظَرَ تَحْتَ قَدَمَيْهِ لأَبْصَرَنَا. فَقَالَ " مَا ظَنُّكَ يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ بِاثْنَيْنِ اللَّهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا "
Authentic
Sahih al-Bukhari 3661
While I was sitting with the Prophet, Abu Bakr came, lifting up one corner of his garment uncovering his knee. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your companion has had a quarrel." Abu Bakr greeted (the Prophet (ﷺ) ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! There was something (i.e. quarrel) between me and the Son…
" إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَعَثَنِي إِلَيْكُمْ فَقُلْتُمْ كَذَبْتَ. وَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ صَدَقَ. وَوَاسَانِي بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ، فَهَلْ أَنْتُمْ تَارِكُو لِي صَاحِبِي ". مَرَّتَيْنِ فَمَا أُوذِيَ بَعْدَهَا.
Authentic
Sahih al-Bukhari 3656
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If I were to take a Khalil, I would have taken Abu Bakr, but he is my brother and my companion (in Islam).
" وَلَوْ كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي خَلِيلاً لاَتَّخَذْتُ، أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَلَكِنْ أَخِي وَصَاحِبِي "
Is this name permissible?
No text or scholarly opinion concerns the name Abu Bakr in particular: the general rules of Islam apply.
Read the rules for choosing a name
This page is an aid to reflection, not a fatwa. For a personal case, ask a person of knowledge.
Writing Abu Bakr in each language
- French
- Aboubakr, Abou Bakr, Aboubakar, Aboubacar, Boubacar, Boubker
- English
- Abu Bakr, Abubakar, Abubakr
- Spanish
- Abu Bakr, Abubakar
- Turkish
- Ebubekir, Ebu Bekir
- Arabic
- أَبُو بَكْر
Similar names
See also
- Aishaعَائِشَة “She who lives”, alive and prosperous; name of a wife of the Prophet ﷺ
- Asmaأَسْمَاء “The beautiful one” or “the names”: a meaning debated since the early grammarians
- Siddiqصِدِّيق “The truthful one”, who believes without reserve and confirms the truth
- Umarعُمَر “Life, long life”, from the root ʿ-m-r; the name of the second caliph of Islam
- Abdullahعَبْد اللَّه “Servant of Allah”, the name most beloved to Allah
