Masood name question

[GwennieS]

This is probably a stupid question, but it's been bugging me for a while so I'll take the risk at being ridiculed !!

why is Masood ( the dad ) called Masood as a first name when his children and Zainab are called Masood as a surname? I looked the family up on the bbc website and it states Masood's full name is Masood Ahmed. So why aren't they called the Ahmed's?

Hope somebody can help. Thanks

Gwennie

[parkerman]

Muslim names can be very complicated. Try looking at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_name for an explanation.

[Meh]

Its common to take the first name of the male parent and use that as the child's last name

[GwennieS]

thanks guys, very complicated indeed.

[Abbie]

Oh I know its not exactly the same but is it like in Iceland when your surname name is not the same as your parents, like 'daughter of (fathers name)' or 'son of (fathers name)'

[Abigail]

Its common to take the first name of the male parent and use that as the child's last name

Does that mean that tracing relatives is more difficult? Surely there wouldn't be a family name as such in the male line as in the non-muslim way of naming children?

[Bryan]

is ameera going to be called ameera sayeed?

[Meh]

Does that mean that tracing relatives is more difficult? Surely there wouldn't be a family name as such in the male line as in the non-muslim way of naming children?

Its complicated, but you can work it. In Arabia they add bin meaning "son of" which is more or less the same

is ameera going to be called ameera sayeed?

The wife normally takes the same surname as the husband, or doesn't change her name at all. I'll find out actually.