Short answer
Yes. Nothing forbids a father giving his son his own name or naming a child after a parent, grandparent or other relative, as long as the name itself is good. The Prophet ﷺ named his son Ibrahim after his forefather. The four schools agree.
Naming a child after the father or a relative is permissible (mubah). The rules that matter are the name's meaning and the duty to keep the child's lineage clear.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The Prophet ﷺ said on the night his son was born: I have named him after my forefather Ibrahim. Naming after family is an old and honoured custom. Among the Companions there were sons who carried their fathers' names, such as Abdullah, son of the Medinan leader Abdullah ibn Ubayy, who was himself a sincere Muslim.
Things to consider:
- The name must be good on its own. If the father's name is one of the forbidden or disliked kinds, the son should not inherit it. See names to avoid.
- "Junior" in the West: calling a son Ahmad Ali Jr is fine. In Arabic form he becomes Ahmad bin Ahmad, which is also fine. See bin and bint.
- Naming after a deceased relative to honour them is permissible. It does not transfer anything of the dead to the child; there is no belief in rebirth in Islam.
- Confusion: in daily life a different call name or nickname can help, as long as it is a respectful one.
For when and how the child is named, see naming the baby, and browse Islamic names.
The evidence
Quran, Surah Al-Ahzaab 33:5
ٱدْعُوهُمْ لِءَابَآئِهِمْ هُوَ أَقْسَطُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ تَعْلَمُوٓا۟ ءَابَآءَهُمْ فَإِخْوَٰنُكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَمَوَٰلِيكُمْ ۚ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌۭ فِيمَآ أَخْطَأْتُم بِهِۦ وَلَٰكِن مَّا تَعَمَّدَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًا ﴿٥﴾
Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred but [only for] what your hearts intended. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
Islam keeps the father's name attached to the child, and repeating it in the child's own name is no problem.
Sahih Muslim 2315
Sahih... ولد لي الليلة غلام فسميته باسم أبي إبراهيم ...
"A boy was born to me tonight, and I named him after my forefather Ibrahim."
Naming a child after a family member is the Prophet's own practice.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Karahiyya, chapter on names and kunyas. General rules on permitted names.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.