Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid, a prominent Saudi lecturer and author, states that: “In his book Tuhfatul-Mawdud fi Ahkamil-Mawlud, Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim, under the title “What is preferred among the names and what is considered reprehensible”, wrote: “… and among them are the names of the angels such as Jibril (Gabriel), and Mika’il and Israfil,
it is makruh (disliked) to name human beings with these names. Imam Malik (may Allah bless his soul) was asked regarding naming someone Jibril and he abhorred it. Judge `Ayyad said: ‘… and others allowed it.’ `Abdur-Razzak said in Al-Jami`: “I said to Hammad ibn Abi Sulaiman: ‘What would you say regarding a man whose name is Jibril or Mika’il, and he responded: ‘There is nothing wrong with them.’”
Regarding the Hadith: “Do not name yourselves with the names of the Angels.”, Al-Bukhari said that the validity of its chain of narration is questionable. This means that the hadith would not be considered authentic. (Tuhfatul-Mawdud, p. 83)
In the Kuwaiti Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence, most of the scholars have ruled that using the names of the angels like Jibril and Mika’il is not makruh. Malik, on the other hand, has ruled that it is makruh. Some have stated that Jibril means `Abdullah and likewise does Mika’il. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Surat Al-Baqarah)
Based on the above mentioned, it is preferable that we not use the names of the angels, and that we follow the rightly-guided forefathers in naming our children and those who revert to Islam from the non-believers. The most preferred names, no doubt, are `Abdullah and `Abdur-Rahman as has been related in the sound hadith.”