In the pre-Islamic Arabia there were many gods worshiped including Hobal, Al-Lat, Al-Ozza, Manat. Allah was also worshiped as a god.
When Islam was revealed and the Quraan was descended upon the Prophet Mohammad pbuh the name issue was clarified. Allah is THE chosen name for God in Islam and there is no god but Him and He is Al-Malek (The King), Al-Qoddouss (The Holy), Al-Salam (The Peace), Al-Mo'men, (The Security Giver), Al-Mohaymen (The Controller), Al-Azeez (The Proud), Al-Jabbar (The Mighty), Al-Motakabber (The Arrogant), Al-Khaliq (The Creator), Al-Bare' (The Healer), Al-Mossawer (The Image Maker), Al-Ghaffar (The Most Forgiving), Al-Qahhar (The Conqueror), Al-Wahab (The Donor), Al-Razzaq (The Sustainer), Al-Fattah (The Opener), Al-Aaleem (The Most Knowing),Al-Mo’ez (The Pride-Giver), Al-Mozhil (The Humiliator) Al-Samee’ (The Most Hearing), Al-Hakam (The Judge), Al-Aadl (The Just), Al-Lateef (The Gentle), Al-Khabeer (The Expert), Al-Haleem (The Calm), Al-Aazheem (The Great), Al-Aaley (The Highest), Al-Kabeer (The Large), Al-Kareem (The Generous), Al-Raqeeb (The Watcher), Al-Hakeem (The Wise), Al-Ghani (The Rich).
These are but some of Allah's names as revealed in the Quraan. All of them with the exception of "Allah" are adjectives or attributes and here lies the importance of "Allah" as God's name.
All adjectives or attributes in the Arabic languages can be used in describing people. In fact, there are a lot of people whom their names are similar to the names above with the exception of "Allah".
After Quraan was revealed Muslims started taking the first AL letters which means THE from their names because in Arabic language adding them to an adjective makes it absolute, this was only allowed to Allah’s names because he is the Absolute. He is the Origin and the Source of all those values and characteristics He chose as His names.
All names in the Arabic languages are originally adjectives or attributes with the exception of "Allah".
All adjectives or attributes in the Arabic languages have opposites.
"Allah" in the Arabic language is a name like no other. It is neither an adjective nor an attribute, it has no opposite and it has never been used as a name of a person.
Therefore when God made it official in the Quraan that His chosen name is Allah it made perfect sense to Arabs. It is a name like no other. It is a name as unique as its owner. He is The One, The Only, The Odd, The Unchangeable, The Eternal. The First with nothing before Him and the Last with nothing after Him. And as said in the Quraan: “Nothing is like Him”.
