Why did Lew Alcindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.?

Question

i just want to know because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar looks like a muslim name and in his colleage year's he was called Lew Alcindor, when playing for UCLA college for basketball team.

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor was his dad and Cora Lillian was his mum.

And thier names looks more like western names.

Answer 1

You hit the nail on the head.  He did it as part of his religious conversion.

Answer 2

He took a Muslim name because he converted to the Muslim faith. Duh.

Answer 3

I am not sure when he became Muslim, but at some point of his life, he joined the Islamic faith (I don't think his parents were Muslim).  He was proud of his Muslim faith, so he changed his name to reflect it.

Answer 4

he changed his name and religion after he left college,

in 1960s.