Hadith 2738
Mishkat al-Masabih
The Rites of Pilgrimage · The Sacred Territory of Medina. May God most high protect it - Section 1
Arabic
وَعَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ الله سمى الْمَدِينَة طابة» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم
English translation
Jabir b. Samura told that he heard God’s messenger say, “God called Medina Taba.”( Taj al-'Arus says the objection to the name Yathrib was owing to the fact that the root from which this name comes has the meaning of corruption. Therefore Taba, which comes from a root meaning to be good, sweet, or pure, was considered better. Other forms which have been used are Taiba, al-Mutayyaba (or al-Mutayyiba)) Muslim transmitted it.