What's in a name?

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What's in a name?
By Melody Kenney
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Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .
Names are important to all cultures worldwide
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Africa
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• Home to hundreds of languages - over 1000 ethnic
  groups
• Name is most valued possession - it survives
  death
• Children are revered throughout Africa - naming
  ceremony is ritualistic and festive

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China - Male Names
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .
May have many names

• milk names - birth (may be disgusting to keep
  away evil spirits)
• book or school names - when they enter school
• marriage name - at time of his wedding
• Another name when entering a career
• everyday name to use with close friends
• Surname - generational name
• Ornamental name - with great personal meaning

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China - Female Names
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• milk names - birth
• marriage name - at time of his wedding
• everyday name to use with close friends
• Surname - generational name - keeps hers and adds
  his as a courtesy
• Ornamental name - with great personal meaning
• Names are more elegant and graceful

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Native Americans
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• Each tribe is unique cultural group
• Common to many is bestowing names during
  important times
• Birth
• Puberty
• Adulthood
• Event marking achievement
• Change of rank
• Names influenced by nature / feat /
  characteristic are common

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Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .
Naming practices change with the times
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Germany - Early Germans
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• Preferred names reflecting warfaring ways
• Surnames and family names unknown
• Given names were expressive of a certain idea
• Root names derived from mythology, animals, words
  relating to war and peace, nature and social
  status

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Germany - Later naming practices
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• Names made from elements of parent names -
  nonsensical
• Under Hitler
• Names were censored - approved list
• Nicknames werent allowed
• Jewish people had to adopt Jewish sounding
  names

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Germany - Modern naming trends
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• German mythology
• Names from Low German dialects
• Foreign / Slavonic / French names
• Saints names (Catholic influence in southern
  Germany)
• Surnames
• Places Occupational Names
• Descriptive Names Animals Patronymics

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Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .
Names can indicate social status
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Hindu/Indian Names
Some cross-cultural thoughts about names. . .

• Source for names are most commonly from the names
  of the Gods
• Hindu children can have as many as three names
• Common practice to mention a persons caste with
  his name

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Naming Practices Common Themes
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First Names. . .
We choose a first name because it describes the
child.
Blanche
white

Adamma

Child of beauty
Ibo, Nigeria (AH-DAHM-MAH)
Calvin
bald

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First Names. . .
We choose a name which is taken from some event
or circumstance at birth.

• Adebayo (he came in a joyful time) Yoruba

• Summer

• Atu (born on Saturday) Fante, Ghana

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First Names. . . .
Sometimes names are chosen based on some hope or
aspiration on the part of the parents

• Hope

• Elizabeth (oath of God)

• Abimbola (born to be rich) Yoruba, Nigeria

• Duc (moral, ethical, virtuous)

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First Names. . .
Sometimes children are named after an object
Flowers

• Holly

• Rose

• Hoa (flower)

Jewels or gems

• Amber

• Jade

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First Names. . .
At times people are given first names because of
the association or relation to the surname

• Lily White

• Happy Sadd

• Kenneth Kenney

• London Bridge

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First Names. . .
Some names are given from error or ignorance.

• Misspelled names

• Names given to immigrants

• Names that cannot be pronounced properly

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First Names. . .
Oddities
Skeezix
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First Names. . .
Oddities
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First Names. . .
Names can originate as a result of chance.

• Close your eyes and point to a word in the Bible

• Use the name of the first person you meet / thing
  you saw

• Draw sticks or paper

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First Names. . .
We name children in order to honor another person.

• Parent

• Grandparent

• Friend

• Relative

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First Names. . .
We may choose names for children because we
admire a famous person.

• Religious character

• Poet

• Movie Star

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First Names. . .
We sometimes choose a first name because it is
pretty or seems harmonious with the last name
or middle name.

• Peggy Sue

• Melody Ann Sandman

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How did you get your first name?
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The origin of surnames. . .
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Surnames . . .
Some surnames arise from local influence.
Where does he/she live?
Where is he/she from?

• Westfield

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Surnames. . .
Some family names arise from a persons most
prominent peculiarity.

• James Brown

• George Young

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Surnames. . .
Last names can originate from an occupational
background - based on what he/she does or an
office held.

• Miller

• Smith

• Bishop

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Surnames. . .
Some surnames are patronymical, referring to
his/her fathers name.

• Johnson

• Anderson

• Tomsdaughter

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Surnames. . .
Some surnames are created as an invention,
possibly with invented spellings.
Sandmann
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How did your surname originate?
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Ways to find out. . .

• Talk to your parent / guardian to learn stories
  about your naming ceremony.

• Come to the library media center and well find
  out what the name experts say about your name.

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Works Cited
Norman, Teresa. A World of Baby Names. New
York Berkley Publishing Group, 1996.
Smith, Elsdon C. The Story of Our Names. New
York Harper and Brothers Publishers, 1950.
Created by Melody Kenney August, 2000 Revised
September, 2005