Naming ceremony

A naming ceremony is an event where an individual or group receives an official name. The customs surrounding this practice vary across different cultures and faiths, and the timing of the name assignment can range from a few days after birth to several months or even years.

In Christianity, the naming of a child is often called "christening" and typically occurs during a baptism ceremony, especially within Catholic culture and among some Protestant groups that practice infant baptism. In Eastern Orthodoxy, infants are traditionally named on the eighth day of life during a special service held either at home or in a church. Christians frequently also follow local customs; for example, in Kerala, Christian families may observe the traditional Hindu practice of tying an aranjanam. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a child is usually given a name and a blessing on the first Sunday of the month following birth, performed by the father if he holds the necessary priesthood authority and has approval from his local ecclesiastical leader, though the timing can be adjusted for family reasons.

In Hinduism, the traditional naming ceremony is called Namakarana or the Namakarana Samskara, generally held on the twelfth day after birth. In Kerala, this occurs on the 28th day and is known as Noolukettu, meaning "tying thread." In Nepal, the ceremony is called Nwaran and is celebrated on the eleventh day after birth. The child receives a name based on their lunar horoscope, which may differ from their legal or preferred name; this name is typically used for religious purposes and horoscopes. A priest is often invited to perform the ceremony at home and creates the child's lunar horoscope from their birth details, as the mother is still recovering with the infant. In Newari, it is called Machabu Byakegu. This event is usually small, attended only by close family. The next significant ceremony is Pasni. The Chhathi Ceremony occurs when the baby is six days old, primarily involving women and taking place late at night, between ten o'clock and midnight. Folklore holds that on the sixth night, the goddess Vidhata enters the home around midnight to write the newborn's destiny. Traditionally, the mother lights a diya and places it with a red pen and paper on a wooden plank for Vidhata. The mother kneels before the lamp with the baby, and the child may also be named on this day. The Namakarma Samskara is usually held after the first eleven nights following delivery, a period considered an adjustment time when the child is vulnerable to infections. To prevent this, the mother and child are quarantined for ten days, during which only a helper or maternal grandmother may touch them. Family events are postponed for eleven nights, after which the house is decorated and sanctified. The mother and child are bathed traditionally, and relatives and close friends are invited to bless the child, with priests performing the ritual. The participants include the parents, paternal and maternal grandparents, and a few close relatives and friends. In Maharashtra, Bengal, and among the Rajputs of Gujarat, the paternal aunt has the honor of naming her brother's child. The child is dressed in new clothes, and the mother pours a few drops of water on the baby's head for purification. In some communities, the baby is handed to the paternal grandmother or father near the priest. Where the paternal aunt names the child, she whispers the name in the baby's ear and then announces it. In some families, a sacred fire is lit and the priest chants hymns to invoke blessings. Practices vary by location; in parts of Northern Kerala, the grandfather, father, or maternal uncle whispers the name. On this day, the baby is placed in a cradle for the first time. In Kerala, a black thread and gold chain called an aranjanam are tied around the baby's waist on the 28th day, or on the 27th day for a boy in some areas. The child's eyes are lined with kohl, and a black spot is placed on one cheek or forehead to ward off the evil eye. The grandfather whispers the chosen Hindu name in the child's right ear three times while covering the left ear with a betel leaf, then repeats it in the left ear. A mixture of ghee or honey is given as the first food. In some places, an arati is performed seven times with a lamp wick in a leaf. Based on the child's birth date and time, a specific letter of the Sanskrit alphabet linked to the solar birth sign is chosen for auspiciousness, and the name begins with that letter. Usually, the grandfather whispers the name four times in the right ear, though in Maharashtra the paternal aunt does this. The baby receives blessings from all, including priests, and an elaborate feast closes the ceremony. The Namakarana Samskara is also performed for adult converts to Hinduism as a formal initiation.