Naming ceremony
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A naming ceremony is the event at which an infant is given a name or names. They can occur anywhere from mere days after birth to several months afterwards. Some of these ceremonies have religious or cultural siginifcance.
Contents |
[edit] Naming ceremonies in various religions
[edit] Hinduism
- Further information: Saṃskāra
In Hinduism, a ceremony called Namkaran, literally "naming ceremony," takes place twelve days after the birth of the child in question. The child is ceremonially bathed and songs with his or her name included in the words are sung by those in attendance. The ceremony is one of the Saṃskāra.[1]
[edit] Judaism
In the Jewish tradition, baby girls go through a zeved habat, while baby boys undergo a brit milah. The girls undergo their ceremony at the first shabbat following their birth, while boys are circumsized and named on the eighth day after their birth as part of their circumcision ceremony.[2]
[edit] Naming ceremonies in various countries
[edit] United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, a naming ceremony is an alternative to infant baptism. They can be of a religious nature, such as a dedication, or non-religious, such as a humanist baby naming ceremony. Among the groups that support the latter are the British Humanist Association.[3]
[edit] See also
- Brit shalom, a Jewish naming ceremony for male babies that does not involve circumcision
[edit] References
- ^ Fowler, Jeaneane D. (1997). Hinduism: Beliefs and Practices. Sussex: Sussex Academic Press, 52-53. ISBN 9781898723608.
- ^ Jewish Birth and Naming Rituals. ReligionFacts. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
- ^ Organising a naming ceremony. BabyCentre. BabyCenter, L.L.C.. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
