Importance of Naming

Ever since men evolved a language, they have tried to give names to things of daily use in their life. With the progress of social consciousness men were also named, because without particular names of individuals it was impossible to carry on the business of a cultured society. The Hindus very early realized the importance of naming persons and converted the system of naming into a religious ceremony. Brihaspati with a poetic exaggeration remarks about the desirability of naming " "Name is the primary means of social intercourse, it brings about merits and it is the root of fortune. From name man attains fame. Therefore, naming ceremony is very praiseworthy."

Origin

The origin of name giving is a linguistic problem beyond the scope of the present work. We are here concerned with ceremonial naming of persons only. It is generally found that the choice of a name for the child is often connected with religious ideas. The child is frequently named after a god who seems to be regarded its protector or it is named after a saint whose blessings are sought for it. Secular ideas are also responsible for determining names. They denote a particular quality in the person named. New names are also given to a novitiate when he enters a secret society. The adoption of the father’s name is prevalent, which is based on the family attachment and pride. The assuming of a secret name is also found. It involves the personality of a man and is, therefore, withheld from enemies. Thus, there are so many factors working behind the system of giving name to a person.

Vedic period

‘Naman’ or name is a word of common occurrence in the Sanskrit literature and found even in the earliest work of the Indo - Aryans, the Rigveda. Names of objects and persons are found in the Vedic literature. Other peculiar names suggested in the Sutras and the Smritis are also found in the Vedic and the Brahmana literatures. The Rigveda recognizes a secret name, and the Aitareya and Satapatha Brahmanas refer to it. But the practice, as given in the Sutras, of giving a secret name after the Naksatra name is nowhere instanced in the Vedic literature. The adoption of a second name is assumed for success and distinction in life. The common fashion was to adopt two names. The one name was the popular one, the other being a patronymic or matronymic. For example, in Kaksivanta Ausija, the first is the popular name and the second is the name derived from Usija (the name of mother); in Brihaduktha Vamneya the second name is derived from Vamani. In such cases, however, it should be noted that parentage was no necessarily direct. A person could be named even after a remote ancestor. Some local names, although not prescribed by scriptures, are found in the Brahmanas, e.g., Kausambeya (named after Kosambi) and Gangeya (named after Ganga). Besides the incidental reference, one positive rule is also found in the Satpatha Brahmana for performing the naming ceremony of a new born child: "One should give a name to the new born son."

Sutra and later periods

From the study of the Brahmanas it is evident that there was a system of naming in the pre sutra period. But we do not precisely know what ceremonies were associated with it. Even the Gruhyasutras, except the Gobhila, do not quote Vedic verses to be recited on this occasion, though they lay down rules for the composition of the name. It seems that the Namakarana was more a custom than a ceremony in the beginning. But being the occasion of a great social importance, it was later on included in the Samskaras. It is only in the Paddhatis that the common preliminary ceremonies are prescribed, and the Vedic verse "Angat (form body)" is quoted for recital.

Composition of the Name

The first question which has been discussed from the time of the Gruhyasutras onwards is the composition of the name. According to the Paraskara Gruhyasutra, the name should be of two syllables or of four syllables, beginning with a sonant, with a semivowel in it, with the long vowel or the visarga at its end, with a Krt suffix, not with a Taddhita. In the opinion of Baijavapa there is no restriction of syllables. "The father should give a name to the child containing one syllable, two syllables, three syllables, or an indefinite number of syllables." But Vasistha restricts the number to two or four syllables and asks to avoid names ending in l and r. the Asvalayana Gruhyasutra attaches different kinds of merits to different number of syllables; "One who is desirous of fame, his name should consists of two syllables, one who desires holy lustre, his name should contain four syllables." For boys even number of syllables were prescribed.

Naming a Girl

The naming of a girl had a different basis. The name of a girl should contain an uneven number of syllables, it should end in a and should have a Taddhita. Baijavapa says, "The name of a girl should contain three syllables and end in i." Manu gives further qualifications of the name of a girl: "It should be easy to pronounce, not hard to hear, of clear meaning, charming, auspicious, ending in a long vowel and containing some blessing." She should not be given an awkward name indicating "a constellation, a tree, a river, a mountain, a bird, a servant, and a terror." Manu forbids to marry girls who were named after these objects. The most probable reason seems to be that such names were current in the non Aryan peoples with whom the Aryans were not willing to form matrimonial relations.

Status: a Determining Factor

The social status of the person to be named was also a determining factor in the composition of the name. "The name of a Brahmana should be auspicious, that of a Ksattriya should denote power, that of a Vaisya, wealth and that of a Sudra contempt." For example, a Brahman should be named Laksmidhara, a Ksatriya Yudhisthira, a Vaisya Mahadhana and a Sudra Naradasa." Further, "the name of a Brahmana should contain the idea of happiness and delight, the name of a Ksattriya should denote strength and ruling capacity. The name of a Vaisya wealth and ease and that of a Sudra should contain the idea of obedience and servitude." Different castes should have different surnames. "Sarman was added to the name of Brahaman, Varman to that of a Ksattriya, Gupta to that of a Vaisya and Dasa to that of a Sudra." The idea of caste was deep-rooted in the Hindu mind, and the birth in a family determined the future career of a child. What a man would be in the world was a foregone conclusion and, accordingly, he was provided with privileges of social significance. But his caste complex was not peculiar to the Ancient Hindus alone. It was prevalent, and is still common, in other Indo European peoples also.

Fourfold Naming

There was current fourfold naming, according to asterism under which the child was born, the deity of the month, the family deity, and the popular calling. This system was not fully developed in the pre sutra or the sutra period. The Gruhyasutras knew the Naksatra name and the popular name. The rest were unknown to them. The system was fully worked out by the later Smritis and the astrological works. This development was due to the rise of religious sects and astrology brought the people under the influence of astral world, and very period of time was believed to be presided over by a deity or a spirit. The gods of days, months etc., arose out of this belief.

Nakshtra Name

To begin with the Nakshtra name, it was a name derived from the name of a Nakshtra (a lunar asterism) under which the child was born, or from its presiding deity. Sankha and Likhita prescribed that, "the father or an elderly member of the family should give the child a name connected with the constellation under which the child is born." The following are the names of the constellations and their deities: Asvini – Asvi, Bharani – Yama, Kritika – Agni, Rohini – Prajapati, Mrgasira – Soma, Ardra – Rudra, Punarvasu – Aditi, Pusya – Brihaspati, Aslesa – Sarpa, Magha – Pitrni, Purvaphalguni – Bhaga, Uttaraphalguni – Aryaman, Hasta – Savitri, Chitra – Tvastra, Svati – Vayu, visakha – Indragni, Anuradha – Mitra, Jyestha – Indra, Mula – Nirti, Purvasha – Ap, Uttarasadha – Visvedeva, Sravana – Visnu, Dhanistha – Vasu, Saatabhik – Varuna, Puryabhadrapada – Ajaikapada, Uttarabhadrapada – Ahirbudhnya and Revati – Pusan. If a child was born under the constellation Asvini, he was named Asvinikumara, if under Rhini, Rohinikumara etc. Another method of naming the child after the constellation was also current. The letters of the Sanskrit alphabets are believed to be presided over by different constellations. But as there are fifty two letters and only twenty seven constellations, each constellation has more than one letter under its influence. The first letter of the child’s name should begin with one of the letters ruled over by a particular asterism. A child who was born under Asvini, which presides over the letters Chu – Che – Cho – la was named Chudamani, Chedisa, Cholesa or Lakshmana according to the different steps of the constellations.

According to Baudhayana, the name derived from the constellation was kept secret. It was the second name for greeting the elders and was known to the parents only up to the time of the Upanayana. In the opinion of some authorities the secret name was given on the birth day. About the greeting name Asvalayana also says that it should be selected on the naming day and should be known to the parents only. Saunaka is of the same opinion, "The name by which he should greet the elders after being initiated, should be given to him. Having thought over it, the father should pronounce it closely to the child so that others may not know it. The parents should recollect this name at the time of initiation." The name derived form the Nakshatra was vitally connected with the life of the individual. So it was kept secret less enemies may do mischief to the man through it.

Name after Month deity

The second mode of naming was based on the deity of the month in which the child was born. According to Gargya, the names of the deities of months beginning from Margasirsa are Karnna, Ananta, Achyuta, Chakri, Vaikuntha, Janardana, Upendra, Yjnapurusa, Vasudeva, hari, Yogisa, and Pundarikaksa. The child was given a second name connected with the deity of the month. The above names are all of Vaisnava sect and they originated much later than the sutra period.

Name after Family deity

The third name was given according to the family deity. A family deity was a god or goddess worshipped in a family or tribe from every early times. The people naming a child after it thought that the child would enjoy special protection of the deity. The deity may be Vedic e.g. Indra, Soma, varuna, Mitra, Prajapati, or Puranic e.g. Krishna, rama, Sankara, Ganesa etc. While naming the child, the word Dasa or Bhakta (a devotee) was added to the name of the deity.

Popular Name

The last mode of naming was popular. The popular name was meant for general use in the society and was very important from the practical point of view. The rules of the composition given above were consulted in framing this name. The formation of this name mainly depended on the culture and education of the family. This name was desired to be auspicious and significant.

The principles followed in naming were the following. First of all, the name should be easy to pronounce and sweet to hear. Particular letters and syllables were chosen for this purpose. Secondly, the name should indicate the sexual difference. Nature has differentiated sexes by physical formation. Men are hardy and robust; women are tender and lovely. Therefore, the names of men and women were to be so selected as to be indicative of their natural built and disposition. It is why female names end in feminine a and i. The uneven number of letters in the name of a female was also meant for the same purpose. The third principle was that the name was suggestive of one’s own caste. It made quite clear the social status of the person bearing it without any other inquiry. The system of naming shown above is a sensible one, and cannot be profitably neglected, even if superstitious and religious aspects of the Samskara may be ignored. The meticulous attention paid to the naming of a child was due to the fact that it was a lifelong suggestion to the man. It was a constant reminder of an ideal to which the man was asked to be true.

Repulsive Name

This is so far as the scriptural methods of naming were concerned. But the common people must have taken many other things into consideration, as they do even now. The unfortunate parents who had lost their previous issues gave the child an awkward name, repulsive and disgusting, to frighten away demons, diseases and death.

Ceremonies and their Significance

According to the general rule of the Gruhyasutras the Namakarana ceremony was performed on the tenth or the twelfth day after the birth of the child with the single exception of the secret name which was given, in the opinion of some, on the birth day. But the later options range from the tenth up to the first day of the second year. One authority says, "The naming ceremony should be performed on the tenth, twelfth, hundredth day or at the expiry of the first year." This wide option was due to the convenience of the family and health of the mother and the child. But the option from the tenth up to thirty second day was due to the different periods of ceremonial impurities prescribed for different casts. In the opinion of Brihaspati, "The naming ceremonies should be performed on the tenth, twelfth, thirteenth, sixteenth, nineteenth, or thirty-second day after the birth of the child." But according to astrological works even these dates were to be postponed if there was any natural abnormality or lack of religious propriety. "If there be a Samkranti (the passage of the sun from one zodiac to another), and eclipse or sraddha, the ceremony cannot be auspicious." There were other prohibited days also which should be avoided.

At the expiry of impurity caused by birth, the house was washed and purified, and the child and mother bathed. Before the proper ceremony, the preliminary rites were performed. Then the mother, having covered the child with pure cloth and wetted its head with water, handed it over to the father. After this, offerings were made to Prajapati, date, constellation, their deities, Agni and Soma. The father touched the breaths of the child, most probably, to awaken its consciousness and to draw its attention towards the ceremony. Then the name was given. How it was done is not described in the Gruhyasutras, but the Paddhatis contain the following procedure. The father, leaning towards the right ear of the child, addressed it, "O child! Thou art the devotee of the family deity, so thy name is …; thou art born in such and such month, so thy name is … ; thou art born under such and such constellation, so thy name is… and thy popular name is …" The Brahmans assembled there said ,"May the name be established". After it the father formally made the child salute the Brahmans who blessed it, repeating its name every time, "Be long lived, beautiful child." They also recited the verse "Thou art Veda etc." the name for greeting was given last. The ceremonies terminated with feasting the Brahmans and respectfully dismissing the gods and the Fathers to their respective places.