You Named Your Baby What?!
Though I take a little credit for being up on the name Sascha (Sasha, Sacha), I was ahead of most Americans who have been naming their daughters “Sasha” after the younger first daughter moved into the White House. According to the Social Security Administration, the name jumped in popularity in 2009, ranking as the year’s 23d fastest rising name.
It’s actually the Obama’s daughter Malia who is leading more Americans when it comes to naming their children. According to data released by the SSA in May, “Maliyah” was the fastest growing name in popularity in 2009 and while the first daughter’s name is spelled “Malia,” the SSA says that the big jump is most likely related to the popularity of the presidential family. Malia is a Hawaiian name that means “peaceful,” and in Swahili (one language of Kenya) it also means “queen.” [I’m sure Barack and Michelle are well aware of this.]
Different cultures honor the arrival of a newborn in different ways, they include:
- The Japanese baby naming ceremony is traditionally held on the seventh day after the baby’s birth.
- Infant Jewish girls undergo the Zeved Habat ceremony (led by the mother and includes a name giving prayer) and boys the Berit Milah ceremony (a naming and circumcision ceremony together).
- For Hindus, the naming ceremony is often commemorated with a havan or sacred fire on the 12th day after the baby’s birth.
- In Sierra Leone, a baby is named only after the umbilical cord has dropped off. Prior to that, it is believed that the baby does not yet have an identity of its own.
How did you come to name your children? Do you already have names picked out for your future child?
