WOW Dozen: Multiple Perspectives on Names and Naming
People's names are one of the foundational building blocks of identity. Whether it is a name we are given or one that we choose for ourselves, names can carry multiple layers of meaning, including culture, history, connections to heritage and family, or an expression of personality. In addition to the names of people, names of animals, plants, and other things can also carry historical and cultural meanings.
Most people have more than one name: a legal first name, one or more middle and last names, nicknames (sometimes multiple) given to us by family or friends, and usernames associated with social media accounts. In addition, many people have a religious name and/or a traditional name connected to their culture. There may be specific naming practices or rituals within cultures or groups and names may change, voluntarily or involuntarily, at different stages of life such as adoption, coming of age, or marriage.
The historical origins of our names are often lost. However, we know that many surnames developed from the occupations people practiced, so, for example, someone with the last name Miller probably had a long-lost ancestor who operated a mill. In some cultures, names can show lineage like in many Nordic countries where a person's surname is based on their father's first name and a suffix that indicates gender. In the United States after the Civil War, many former slaves took surnames from their enslavers or from significant historical figures they admired. More recently, African Americans in the United States often give their children African or Afrocentric names to show pride and connection to their heritage.
While people's names are intensely personal, they are sometimes controlled by political or national forces. For example, some countries have lists of approved names for new babies. There have also been times when minoritized groups have been forced to change their names as part of assimilation into a mainstream culture.
Many children enjoy exploring the story and meaning behind their names. What does their name mean? How did they get their name and why was that particular name chosen? What nicknames do they have and how did they acquire them? This exploration can be broadened to examine other types of names such as the names of animals, plants, planets, elements, and other objects. Who named the different types of clouds and why were those names chosen? Where do the names of the stars come from?
There are many children's picturebooks about names and naming. This list could easily be three dozen books long! However, in keeping with the format of this blog feature, what follows is one dozen global or multicultural picturebooks chosen with the goal of providing a wide variety of approaches and perspectives on the topic of names and naming.
Hussein, who is Roma and Muslim, lives a happy life in Bulgaria until the army invades and he and his family are forced to take Christian names.
Always fascinated by the weather, Luke Howard eventually developed a classification system to name the clouds.
Two puffins who share the same name squabble over which is the best Steve.
A dachshund named Frankfurt despises his name and protests until his owner changes it.
With the support of his parents and his grandfather, Papá Yefferson, young Yefferson learns how to correct others when they get his name wrong.
Zimdalamashkermishkada unhappily decides to use a nickname until a new friend helps him gain the confidence to reclaim his long name.
Children from different cultures share the powerful ways their names connect with their cultures, languages, and histories.
Short verses and lyrical paintings showcase pairs of wildly different animals that share the same names.
When his teacher mispronounces his name, Saajin is unhappy but believes that it must be different outside of his house until his parents help him realize that even adults make mistakes.
Little Antonio runs into trouble when his kindergarten teacher doesn’t understand the eleven different names he’s been given by his family.
Amira and her family gather for her new sister’s naming ceremony, where each person chooses a special name for the baby.
Kantiga dislikes her name until her grandmother tells her how it comes from a line of special women and a magical clay pot.
WOW Dozen features a list of 12 global books for children and adolescents around a theme, topic, issue or personal favorites. Each Dozen consists of ten newly-published titles with two older "must have" books. Please share or recommend additional books that fit the theme in the comments section or on social media using #WOWDozen. Use the printer icon in the upper left corner of this post to print or save this list as a PDF.
