History Main / NamingCeremony

** PlayedForLaughs in ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'', where, due to the rule of whatever the priest says becoming their name, the crown princess of Lancre ends up with the name Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling (which is a huge improvement over James What The Hell Is That Cow Doing In Here? Poorchick and King My God He's Heavy the First).
** ''Discworld/ReaperMan'' has One-Man-Bucket -- he came from a tribe with a tradition of naming children after the first thing the mother saw after the child was born. Thanks to his ancestors moving to the big city, he wound up with One-Man-Pouring-A-Bucket-Of-Water-Over-Two-Dogs. His twin brother, born a few seconds earlier, "would have given his right arm to be named Two-Dogs-[[BaitAndSwitchComment Fighting]]".

->'''Lucky''': "So that's how the Naming Ceremony works? Dogs choose who and what they are?"
->'''Fiery''': "Yes. A name sums up a dog's character. That's why it's so important. It's vital for a dog to get it right, because it will define him all his life."

Everyone has a name, as do most things that we create, and naming things tends to be SeriousBusiness. In the Western world, this is called a Christening, after the prevailing religion of the region, but the tradition is [[UniversalTropes common to practically all cultures]]. For people or other sapient beings, this tends to be both a religious and civil matter, as well as a practical one; after all, parents can't call their children "baby" or "Junior" for their whole lives.

* The Free Dogs (and wolves) in ''Literature/SurvivorDogs'' have a naming ceremony that pups must undergo in order to receive their adult names. It's generally done when a pups back teeth have grown in. It involves a ritual where a WhiteRabbit is caught on a full moon, the carcass is skinned, the pups sit on the "Moon Pelt", and then the pack howls at the moon. After the ritual is done, the pups are asked to chose their new names.

* The Free Dogs (and wolves) in ''Literature/SurvivorDogs'' have a naming ceremony that pups must undergo in order to receive their adult names. It's generally done when a pups fangs have grown in. It involves a ritual where a specific prey is caught, the carcass is striped of its fur and head, the pups sit on it, and then the pack howls at the moon. After the ritual is done, the pups are asked to chose their new names.

* The dogs (and wolves) in ''Literature/SurvivorDogs'' have a naming ceremony that pups must undergo in order to receive their adult names. It's generally done when a pups fangs have grown in. It involves a ritual where a specific prey is caught, the carcass is striped of its fur and head, the pups sit on it, and then the pack howls at the moon. After the ritual is done, the pups are asked to chose their new names.

** ''Discworld/ReaperMan'' has One-Man-Bucket -- he came from a tribe with a tradition of naming children after the first thing the mother saw after the child was born. Thanks to his ancestors moving to the big city, he wound up with One-Man-Pouring-A-Bucket-Of-Water-Over-Two-Dogs. His twin brother, born a few seconds earlier, "would have given his right arm to be named Two-Dogs-[[GettingCrapPastTheRadar Fighting]]".

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* On ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'', the Sinclairs go to the Chief Elder to get the baby named. Unfortunately, the Chief Elder dies in the middle of the ceremony, and the baby gets the name Augh I'm Dying You Idiot. Interruptions that become names have apparently happened before, as there are mentions of characters named Atchoo and Burp Excuse Me. In the end, the new Chief Elder names the baby... Baby.

** ''Discworld/ReaperMan'' has One-Man-Bucket -- the first thing his father saw when he was born was one man pouring a bucket of water over two dogs. His twin brother, born a few seconds earlier, would have given his right arm to be named Two-Dogs-[[GettingCrapPastTheRadar Fighting]].

* The dogs (and wolves) in ''Literature/SurvivorDogs'' have a naming ceremony that pups must undergo in order to receive their adult names. It's generally done when a pups fangs have grown in. It involves a ritual involving a specific prey being caught, the carcass being striped of its fur and head, the pups sitting on it, and then the pack howling at the moon. After the ritual is done, the pups are asked to chose their new names.

* Creator/UrsulaKLeGuin's ''Literature/{{Earthsea}}'' series. Children are given their TrueName by a wizard in a special ceremony. Sparrowhawk receives his in ''Literature/AWizardOfEarthsea''.

Everyone has a name, as do most things that we create, and naming things tends to be SeriousBusiness. In the Western world, this is called a Christening, after the prevailing religion of the region, but the tradition is [[UniversalTrope common to practically all cultures]]. For people or other sapient beings, this tends to be both a religious and civil matter, as well as a practical one; after all, parents can't call their children "baby" or "Junior" for their whole lives.

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* In ''Literature/TheWolfChronicles'', there is a small naming ceremony when pups are named, and this signifies that the pack is pledged to protect the pup: if a pup is not expected to survive, it might not be given a name until later, if at all. Ázzuen is one such example: he was the only one of his litter to not receive a name, but he is given one later: [[DeadGuyJunior the name of his grandfather]], who was a great warrior.

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* Under English (and other commonwealth) law, the process of legally changing a name (assuming the person in question isn't a minor) basically boils down to a written statement saying "My name was ___, now I go by ___" which is cosigned by a solicitor and can then be used as an official document. However, there is also the option of invoking this trope by having notice of the change published in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_London_Gazette The London Gazette]] (which makes it no more or less legally binding, but essentially serves as a downplayed ceremony).

* On ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'', the Sinclairs go to the Chief Elder to get the baby named. Unfortunately, the Chief Elder dies in the middle of the ceremony, and the baby gets the name Augh I'm Dying You Idiot. It has apparently happened before, as there are mentions of characters named Atchoo and Burp Excuse Me. In the end, the new Chief Elder names the baby... Baby.

** Leaders have a somewhat surreal dream experience, where the spirits of their ancestors visit them while they sleep to ritually give them the suffix -star.Literature:

* The [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation Confirmation]], one of the seven Roman Catholic sacraments, gives an option for the person to adopt a new name, usually in the name of a saint.

* Creator/UrsulaKLeGuin's ''Literature/EarthseaTrilogy''. Children are given their TrueName by a wizard in a special ceremony. Sparrowhawk receives his in ''Literature/AWizardOfEarthsea''.

** PlayedForLaughs in ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'', where, do to the rule of whatever the priest says becoming their name, the crown princess of Lancre ends up with the name Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling (which is a huge improvement over James What The Hell Is That Cow Doing In Here? Poorchick and King My God He's Heavy the First).

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Discworld/CarpeJugulum'', where, do to the rule of whatever the priest says becoming their name, the crown princess of Lancre ends up with the name Esmerelda Margaret Note Spelling (which is a huge improvement over James What The Hell Is That Cow Doing In Here? Poorchick and King My God He's Heavy the First).
* ''{{Literature/Discworld}}'' also has One-Man-Bucket (the first thing his father saw was aone man pouring a bucket of water over two dogs). His twin brother, born a few seconds earlier, would have given his right arm to be named Two-Dogs-[[GettingCrapPastTheRadar Fighting]].

* {{Subverted}} in the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' Season 6 premiere "The Crystalling". The titular ceremony has all the pomp of a royal Christening, but "the baby" princess isn't officially named until she meets her grandparents at the Ponyville train station after the ceremony.