“A Change of Name during Sickness”: Surveying the Widespread Practice of Renaming in Response to Physical Illness

Abstract

This paper synthesizes and summarizes a selection of literature—largely anthropological and ethnographic, published between the early 18^th and early 21^st centuries—that describes the practice of renaming a person who is physically ill in order to effect their recovery. In none of these publications is this particular practice central; rather, it is often mentioned alongside myriad other cultural and naming practices. While no claim is made as to the exhaustive nature of the literature review, this analysis reveals patterns and similarities related to the reasoning behind such a practice and the special relationship between personal names and physical health in a wide variety of world cultures.

Keywords:

• children
• health
• illness
• personal names
• religion
• renaming

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 I suppose that, technically, at least one additional explanation could exist: that either the Inuit introduced the practice to the Tibetans or the Tibetans introduced it to the Inuit. This near-impossibility is risible, however, owing to the isolation and lack of mutual encounters within the migratory history of both cultures.

2 All six inhabited continents are represented if one considers Australia to be part of a greater Oceania. I am aware of no examples of this practice from the country of Australia itself but am hopeful that future research will uncover such cases if they exist.

3 Schwarzbaum (2015) is used in this study only as a source on Judaism, owing to the lack of supporting evidence given for the practice of renaming in response to illness among the other cultures mentioned therein. Alford (1988), however, is used as a source for the practice occurring among the twelve cultures mentioned therein, owing to the rigorous academic nature of Alford’s study.

4 This account is not included in my survey, except here, to provide anecdotal support for the attribute being discussed. Unfortunately, no other example of this practice within Korean culture was found during my survey.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Russell Fielding

Russell Fielding is a geographer who works primarily in the insular Caribbean on issues at the nexus of environmental sustainability and human health.