Welcome to the World: The Circle of Life Series

Meredith Price

For Shakespeare’s love-struck Juliet, a rose called by any other name smells just as sweet, but for many families in Cobb County, the name bestowed upon their newborn could not be anything other than the one they have chosen.

The traditions surrounding the birth of a baby and the giving of a name represent part of an undeniable identity instilled in each new baby by their parents and families. The blessings and ceremonies welcoming babies are as varied and unique as each new life, but within each community some customs are shared.

One familiar custom in this area is the Christian baptism, or christening, of a baby. Although the Methodist Church claims that a baby is baptized and a boat is christened, most people see little difference between the ceremonies. In most cases, the family promises before the congregation to raise the child in the church community with the same morals and values they hold dear at the baptismal service. They stand at the altar while the ministers or priests place holy water on the infant’s head to baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Among different branches of Christianity, these traditions slightly differ. The Baptist church baptizes people as adults, only after they have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. Other branches of Christianity give members who were baptized as babies a chance to confirm their beliefs as teenagers and will perform baptisms at any age. In all cases, water represents purification, and the ceremony mirrors Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist in the scriptures. It represents a public pronouncement of faith in Jesus Christ and a commitment to the repentance of sins.

For the Austin family, baptism is a family tradition and provides the first start to an upbringing in the church. "We strongly believe that the time you invest in bringing up your children in the church is something they will benefit from in the future," says Adam Austin. Mr. Austin and his wife recently baptized Avery Shea at First United Methodist Church, where they have been members since childhood. The christening gown also differs among families. The Austin’s gown has been in their family for almost one-hundred years. The names of each child baptized in it have not been embroidered in the hem, but other families do sew each baby’s name into the gown. Laurel Austin’s great grandmother, Wilma Stevens, wore the same gown as a baby. Ms. Stevens is now 93. "We went through a lot to get it ready for Avery. We had to send it to a special cleaner and have it professionally laundered," says Mr. Ausin. "It was worth it to keep up the tradition."

The Austin family also followed the custom of naming the new baby after a relative out of honor and respect. Avery Shea is named for her great-grandfather, Joseph Shea, who was also present at her baptism. For other communities, naming a child after a living relative actually shows disrespect. According to Irvin Pearlberg, a member of the Jewish community, "naming a child after a dead relative gives them honor, but you would not choose to name the baby after a living person." "In my family, the tradition was to name the baby with the same first initial," says Mr. Pearlberg. "My grandfather was named Isidore, and I was given the name Irvin after him," he explains.

Many people in the Jewish community also choose to hold a naming ceremony for baby girls at the synagogue thirty days after their birth. In American Jewish communities, the baby’s English name is often translated into a Hebrew name. For boys in the Jewish community, a ‘bris,’ meaning ‘pact’ is performed by a mohel on the 8th day after the birth in the family’s home. The mohel is trained to perform circumcisions and the exercise is quick and relatively painless for the baby. The only exception to the ceremony taking place on the 8th day would be due to the health of the baby. "God commanded that boys be circumcised on the 8th day, and it is part of the covenant between God and the Jewish people," says Jason Adler, a member of the Orthodox Jewish community in Cobb County. Family and friends gather in the family’s home to witness the circumcision early in the morning. The baby is brought in on a pillow and held by an elder relative, usually his grandfather. The Rabbi recites some verses from the Siddur and then the mohel quickly snips the foreskin with a sharp razor. In Judaism, the number eight symbolizes the supernatural. In the Old Testament, Isaac was circumcises at eight days old, at which time he was only subconsciously aware of God; therefore his relationship with God began in a supernatural manner. This is the origin of circumcising a baby boy on the eighth day to keep the covenant with God, give him a name and welcome him into the Jewish society.

In the Korean community, the birthday parties in honor of a new baby are held 100 days after the birth. "In the past, the mortality rate for infants was very high and a lot died before they reached their 100th day, so in order to celebrate the baby’s survival we wait until the 100th day," explains Youm Young, a Korean in Cobb County. Islamic traditions regarding newborns are numerous and vary from culture to culture, but some local families adhere to the prophetic tradition of estimating the weight of the baby’s hair within the first few weeks and then giving that amount either to the needy or to a charity on behalf of the baby. According to Shaykh Ninowny, an Imam at the Al Madina mosque in Norcross, "the choosing of a name starts the minute a baby is born, and the religion emphasizes the need to give children good and meaningful names." After the delivery of the infant, a close relative or parent whispers a prayer into the baby’s ears saying that God is great and that He should be worshipped. The prayer maintains that there is only one God and Muhammad is among the messengers of God.

In Indian communities, the name of a child is also chosen carefully, but with the help of a priest. The Namkaran, literally ‘name to make’ is usually held on the eleventh day of the child’s life. "On the eleventh day, the priest came to our house with family and friends. We lit lamps and put out bananas, milk, fruits and rice. The priest read the constellation chart for the time our baby was born and then advised us about which letters to use in her name," explains Geetha Vinod, a Southern Indian from Chennai living in Smyrna. For the Vinod family, the letters A and I would bring good fortune and bode well for their daughter’s future. They chose the name 'Aishwarya,' which means "an abundance of health and wealth," in Telugu, their language in India. Once the name of the baby is pronounced, it is written in the rice and whispered three times in the baby’s ear. As the primary means of identification and social interaction, the naming of a child is believed to be the root of the child’s destiny and should therefore be taken very seriously.

No matter what the ceremony or traditions involve, every culture places importance on the name of a child and enjoys celebrating their arrival into this world. Each new baby marks the beginning of another generation in the family, and most cultures welcome the tiny life with customs that involve faith, luck, and prosperity for the future.