The naming of a new child is a very important event, since the name a person bears reflects that person's basic nature. Ashkenazic Jews name their children in remembrance of a recently deceased relative. This tradition honors the memory of the departed but also follows a superstition that a child should not be named after someone who is living.

On the other hand, Sephardic Jews name their children after living relatives. Note that they generally do not name a son after the father or a daughter after the mother. Should you decide to follow this practice in naming your child, honor someone other than yourself! For instance, it is perfectly proper to name a child after a grandparent.

A Hebrew Name

Although no formal Jewish commandment specifies the necessity of a Hebrew name, most Jewish parents give their child a Hebrew middle name. The Hebrew name is used by the child during important occasions and ceremonies, such as being called to the Torah for an aliyah or identifying the bride and groom in the ketubah.

The formal Hebrew name comes with the word ben (son of) or bat (daughter of) and the father's name (though some non-Orthodox families may include the mother's name). For instance, Shmuel ben Yosef is the full name of Samuel, the son of Joseph. If the child is a kohein, the title ha-Kohein are added; if the child is a Levite, the title Ha-Levi will follow.