For Inuit, naming a baby is very important. Generally speaking babies are named after someone, usually someone who has passed on, and it is believed that the child "takes on" the spirit of the person they are named after. In essence they grow into the name. Leah’s youngest sister, for example, is named after her Grandmother Arnakallak. Because of this I call her Sukiqpa (roughly Grandmother-in-law). If a child was named after my father, I’d call him dad.
We’ve taken the habit of giving our children a first name, a western name of their own, followed with middle names in the Inuit tradition. Thus Travis’ full name is Travis Matthew Alvin Avinga Evaluarjuq Kines. Travis is his own name – Matthew is for a very good friend of Leah’s who committed suicide in Hall Beach – Alvin is for my Grandfather – Avinga and Evaluarjuq are for elders from Iglulik who have passed on.
We struggled with his first name, as I imagine many couples do. It is hard to come up with something that is unique enough, that you both like, that won’t be too unique (ala Moonunit Zappa – sorry if you’re reading this Moonunit). Finally my brother’s son Brandt suggested Travis and we both decided it was a great name.
When our daughter was born this morning we still hadn’t settled on a first name, although we had three middle names picked for her. When I called my brother to give him the news Brandt answered the phone. Our conversation went basically like this:
Hi Brandt. You have a new cousin.
"Is it a girl"
Yes, a girl.
"What’s her name?"
We haven’t decided yet. Any ideas?
"What colour is her hair?"
I don’t know yet, but I would imagine that it is black.
"Hilary."
So, I give you Hilary Kautaq Arnakallak Rose Kines. Hilary, because now Brandt names all of our children. Kautaq for Kautaq Joseph. Arnakallak for Leah’s grandmother. Rose for my Grannie. May she grow well into all of her names.
Comments
10 responses
Congratulations Clare! This is wonderful news — lovely names, all. Much happiness to you all!
Congratulations Clare! And a great name. You’re lucky to have such a nephew.
Congratulations to all! I can’t wait to see photos 🙂
Clare & Leah & Travis, many heartfelt congratulations!!! I look forward to many upcoming posts & pics on the new familial extension!
Wonderful!
As a practicing taxonomist, at least in part, I love theories of names. I like also the poetry of becoming names–it’s rather like Gertrude Stein coming to look like Picasso’s picture of her.
Best wishes and best of luck.
Congratulations on the arrival of Hilary! I’ve enjoyed reading your blog and look forward to stories and observations about the new little addition.
Wow, congratulations to you all! I think you’ve chosen a great name too.
Congrats! I love all the names and the story behind them.
Congratulations to the whole family! I love the entire name. Rose is my wife’s middle name and I have always loved it. She was given it because her great-aunt Rose had no children and it was a way to pass on her name and thus be remembered.
Thanks all. Hilary arrives tomorrow, if the travel gods allow. Can’t wait to hold her in my hands.
Now I’ve got to go search for a picture of Gertrude Stein to see if she looks like a cubist painting.