(This post is the second of a three part series focusing on naming children. Part one discussed the proper time to name a daughter. Part three will discuss the debate about modern Hebrew names.)
How important is the moment that a child is given a name?
The best way to begin this discussion is by quoting a remarkable halacha from the Drisha. (The Drisha is the name of a gloss on the Tur, written by Rav Yehoshua Falk, a student of the Rama and the Maharshal. He is also the author of the Prisha and the Sma, and was one of the great community leaders of his time, the founding member of the Vaad Arba Ha'aratzos.)
The Drisha is in YD 360 (easy to remember, it's Shin Samach, Shas.) The halacha there deals with precedence: If a person has several events that he ought to attend, and he has to chose which to attend first, (also, possibly, where he can only do one but not both, which would broaden the discussion to include not only precedence but also priority,) which event has precedence? The occasions listed include bikkur cholim, attending a funeral, nichum aveilim, accompanying a Chasan or Kallah to the Chupa, attending a Sheva Brachos, and going to a Bris. I'm not going to write the list, because there are many qualifying factors. But, all things being equal, the halacha is that Bris Milah comes before Chasan and Kallah. The Drisha says that attending the naming of a girl has a status equal to attending a Bris Milah. The same way that attending a Bris has precedence over attending to simchas chasan v'kallah, so too, attending a girl-naming has precedence over simchas chasan v'kallah.
Please note that even though I say "the naming of a girl," the gender of the child is irrelevant. When the Drisha says that the naming ceremony is of equal weight to that of a bris, he is referring to the naming of a child in general. His assertion only has practical relevance for the naming of a girl, because a boy is usually named at his Bris. But the rule is gender neutral. It is the naming of a child that the Drisha highlights.
We all realize the enormous significance of a Bris Milah. In the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, one siman (YD 260) is entirely dedicated to the statement that the Mitzva of Bris is uniquely important- "מצוות עשה לאב למול את בנו, וגדולה מצווה זו משאר מצוות עשה". It is so unusually important that one who does not attend the festive celebration of a Bris to which he was invited is viewed as if he were in a state of excommunication (YD 265:12.) In light of this extraordinary significance, one would think that merely naming a child is far less meaningful. Thus, the Drisha's statement, made without any citation, is very novel. In fact, the lack of a citation indicates that the Drisha held its truth to be self evident.
How are we to understand the profound significance the Drisha attaches to the naming of a child?
1. The Giving of a Name reflects significance and a meaningful destiny. Being Called a name means that you have a Calling.
A. The Rashba
The Rashba (Teshuvos 4:30) was asked why the Torah lists the names of the predecessors of Avraham Avinu in a form that is different from the one used elsewhere in the Torah. In most places, the Torah says "a child was born and he was given a name." Here, most of the names are listed, but it does not say "was born to X and he called him/gave him the name Y."
He answers that a name relates to permanence, to firm establishment. Something that is ephemeral and insubstantial does not really have a name. Therefore, until Sheis was born to Adam, none of the children are introduced with the "and he called him...." form. Only when Sheis, who was the progenitor of all mankind, was named, does it use that form. His son, Enosh, also was of such a significance as to merit this usage. But the descendants of Enosh, till Noach, where utterly without significance. Noach, who survived the Mabul and was the progenitor of all that lived after the Mabul, also is "given a name." After Noach, in that the permanence of the world was guaranteed, there was no need to use the phrase "gave him a name."
The lesson of the Rashba is that not the name, but the act of giving a name, is associated with a significant life and a lasting legacy. One might say that the Rashba holds that קריאת שם, calling a name, means that this child has a calling. If the child has no "calling," there's no point in calling him anything.
With the Rashba we understand precisely the tefilla said at a bris, a tefilla quoted by the Rishonim ר"ש מגרמייזא and ר"י ב"ר יקר. When we name the child, we say
I hope that you noticed that the Reb Yosi that says that the early generations used to give a name that was informed by Ruach Hakodesh, but that we just name for our ancestors, is the same Reb Yosi in Yoma 83b who initially ignored Reb Meir's warning that a person's name reflects their personality. Apparently, Reb Yosi holds that because we no longer have Ruach Hakodesh, the names we give our children don't show anything about them, and Reb Meir holds that for some reason it still does. Alternatively, everyone agrees that a name does say something about the person, but Reb Yosi holds that the predilections a person was born with do not determine what he will be when he matures, and Reb Meir was a Determinist (at least as far as taking risks was concerned. Reb Meir certainly didn't deny that Bechira enables a person to change, but, as Damon Runyon said, “The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's how the smart money bets.” Or, in Reb Meir's own words, ?אימר דאמרי אנא חששא, אחזוקי מי אמרי) In the end, though, the Gemara in Yoma does say that Reb Yosi did pay attention to the implications of a person's name. It's hard to know whether the Medrash is the pre-Kidor Reb Yosi or the post-Kidor Reb Yosi.
Furthermore, we need to mention that although the Medrash says that the Ruach Hakodesh of naming a child no longer pertains, the Arizal held that it does.
F. The Yalkut
The Yalkut Shimoni in Yeshayahu 449 (in Perek 41) says that if mankind would only have merited it, Hashem would give every person a name, and from that name his character and his behavioral traits would be known.
NOTE:
It is important to realize that there might be two disparate approaches in these Medrashim. One is that the Ruach Hakodesh of giving a name enables a person to identify the essential personality and life-purpose of the child. The other approach is that the name alludes to what the future holds for that child- of Ruach HaKodesh gives a person an omniscient awareness which enables him to "remember" the child in the context of his life experience, even before that experience has taken place. For example, this is the opinion of the Tiferes Yisrael in Shekalim 6:1, where he says that many kings' names reflected their life experience, and they were named to reflect that which was later to come.
The Tiferes Yisrael says that the events that inform the names stem from occurrences that are entirely extraneous to the personality or character of the person.
On the other hand, it is equally possible that the Medrashim do not disagree at all. They mean to say that the person's essential character and life-purpose inexorably and inevitably lead to a life-experience that expresses that character and purpose. The Yalkut in Yeshayahu that says that the Livni family got their name because they worked with bricks (הלבני - על שם טיט ולבנים) might mean that they gravitated to that work because of an inherent predisposition.
A. Reb Moshe
3. Naming a child concretizes the bond with the parents and Klal Yisrael.
A. Rabbeinu Nachshon Gaon
The Rosh, (פ״ג דמ״ק ס״ס פח) and other Rishonim (see Ramban in Toras Ha'Adam,) bring a minhag from the Gaon Rabbeinu Nachshon:
He says that in the tragic event of a child's death after a few days, the minhag is to make a bris at the cemetery and name the child there before the burial. More interesting, he says that it is this naming that will enable the child and the parents to recognize each other at Techiyas Hameishim.
See also here, especially in notes 222 and 224.
This is brought lehalacha in YD 263:8.
What would the minhag be with a girl? It should be obvious that the naming would take place for a girl as well. It is not the bris itself that creates a permanent bond, it is the act of naming and making a part of the family. For a boy, that requires two actions, both giving a name and making a bris, because the bris milah is a part of enfolding a male child into the nation of Israel. For a girl, it is giving a name alone that creates that permanent bond. The act of giving a name concretizes the relationship of that child to its family and to Klal Yisrael. This explains the Drisha as well. Giving a name accomplishes precisely that which a bris accomplishes.
I don't want it to sound like saying that a child that never got a name is meaningless. What I understand them to be saying is that a child that was never named is pure neshama without any meaningful bond to this physical world. Naming bonds the neshama to the physical world. Only after such a bond is created does a relationship with the parents have meaning.
4. Having a name makes receiving Bracha possible; the name is a window to the soul.
A. The Ramban
The Ramban (Bamidbar 1:32) says
The Ramban discusses why it was necessary for Moshe Rabbeinu to know each person's name when he was counted, as recounted in the beginning of Bamidbar. He says that it is through knowing the person's name that Moshe and Aharon could know their secret soul and give them a true bracha.
Rav Shamshon Refael Hirsch toward the beginning of Bamidbar discusses the idea that a person's name is a window to his soul, but I don't have the exact MM in front of me.
5. The Mysterious שבוע הבת
A. Eli's suggestion.
In the original of this post, Eli brought an opinion that the expression שבוע הבת might refer to the naming of a daughter. This is what he said:
6. The Nusach of the Mi Shebeirach when naming a daughter.
Reb Moshe has his own nusach for this mi shebeirach, as follows: Please note, this is all one nusach, and he goes straight from the mi shebeirach for the health of the mother to the naming of the daughter.
How important is the moment that a child is given a name?
The best way to begin this discussion is by quoting a remarkable halacha from the Drisha. (The Drisha is the name of a gloss on the Tur, written by Rav Yehoshua Falk, a student of the Rama and the Maharshal. He is also the author of the Prisha and the Sma, and was one of the great community leaders of his time, the founding member of the Vaad Arba Ha'aratzos.)
The Drisha is in YD 360 (easy to remember, it's Shin Samach, Shas.) The halacha there deals with precedence: If a person has several events that he ought to attend, and he has to chose which to attend first, (also, possibly, where he can only do one but not both, which would broaden the discussion to include not only precedence but also priority,) which event has precedence? The occasions listed include bikkur cholim, attending a funeral, nichum aveilim, accompanying a Chasan or Kallah to the Chupa, attending a Sheva Brachos, and going to a Bris. I'm not going to write the list, because there are many qualifying factors. But, all things being equal, the halacha is that Bris Milah comes before Chasan and Kallah. The Drisha says that attending the naming of a girl has a status equal to attending a Bris Milah. The same way that attending a Bris has precedence over attending to simchas chasan v'kallah, so too, attending a girl-naming has precedence over simchas chasan v'kallah.
Please note that even though I say "the naming of a girl," the gender of the child is irrelevant. When the Drisha says that the naming ceremony is of equal weight to that of a bris, he is referring to the naming of a child in general. His assertion only has practical relevance for the naming of a girl, because a boy is usually named at his Bris. But the rule is gender neutral. It is the naming of a child that the Drisha highlights.
We all realize the enormous significance of a Bris Milah. In the Tur and Shulchan Aruch, one siman (YD 260) is entirely dedicated to the statement that the Mitzva of Bris is uniquely important- "מצוות עשה לאב למול את בנו, וגדולה מצווה זו משאר מצוות עשה". It is so unusually important that one who does not attend the festive celebration of a Bris to which he was invited is viewed as if he were in a state of excommunication (YD 265:12.) In light of this extraordinary significance, one would think that merely naming a child is far less meaningful. Thus, the Drisha's statement, made without any citation, is very novel. In fact, the lack of a citation indicates that the Drisha held its truth to be self evident.
How are we to understand the profound significance the Drisha attaches to the naming of a child?
1. The Giving of a Name reflects significance and a meaningful destiny. Being Called a name means that you have a Calling.
A. The Rashba
The Rashba (Teshuvos 4:30) was asked why the Torah lists the names of the predecessors of Avraham Avinu in a form that is different from the one used elsewhere in the Torah. In most places, the Torah says "a child was born and he was given a name." Here, most of the names are listed, but it does not say "was born to X and he called him/gave him the name Y."
He answers that a name relates to permanence, to firm establishment. Something that is ephemeral and insubstantial does not really have a name. Therefore, until Sheis was born to Adam, none of the children are introduced with the "and he called him...." form. Only when Sheis, who was the progenitor of all mankind, was named, does it use that form. His son, Enosh, also was of such a significance as to merit this usage. But the descendants of Enosh, till Noach, where utterly without significance. Noach, who survived the Mabul and was the progenitor of all that lived after the Mabul, also is "given a name." After Noach, in that the permanence of the world was guaranteed, there was no need to use the phrase "gave him a name."
שו"ת הרשב"א חלק ד סימן ל
שאלת: למה אמר הכתוב, בכל אותם הדורות שהיו מאדם עד אברהם אבינו ע"ה, בענין התולדות: ויולד פלוני לפלוני, ולא אמר: ויולד לפלוני בן, ויקרא את שמו פלוני.
תשובה: דע, כי קריאת השם, יורה על הקיום. ובדבר המתפסד, ואין לו קיום, אין ראוי לקרות לו שם.
ויורה ע"ז: 'שם רשעים ירקב', 'ולא שם לו על פני חוץ'. וההפך: 'ונתתי להם בבתי ובחומותי יד ושם', 'לפני שמש ינון שמו'. ועל כן, תמצא דקדוק הכתוב כל התולדות שנולדו מאדם ועד שת, שנמחו כולם, ולא נשאר להם שורש, לא הזכיר בא' מהם: ויקרא את שמו, עד שנולד שת. ומפני שנשתת ממנו העולם, כתוב בו: וידע אדם עוד את אשתו, ותלד בן. ותקרא את שמו שת: כי שת לי אלהים זרע אחר. וכתב הטעם בצדו: כי שת לי אלהים זרע אחר תחת הבל. שזה זרע אחר שיש לו קיום, תחת הבל, כי הרגו קין, ואין לו קיום, ולא נשתת זרעו. וללמד: כי מזה נשתת העולם, ולתולדותיו יהיה קיום. והוא שאמר: ולשת גם הוא יולד בן, ויקרא את שמו אנוש. אח"כ חזר והזכיר התולדות עד נח. ומפני שאף תולדות אלו גם כן נמחו במבול, ולא נשאר מהם רק נח, חזר שלא להזכיר בהם קריאת שם. ונח, שנשאר ונתקיים ממנו העולם, חזר ואמר בו קריאת שם. דכתיב: ויחי למך וגו', ויולד בן. ויקרא את שמו נח לאמר: זה ינחמנו. ואחרי שהיה לעולם קיום, ולא נשחתו הדורות אח"כ, אלא שנחלקו לאומות, לא הקפיד בקריאת השם.
ויורה ע"ז: 'שם רשעים ירקב', 'ולא שם לו על פני חוץ'. וההפך: 'ונתתי להם בבתי ובחומותי יד ושם', 'לפני שמש ינון שמו'. ועל כן, תמצא דקדוק הכתוב כל התולדות שנולדו מאדם ועד שת, שנמחו כולם, ולא נשאר להם שורש, לא הזכיר בא' מהם: ויקרא את שמו, עד שנולד שת. ומפני שנשתת ממנו העולם, כתוב בו: וידע אדם עוד את אשתו, ותלד בן. ותקרא את שמו שת: כי שת לי אלהים זרע אחר. וכתב הטעם בצדו: כי שת לי אלהים זרע אחר תחת הבל. שזה זרע אחר שיש לו קיום, תחת הבל, כי הרגו קין, ואין לו קיום, ולא נשתת זרעו. וללמד: כי מזה נשתת העולם, ולתולדותיו יהיה קיום. והוא שאמר: ולשת גם הוא יולד בן, ויקרא את שמו אנוש. אח"כ חזר והזכיר התולדות עד נח. ומפני שאף תולדות אלו גם כן נמחו במבול, ולא נשאר מהם רק נח, חזר שלא להזכיר בהם קריאת שם. ונח, שנשאר ונתקיים ממנו העולם, חזר ואמר בו קריאת שם. דכתיב: ויחי למך וגו', ויולד בן. ויקרא את שמו נח לאמר: זה ינחמנו. ואחרי שהיה לעולם קיום, ולא נשחתו הדורות אח"כ, אלא שנחלקו לאומות, לא הקפיד בקריאת השם.
The lesson of the Rashba is that not the name, but the act of giving a name, is associated with a significant life and a lasting legacy. One might say that the Rashba holds that קריאת שם, calling a name, means that this child has a calling. If the child has no "calling," there's no point in calling him anything.
With the Rashba we understand precisely the tefilla said at a bris, a tefilla quoted by the Rishonim ר"ש מגרמייזא and ר"י ב"ר יקר. When we name the child, we say
קיים את הילד הזה לאביו ולאמו ויקרא שמו בישראל כך.
Hashem, firmly establish the child to his parents, and his name will be called, in the nation of Israel, ..... What does this introduction mean? With the Rashba, it becomes crystal clear. קיום- permanence and significance- is strongly related to the act of giving a name. (Similarly, the Gemara in Nedarim 32a says that the act of the Bris Milah gives "Kiyum", permanence, to the Heaven and Earth.) Therefore we say קיים את הילד הזה לאביו ולאמו ויקרא שמו- give this child קיום now as we give him his name.
Getting back to our topic: This Rashba might explain why the naming of a child is so meaningful. Before the act of naming, the child was, in some spiritual sense, ephemeral and not a significant and lasting part of the fabric of our world. With the naming of a child, the world has changed.
B. The Rogotchover.
The Rogotchover, in Breishis 2:19-20 says that the true name of a thing is the quality that distinguishes it from whatever is not it. When a thing loses its particular quality or specific function it loses its name. (He also discussed this in Bechukosai on vehishbati chaya raa, where there is a machlokes Reb Yehuda and Reb Shimon whether this means physical elimination or that the animals will remain, but, for example, the lion will no longer be a predator; and that Reb Yehuda is leshitaso that ein biur chametz ella sreifa.) I believe that the naming of a child is the moment when that neshama's true tafkid/yiud/purpose is determined. That unique purpose is a vital component of God's plan and it can be achieved only by this person. This primal occasion, when a person's part in the world is established, is a moment of significance shared by every fellow human being.
C. The Maharal
The Maharal in Gevuros Hashem says, similarly, that a name is related to the essence of a thing or person. It's interesting to see how the Maharal echoes the Rashba; he says that a true name, such as Moshe Rabbeinu's, is so deep and spiritual as to be undiminished by time and unaffected by tribulation.
We find this idea expressed almost exactly the same way in Reb Chaim Volozhiner's Ruach Chaim in the beginning of the first perek of Avos.
Similarly, Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch (Breishis 2:19) says the word Shem (name) comes from the word Sham (place). A person's name (Shem) indicates his place in the world. When someone is given a name, that name has a profound effect on that person's essence.
We find this idea expressed almost exactly the same way in Reb Chaim Volozhiner's Ruach Chaim in the beginning of the first perek of Avos.
Similarly, Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch (Breishis 2:19) says the word Shem (name) comes from the word Sham (place). A person's name (Shem) indicates his place in the world. When someone is given a name, that name has a profound effect on that person's essence.
D. Reb Meir
The Gemara in Yoma 83b says that Reb Meir knew the hidden soul of a person just by knowing his name. (His fellow students from Reb Akiva's yeshiva, Reb Yosi and Reb Yehuda, did not do any such thing.) They once had some involvement with a man named Kidor, and Reb Meir saw in that name a wickedness, and he was on guard against him. Reb Yosi and Reb Yehuda disregarded this omen, and it almost caused them a great loss. This relates to the idea of a name being a manifestation of a person's spiritual essence.
רבי מאיר ורבי יהודה ורבי יוסי הוו קא אזלי באורחא, רבי מאיר הוה דייק בשמא רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי לא הוו דייקו בשמא. כי מטו לההוא דוכתא בעו אושפיזא, יהבו להו. אמרו לו: מה שמך? - אמר להו: כידור. - אמר: שמע מינה אדם רשע הוא, שנאמר 'כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפֻּכֹת הֵמָּה בָּנִים לֹא אֵמֻן בָּם'. רבי יהודה ורבי יוסי אשלימו ליה כיסייהו רבי מאיר לא אשלים ליה כיסיה. אזל אותביה בי קיבריה דאבוה אתחזי ליה בחלמיה: תא שקיל כיסא דמנח ארישא דההוא גברא. למחר אמר להו: הכי אתחזי לי בחלמאי! אמרי ליה: חלמא דבי שמשי לית בהו ממשא. אזל רבי מאיר, ונטריה כולי יומא ואייתיה. למחר אמרו לו: הב לן כיסן! אמר להו: לא היו דברים מעולם. אמר להו רבי מאיר: אמאי לא דייקיתו בשמא? אמרו ליה: אמאי לא אמרת לן מר? אמר להו: אימר דאמרי אנא חששא, אחזוקי מי אמרי? משכוהו ועיילוהו לחנותא, חזו טלפחי אשפמיה, אזלו ויהבו סימנא לדביתהו, ושקלוהו לכיסייהו ואייתו. אזל איהו וקטליה לאיתתיה. היינו דתניא: מים ראשונים האכילו בשר חזיר, מים אחרונים הרגו את הנפש. ולבסוף הוו דייקי בשמא, כי מטו לההוא ביתא דשמיה בלה, לא עיילו לגביה. אמרי: שמע מינה רשע הוא, דכתיב "וָאֹמַר לַבָּלָה נִאוּפִים" (יחזקאל כג).
E. The Medrash Rabba
The Medrash Rabba (Breishis 37:25) says that those generations that had Ruach HaKodesh would give their child a name that was informed by their destiny. We, who do not have Ruach HaKodesh, just give names of our ancestors to our children.
"ולעבר יולד שני בנים שם האחד פלג כי בימיו נפלגה הארץ" ר' יוסי אומר: הראשונים על ידי שהיו מכירים יחסיהם היו מוציאים לשם המאורע, אבל אנו שאין אנו יודעין את יחסינו אנו מוציאין לשם אבותינו. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל אומר: הראשונים על ידי שהיו משתמשין ברוח הקודש היו מוציאין לשם המאורע אבל אנו שאין אנו משתמשין ברוח הקודש אנו מוציאין לשם אבותינו. אמר ר' יוסי בר' חלפתא נביא גדול היה עבר שהוציא לשם המאורע.
I hope that you noticed that the Reb Yosi that says that the early generations used to give a name that was informed by Ruach Hakodesh, but that we just name for our ancestors, is the same Reb Yosi in Yoma 83b who initially ignored Reb Meir's warning that a person's name reflects their personality. Apparently, Reb Yosi holds that because we no longer have Ruach Hakodesh, the names we give our children don't show anything about them, and Reb Meir holds that for some reason it still does. Alternatively, everyone agrees that a name does say something about the person, but Reb Yosi holds that the predilections a person was born with do not determine what he will be when he matures, and Reb Meir was a Determinist (at least as far as taking risks was concerned. Reb Meir certainly didn't deny that Bechira enables a person to change, but, as Damon Runyon said, “The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's how the smart money bets.” Or, in Reb Meir's own words, ?אימר דאמרי אנא חששא, אחזוקי מי אמרי) In the end, though, the Gemara in Yoma does say that Reb Yosi did pay attention to the implications of a person's name. It's hard to know whether the Medrash is the pre-Kidor Reb Yosi or the post-Kidor Reb Yosi.
Furthermore, we need to mention that although the Medrash says that the Ruach Hakodesh of naming a child no longer pertains, the Arizal held that it does.
האר"י ז"ל כותב ב"שער הגילגולים" (פנ"ט) ש"השם שקוראים לו אביו ואמו בעת שנימול, הוא נכתב למעלה בכסא הכבוד וכך הוא נקרא באקראי, כי הקב"ה מזמין אותו השם בפי אביו ואמו שיקראוהו כן, ולכן רבי מאיר ורבי יהושע בדקו בשמא".
See also ספר הגלגולים הקדמה כ"ג,
and the אור החיים דברים כ"ט י"ז kind of says it-
and עמק המלך שער א' סוף פרק ד, but I didn't see that one inside, so don't blame me if he doesn't say it.
Who knows? Maybe it's worth coming to a naming of a child simply to be in the presence of a person that is being touched by Ruach Hakodesh, as the Arizal says he is.
ונמצא כי כאשר נולד האדם, וקוראים לו אביו ואמו שם אחד העולה בדעתם, אינו באקראי ובהזדמן, כי אם הקב״ה משים בפיו השם ההוא המוכרח אל הנשמה ההיא, כמש״ה אשר שם שמות בארץ, כפי מקום האבר שבאדם העליון, אשר ממנו חוצב, והשם הזה נרשם למעלה בכסא הכבוד כגודע, ולכן ארז״ ל שמא גרים. נם זהו טעם של ר׳ יהושע ן׳ קרחה ור״מ דהוו בדקי בשמא.
and the אור החיים דברים כ"ט י"ז kind of says it-
ואומרו ומחה הי את שמו מתחת השמים . דע כי שורש נשמות האדם יסודותם בהררי קודש תחת השמים בסוד השמים כסאי והנשמות הם חצובות מתחת כסא כבודו יתברך והבן . וכבר ידעת סוד השם כי היא הנשמה וכמו שהארכנו במקומות אחרים ואמר הכתוכ על המשתרר בלבבו ומחה ה׳ שמו שהיא נשמתו משרשה שהיא תחת השמים וזו היא כריתות הנפש משרשה :
and עמק המלך שער א' סוף פרק ד, but I didn't see that one inside, so don't blame me if he doesn't say it.
Who knows? Maybe it's worth coming to a naming of a child simply to be in the presence of a person that is being touched by Ruach Hakodesh, as the Arizal says he is.
F. The Yalkut
The Yalkut Shimoni in Yeshayahu 449 (in Perek 41) says that if mankind would only have merited it, Hashem would give every person a name, and from that name his character and his behavioral traits would be known.
מי פעל ועשה קורא הדורת מראש -
אלו זכו הדורות היה הקב"ה קורא שמותם, כשם שקרא לאדם ולחוה, שנאמר: ויקרא את שמם אדם. וכן אתה מוצא, כשהיה הקב"ה רואה צדיק נולד, הוא בכבודו היה קורא שמו. קרא לאברהם: והיה שמך אברהם.וכן ליצחק: וקראת את שמו יצחק. וכן ליעקב: והיה שמך ישראל.
וכן לשלמה: כי שלמה יהיה שמו.וכן ליאשיה: הנה בן נולד לבית דוד יאשיהו שמו.
ואלו זכו הדורות היה הקב"ה קורא שם לכל אחד ואחד ומשמו היו יודעים את טיבו ואת מעשיו
וכן אתה מוצא במצרים: אלה משפחות לוי משפחת הלבני - על שם טיט ולבנים.משפחת השמעי ששמע הקב"ה את תפלתם.משפחת החברוני - שנתחברה להם שכינה.
אמרו רבותינו: כשהיה רבי מאיר רואה אדם היה למד שמו ומשמו היה יודע את מעשיו. פעם אחת באו אצלו שני תלמידים והיה שם אחד מהם כידור. אמר רבי מאיר לתלמידיו: הזהרו מכידור זה!אמרו לו: רבי, בן תורה הוא. אמר להם: אעפ"כ הזהרו ממנו. אחר ימים הלכו למרחץ והפקידו בגדיהם אצל כידור ונכנסו למרחץ. מה עשה אותו כידור? נטל בגדיהם והלך לו, יצאו ולא מצאוהו הלכו לבתיהם ולבשו בגדים אחרים. באו לפני ר' מאיר, א"ל: מה ראיתם להחליף בגדיכם? ספרו לו המאורע. א"ל: לא אמרתי לכם הזהרו עצמכם מכידור זה!אמרו לו: בבקשה ממך רבינו, מנין היית יודע? אמר: משמו שנקרא כידור, שנאמר: כי דור תהפוכות המה.
It is important to realize that there might be two disparate approaches in these Medrashim. One is that the Ruach Hakodesh of giving a name enables a person to identify the essential personality and life-purpose of the child. The other approach is that the name alludes to what the future holds for that child- of Ruach HaKodesh gives a person an omniscient awareness which enables him to "remember" the child in the context of his life experience, even before that experience has taken place. For example, this is the opinion of the Tiferes Yisrael in Shekalim 6:1, where he says that many kings' names reflected their life experience, and they were named to reflect that which was later to come.
ועל שם כך נקרא יאשיהו, רוצה לומר, כבר נתייאש הקב"ה מהם. וכמו כן רוב המלכים כשתדקדק בהם תמצא ששמם מורה על פי מה שאירע בימיהם. שאול, ע"ש ששאלו העם מלך, והוא היה רק נשאל להם משבט אחר, כי לא הבשילו אשכלות שבט יהודה עדיין, ופרשת 'אשימה עלי מלך' אכלוהו ישראל פגה, כי קודם לזמן הראוי שאלוהו. דוד ע"ש דודיו ואהבתו לעמו, כאמרו "תהי ידך בי ובבית אבי" לא כשאול שהתאכזר להרוג עיר ואם בישראל מנער ועד זקן. שלמה על שם השלום שהיה בימיו. ירבעם ירב עם, שעשו ריב ומרידה על ידו. רחבעם רע חב עם, או רחב עם, שנתרחבו מתחת צמצום אחדות מלכות בית דוד. אסא על שם הרופאים אשר דרש. יהושפט על שם משפט ה' אשר העמיד בכל עיר, ויאמר להשופטים אשר העמיד ראו מה אתם עושים כי לה' תשפוטו. אחזיהו, אחזו יהוא, כי נשבה מיהוא. יואש, שכבר היה מיואש זרע בית דוד, וסברו כולם כי השמידה אותם עתליה. אמציהו, כי אמצו ה' נגד אדום. עזריה, על שם שעזרו א-לוקים. ונקרא ג"כ עוזיהו, על שם עוז ה' כי היה הרעש בימיו. חזקיהו, על שם שחזקהו ה' נגד סנחריב ומחליו. מנשה, כי נשה ממקומו לשוב. יהויקים, כי הקים ה' אויבו עליו להשחית. צדקיהו כי צדיק היה, והצדיק דין שמים עליו לומר צדיק הוא ה' כי פיהו מריתי. וכפי הנראה נקרא שם המלכים ביום לידתם על פי נביא. והארכתי קצת זה כאן אף שאינו מקומו, לבעבור כי פלא הוא
On the other hand, it is equally possible that the Medrashim do not disagree at all. They mean to say that the person's essential character and life-purpose inexorably and inevitably lead to a life-experience that expresses that character and purpose. The Yalkut in Yeshayahu that says that the Livni family got their name because they worked with bricks (הלבני - על שם טיט ולבנים) might mean that they gravitated to that work because of an inherent predisposition.
2. Naming a child is a Meta-Mitzva
A. Reb Moshe
Reb Moshe, (Igros vol 7, EH 4:102) says that perhaps our naming of a child is a sort of Mitzva that is related to Hashem telling Adam Harishon to name all the creatures.
אגר"מ אה"ע ח"ד קב
קריאת שם לבת היא כשם הבנים שהוא רצון השי"ת שיקראו שמות אע"פ שאין על זה ציווי, ויתכן אף דהוא בכלל הציווי לאדה"ר שיקרא שמות, ולדורות נשאר רצון וציווי זה. ולכן הנהיגו אבותינו ורבותינו מדורות הראשונים שיקראו שם הבנות ג"כ בקדושה בשעת קרה"ת ובבקשת רחמים עליה.
...naming a daughter is like naming a son, it is the will of Hashem names should be given, even though there is no specific commandment to do so. It is reasonable to say that this is included in the commandment to Adam to give names, and for all generations this will of Hashem and commandment remained. This is why our forefathers and teachers from the early times led us to give names to daughters in a time of holiness, when we read from the Torah, and while asking that Hashem be merciful with her.
The idea that this is the will of Hashem makes it what I think of as a super-Mitzva- something that is not listed among the Taryag, but might be so fundamental that it is more meaningful than and stands above the Taryag mitzvos in general. Another example of a Meta-Mitzva is tikun hamidos, which might be the whole tachlis of man's existence (See Reb Itzaleh Volozhiner's intro to his father's Ruach Chaim,) but is not the subject of any particular mitzva.
If so, this approach might validate the parity the Drisha gives to attending a Bris Milah and attending the naming of a child.
The idea that this is the will of Hashem makes it what I think of as a super-Mitzva- something that is not listed among the Taryag, but might be so fundamental that it is more meaningful than and stands above the Taryag mitzvos in general. Another example of a Meta-Mitzva is tikun hamidos, which might be the whole tachlis of man's existence (See Reb Itzaleh Volozhiner's intro to his father's Ruach Chaim,) but is not the subject of any particular mitzva.
If so, this approach might validate the parity the Drisha gives to attending a Bris Milah and attending the naming of a child.
A. Rabbeinu Nachshon Gaon
The Rosh, (פ״ג דמ״ק ס״ס פח) and other Rishonim (see Ramban in Toras Ha'Adam,) bring a minhag from the Gaon Rabbeinu Nachshon:
ינוקא דאיתילד והוא בר תרן או תלתא או ארבעה יומין רגילין וגמירי כי נח נפשיה מהלין ליה על קבריה ולא מברכין על המילה ומסקי ליה שמא דכי מרחמין מן שמיא והוי תחית המתים ליהוי ידיע ינוקא ומבחן ליה לאבוה, וכן הביא גם הרא"ש פ"ג דמו"ק סי' קל"ה בשם רב נחשון ע״כ.
See also here, especially in notes 222 and 224.
This is brought lehalacha in YD 263:8.
תינוק שמת קודם שיגיע להיות בן ח' מלין אותו על קברו בצור או בקנה ואין מברכין על המילה אבל משימים לו שם לזכר שירחמוהו מן השמים ויחיה בתחיית המתים:
What would the minhag be with a girl? It should be obvious that the naming would take place for a girl as well. It is not the bris itself that creates a permanent bond, it is the act of naming and making a part of the family. For a boy, that requires two actions, both giving a name and making a bris, because the bris milah is a part of enfolding a male child into the nation of Israel. For a girl, it is giving a name alone that creates that permanent bond. The act of giving a name concretizes the relationship of that child to its family and to Klal Yisrael. This explains the Drisha as well. Giving a name accomplishes precisely that which a bris accomplishes.
I don't want it to sound like saying that a child that never got a name is meaningless. What I understand them to be saying is that a child that was never named is pure neshama without any meaningful bond to this physical world. Naming bonds the neshama to the physical world. Only after such a bond is created does a relationship with the parents have meaning.
4. Having a name makes receiving Bracha possible; the name is a window to the soul.
A. The Ramban
The Ramban (Bamidbar 1:32) says
ועוד כי הבא לפני אב הנביאים ואחיו קדוש ה' והוא נודע אליהם בשמו יהיה לו בדבר הזה זכות וחיים, כי בא בסוד העם ובכתב בני ישראל וזכות הרבים במספרם, וכן לכולם זכות במספר שימנו לפני משה ואהרן כי ישימו עליהם עינם לטובה, יבקשו עליהם רחמים
Rav Shamshon Refael Hirsch toward the beginning of Bamidbar discusses the idea that a person's name is a window to his soul, but I don't have the exact MM in front of me.
5. The Mysterious שבוע הבת
A. Eli's suggestion.
In the original of this post, Eli brought an opinion that the expression שבוע הבת might refer to the naming of a daughter. This is what he said:
Ramban in Torat Ha'adam (p.109 in Shevvel's edition) brings a Beraita that could have been the Drish'a source. In there it says "שבוע הבן ושבוע הבת, שבוע הבן קודם". We have no clue what שבוע הבת is, but some speculate that it's a Naming occasion (If one so wishes, it can be argued that based on this Naming should be delayed to the eighth day, or to the next Shabbat), and we see it is comparable to שבוע הבן, which some Rishonim explain as Mila.
6. The Nusach of the Mi Shebeirach when naming a daughter.
Reb Moshe has his own nusach for this mi shebeirach, as follows: Please note, this is all one nusach, and he goes straight from the mi shebeirach for the health of the mother to the naming of the daughter.
,מי שברך אבותינו אברהם יצחק ויעקב משה אהרן דוד ושלמה הוא יברך את האשה היולדת פלונית בת פלונית עם בתה הנולדה לה למזל טוב בעבור שבעלה עלה לתורה בשכר וה הקב"ה ימלא רחמים עליה להחלימה ולרפאותה ולהחזיקה ולהחיותה וישלח לה מהרה רפואה שלימה מן השמים לכל אבריה וגידיה בתוך שאר חולי ישראל רפואת הנפש ורפיאת הגוף השתא בעגלא ובזמן קריב. ואת בתה הנולדה לה למזל טוב לאורך ימים ושנים יקרא שמה בישראל פלונית בת פלוני ויזכו אביה ואמה לגדלה לחופה ולמעשים טובים ונאמר אמן.
He adds that one may change the nusach from "l'gadla l'chupa u'l'maasim tovim" to "legadla l'Torah u'l'ven Torah u'l'maasim tovim.
והרוצה יוכל להוסיף ויזכו אביה ואמה לגדלה לתורה ולבן תורה לחופה ולמעשים טובים
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