Naming, Re-Naming and Self-Naming Among Hmong-Americans

Author: Burt, Susan Meredith¹

Source: Names: A Journal of Onomastics, Volume 57, Number 4, December 2009 , pp. 236-245(10)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

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Abstract:

Hmong-Americans in Wisconsin use the semantic resources of the Hmong language and social semantic connotations of the naming system to create meaning in personal names. Name changes can be made for functional reasons: a name change can be done to protect the individual against ghosts, spirits or illness. Name changes can also mark life status changes: women gain a new name when they marry, while men are re-named by their parents-in-law, usually after the birth of the first child.

Keywords: HMONG PERSONAL NAMES; MIGRATION; NAMES AND ETHNICITY; NAMING BEHAVIOR; RE-NAMING

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1179/002777309X12513839123511

Affiliations: 1: Department of English, Campus Box 4240, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois 61790-4240, USA;, Email: smburt@ilstu.edu

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