Given name

A given name is a personal name bestowed on a person, usually at or near birth. It differs from a family name or patronymic, which is inherited or traced through lineage. The choice of given name is typically made by the parents or other family members.

Each society has its own system for distinguishing personal names from those of lineage. Some place the personal name first (as in much of Europe), while others place it last (as in Hungary and China). The number of given names a person receives varies: one, two, or more.

Somali naming practice

Among Somali people, a person has a personal name derived from their father, followed by the father's name and the grandfather's name. The third name is therefore not a family surname passed down through generations as in Western systems, but rather a patronymic that advances one step per generation. A woman does not change her name upon marriage.

Sources of given names

Given names derive from various sources: meaningful words from the native language, religious names, historical names, or names inherited through custom. In Muslim societies, many names come from Arabic and Islamic history. Sometimes a name is connected to circumstances of birth, such as the time, place, or an event that occurred.

Legal and administrative role

Most governments register given names in birth records and use them in identity documents such as passports and identity cards. Some countries have laws restricting which names are permitted, for example prohibiting names that could harm the child. Other systems impose no such restrictions. A name may be changed by following legal procedure.