Why Do We Need a Naming Ceremony?

I was recently doing research as part of my Religious Studies revision, and when I found out about the naming ceremony for a Sikh baby, I was just unsure as to how the Sikhs came up with it. Is it a ceremony which has been dictated in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, or is it something that has developed over time? And if it has developed over time, isn't it then just some sort of ritual that doesn't have any actual religious significance?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-rehat-maryada/33734-why-do-we-need-naming-ceremony.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734

PS Hopefully nobody gets offended with what I wrote, I am simply curious
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baljeet_singh jio,

The naming ceremony is described in the Sikh Rehat Maryada. As for its origins, that I do not know...however, there will be more than one good member here who probably can chart the evolution of that for your. What an interesting question!

I have seen people ridiculing others who do not take first letter from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib and call it anti-gurmat...
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734

If you pick a name of your chioce and do ardaas infront of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, even that should be sufficient in my prespective. Infact i did the same with my kid. We liked a name from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and named him and did a ardaas... but many people around us pointed fingers at us, which i feel was un-necessary.

I do not understand how it is anti-Gurmat!

My two cents!

It is not against Gurmat Aman Singh ji as far as I can tell. The rehat prescribes the baptism ceremony as per historical records (yes, even those are in dispute). But the naming ceremony was a later development and included in the rehat as a way for Sikhs to leave behind their identity confusion. Before the SRM often Sikhs had very abstract names, like "triangle" or "diamond". This is a fact. SRM naming ceremony brought Waheguru back into the picture.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734

Likewise the SRM has described an engagement celebration. The idea was to pave a way that was simple and lean on ritualism. If a couple decides to have an engagement party to include more than immediate family, that does not make them patit. The SRM gives the simple way, with reasons to guide choices and decisions.

Your story reminds me of a friend who wanted to cater deserts for Sikh weddings - she is an excellent cook - and she was told that as an amridhari she was not allowed to go to wedding parties. End of the project. People do miss the forest for the trees.

SPIRITUAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

One of the most important tasks of parenting is naming your child. This is because when you choose a name for your baby, you are creating the baby's future. The meaning of baby names are the single most important influence on the development of your baby's personality. Each baby name meaning has a "hidden energy" behind it which will greatly influence your baby's destiny. ( This is where Waheguru Ji's Blessings come in, during naming ceremony )
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734
Be cautious about the initials & nick name that can be derived from the given name!

- an enlightened soul

Soul_Jyot ji,
I think that's a pretty subjective and unsubstantiated statement. If names are the "most important influence", then shouldn't we name all the kids as Einstein!

Just last week I read the book Freakonomics by a distinguished Economist Steven Levitt. In the book he discusses the real story of a man who named his two sons Winner & Loser respectively. Father's name was Robert Lane and if I remember correctly he lived in New York. The son named Loser Lane became an accomplished Police Man where as the other son named Winner Lane got arrested more than 30 times.

Even personally I have seen so many cases where people with similar names have achieved different levels of success in their lives.

So obviously names are NOT the "single most important influence" in a kid's life.
And names surely don't have any "hidden" energy behind them.
I think most important influence are the parents and the kid's environment.

Following such superstition or naming rituals does not help anyone.

Kids should not have embarrassing names because that might have some psychological effect on them. But beyond that names don't do anything for or against us.

It's all your own hardwork. No destiny!

Is this really true that Amritdhari women are not allowed to attend weddings?? Or was this just an example of few people taking it to the extreme??

skeptic.freethinker ji

There is a growing influence of sectarian habits of thinking and behaving in the UK, Canada and the US, places where I am aware that these sorts of claims are made. I do not know about elsewhere. Their influence in gurdwaras is on the increase. It is more than a few, it is a movement.

The idea is Amritdharis are not supposed to eat out of the same plate as non Amritdharis or eat leftovers of a nonamirtdhari or fallen Sikh.

More at this link http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-s...f-amrit-2.html

So, they argue, a wedding party would not, by extension, be allowed. None of this is in line with the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, nor is it in Sikh Rehat Maryada. People make it up, and it takes over, with a very demoralizing effect. Sorry for the long answer.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734
In SRM there are 4 transgressions that require one to be re-baptized, none having to do with going to/eating at wedding parties
(1) Dishonoring the hair;
(2) Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way;
(3) Cohabiting with a person other than one’s spouse;
(4) Using tobacco.


There are also reasons for being chastised and receiving a punishment from the panj pyare. Again. None have to do with going to/eating at wedding parties.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=33734

(1) Anyone maintaining relations or communion with elements antagonistic to the Panth including the minas (reprobates), the Masands (agents once accredited to local Sikh communities as Guru’s representatives, sine discredited for their faults and aberrations), followers of Dhirmal or Ram Rai, et. al., or users of tobacco or killers of female infants;
(2) One who eats/drinks left-over of the unbaptized or the fallen Sikhs;
(3) One who dyes his beard;
(4) One who gives off son or daughter in matrimony for a price or reward;
(5) Users of intoxicant (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.);
(6) One holding, or being a party to, ceremonies or practices contrary to the Guru’s way;
(7) One who defaults in the maintenance of Sikh discipline.

What happens is Point 2, and possibly point 6, are re-interpreted to suit a sectarian agenda.

Thanks for the clarification. Although I don't fully understand the sense behind the below tenant but I understand that this is the way it is.