Amy Hoffman
Think about it: What word seems to be the first that a baby recognizes and responds to? Most babies I’ve observed seem to respond to their names first. Research says that most babies will reach this milestone between 4 and 9 months (although of course this can vary because every child develops at their own pace). A baby’s name is so important to them. It identifies who they are as a unique individual. It helps them to understand their place in their world. It is one way they can know how important they are to the people around them. And as the baby grows into a toddler or preschool child, their name takes on even more meaning. It becomes a way that they can recognize who their friends are. I was in a preschool classroom when a child entered the room for the day. All of the children stopped what they were doing and called out, “Hi Rowan!” Rowan’s face exploded into a grin and I heard him say to his mom, “These are my friends!”
A person’s name continues to be an important part of their identity even as they leave childhood. Being called by your name can make you feel connected to a group. It helps you to feel that you are respected, valued, and worth remembering. I volunteer at a high school camp every summer, and I cannot emphasize enough how happy the teens are when I call their names for the first time. A few have told me that it makes them feel important and loved.
Names can have important connections to a person’s family and/or culture as well. There are cultures where a name reflects the child’s future or the parent’s expectations for the child; the name may also connect the child to their ancestors’ culture or have historical connections. Children may be named after a loved one, and this can provide a deep sense of family belonging.
What does this have to do with working with young children? That’s easy. Call the children in your program by their names – frequently and affectionately! As they learn to identify letters, point out their names on labels throughout the classroom (e.g., cubbies, artwork, center tags). When they develop the skills to begin writing, teach them how to write their names. The use of a child’s name is not only practical, but it should be joyful and will help them to make connections with the classroom community and with their own individual identity.
Here are some quotes about the importance of a name:
- “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “Words have meaning and names have power.” – unknown
- “Names have power.” – Rick Riordan
- “Names are the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” – Dale Carnegie
- “A name represents identity, a deep feeling and holds tremendous significance to its owner.” – Rachel Ingber
More research about names:
https://medium.com/swlh/a-rose-by-any-other-name-the-importance-of-our-names-in-shaping-identity-3fed42b116b1
