In most Western societies the name is considered a simple identifying element: it is used to distinguish us from others, to register at the registry office or to sign a document. Yet, in many cultures around the world (indigenous populations of the Amazon and Australia or African societies), the “true name” continues to be held by a small number of people. For anthropologists, this practice cannot be dismissed as superstition. In fact, over the last thirty years, the human sciences have begun to converge on the idea that the name is one of the main tools through which human beings build identity, belonging and social relationships.
The name builds the person: new theories on identity
In recent decades, anthropology has progressively abandoned the idea that kinship and identity depend exclusively on biological factors, focusing instead on the processes through which people become socially recognizable. In this framework, the name takes on a central role.
Anthropologist Janet Carsten, in After Kinship (2004), argues that human relationships are not simply inherited, but constructed through everyday practices, shared memory and mutual recognition. The name, in this perspective, does not limit itself to identifying an individual: it helps to insert him into a network of relationships that defines who he is, where he comes from and what place he occupies in the community.
A similar reflection emerges in the work of Marshall Sahlins, What Kinship is, ans is not (2013), which introduces the concept of “mutality of being“, literally “reciprocity of being”. According to Sahlins, people become part of the same family or community because they share experiences, responsibilities and daily life. The name therefore becomes one of the symbols through which this belonging is recognized and made visible. From this perspective, keeping the real name secret does not mean hiding a word, but protecting a fundamental component of one’s social identity.
From psychology to neuroscience: why our brain attributes so much value
Neuroscience has begun to confirm what many cultures have seemed to intuit for centuries: the name occupies a privileged position in the way the brain processes identity. In the volume The Brain (2015), neuroscientist David Eagleman collects numerous studies that show how hearing your own name activates brain networks involved in self-awareness, attention and self-perception. The name is processed with a higher speed and priority than most other linguistic stimuli.
One of the most influential studies in this field is that of Perrin (2005), published in Nature Reviews Neurologywhich demonstrated how the brain continues to react to its own name even in patients with severe alterations in their state of consciousness.
The result had important clinical implications, suggesting that the name represents one of the most deeply rooted stimuli in personal identity.
Social psychology also offers equally surprising results. The famous Name Letter Effectdescribed by Jozef Nuttin (1985) and confirmed by numerous subsequent research, shows that people unconsciously tend to prefer the letters in their name, a preference that can even influence some daily choices.
Although the phenomenon is still the subject of debate, it represents one of the best-known pieces of evidence of the strong psychological link between the name and the sense of self.
A universal phenomenon: when it becomes cultural heritage
Contemporary research shows that name protection does not belong exclusively to traditional societies. In many cultures the name continues to be regulated by social norms, rituals and symbols that reflect different conceptions of identity.
Among some indigenous populations of the Amazon and Australia, the ritual name is pronounced only during particular ceremonies, while alternative names are used in daily life. In various African societies the personal name can change over the course of life to mark new social responsibilities, while in some Asian traditions there are different names for the family, public and religious spheres.
According to cognitive linguist Steven Pinker, in The Stuff of Thought (2007), proper names represent a unique linguistic category: they do not describe characteristics of a person, but allow the brain to identify him or her as a unique individual within a network of social relationships.
It is probably this cognitive function that explains why so many cultures attribute such a high symbolic value to the name.
From sacred names to usernames: why we continue to protect our name
If in the past the name was guarded to avoid spiritual influences or ritual practices, today its protection takes on completely new forms. Usernames, pseudonyms, nicknames, digital identities and anonymous profiles show how control of one’s name continues to be a central issue even in the Internet age.
Cultural psychologist Jerome Bruner, in Act of Meaning (1990), argues that human beings construct their identities through shared narratives. The name represents the starting point of this story: it is the first symbol through which a person is recognized by others and learns to recognize himself.
In a complementary way, Micheal Tomasello, in Becoming Human (2019), highlights how language has allowed humans to develop cooperation and shared intentionality. Giving a name means making someone socially recognizable, trustworthy and part of the same community.
Perhaps this is precisely the reason why the name continues to be perceived as something precious. Not because it possesses magical power, but because it contains reputation, memory, belonging and identity. Traditional societies protected the name to preserve the person; today we do it to protect our presence in the digital world.
Cultural explanations change, but the principle remains surprisingly the same: guarding the name ultimately means guarding a part of who we are.
