“A Change of Name during Sickness”: Surveying the Widespread Practice of Renaming in Response to Physical Illness

Authors

• Russell Fielding, Coastal Carolina University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2023

Abstract

This paper synthesizes and summarizes a selection of literature—largely anthropological and ethnographic, published between the early 18^th and early21^st centuries—that describes the practice of renaming gapers onwho is physically ill in order to affect their recovery. In none of these publications is this particular practice central; rather, it is often mentioned alongside myriad other cultural and naming practices. While no claim is made as to the exhaustive nature of the literature review, this analysis reveals patterns and similarities related to the reasoning behind such a practice and the special relationship between personal names and physical health in a wide variety of world cultures.

Comments

University Library System, University of Pittsburgh originally published this article.

Recommended Citation

Fielding, Russell. “‘A Change of Name during Sickness.’” Names 71, no. 1 (2023): 11–28. https://doi.org/10.5195/names.2023.2514. Available at https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/honors-fac-pub/

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.