18. Naming a Child According to the Calendar

1) A person should not name his son according to the year of the century in which he was born. For example: if it was the fourteenth year of the century, he should not name him “David,” whose letters add up to the number fourteen.

2) Some have the custom to name a child according to the parshah of the week in which he was born. For example: in parshas Shemos, the child is named Moshe or Aharon; i.e., after the subject of that week’s parshah.

3) If a boy is born on Shabbos, some have the custom to name him Shabsi.

4) If a child has his bris on Rosh HaShanah, some have the custom to name him Yitzchak.

5) If a child is born on Yom Kippur, some have the custom to name him Rachamim [“mercy”].

6) If a child is born on some festival, some have the custom to name him Yom Tov. If a child has his bris during Sukkos, some have the custom to name him after the Ushpiz [“guest”] of that day.

7) If a child is born during Chanukah, some have the custom to name him after the Nasi [“prince”] of that day. Others say that he should be named Matisyahu. In some Sephardic communities, such a child is named Chanukah.

8) If a child has his bris on Purim, some have the custom to name him Mordechai.

9) If a girl is born on Purim, some have the custom to name her Esther.

10) If a child is born at the beginning of the month of Nisan, some have the custom to name him after the Nasi of that day, or to name him after the month, “Nisan.” If a child is born during Pesach, some have the custom to name him Pesach.

11) If a child has his bris on Tishah BeAv, some have the custom to name him Menachem; if the father, or an older son, is named Menachem, then the child is named Nechemiah. Some say that all this is done only if the circumcision takes place after midday.

12) If a girl is born on Tishah BeAv, some have the custom to name her Bas Tzion.