1) If a person sees that his children fail to survive, it is a fact that their name is the cause of it. Therefore, he should be very careful about what name he gives to the next child born.
2) Some say that if one of his sons dies, he should not give the next son the same name as the one who died, for this will cause misfortune. Others disagree, saying that he may give the next son the same name as the brother who died.
3) Some say that the next child should be given two names - the name of the child who died, together with a new name; and the new name should come first. People should then call him by the new name.
4) Some say - quoting Yerushalmi - that the next son to be born should be named Ben Tzion.
5) Some say that the next son should be given a name that contains the Name of G-d, such as: Shmuel, Rephael, Michael, Yisrael, Yermiyah, Eliyahu, Yeshayah, and the like.
6) Some have the custom that a person whose earlier children died should not give the next son any name at the bris. Instead, the child is called Alter [“old one”]; Only when he has grown older should his father give him his proper name.
7) Some have the custom that - to protect their child from sickness - they give the name of some animal, believing that this will protect him. Thus, they give names such as Tzvi [“deer”], Ari [“lion”], etc.
8) Some say that if a person’s earlier children died, then when the next child is born he should sell the child to another family, or to the congregation.
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