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Summary of Question:	Naming My Kids
Category:	Sikh Practices
Date Posted:	Friday, 6/25/2004 5:28 PM MDT

My husband I fight about naming our kids. My husband feels that our kids should have a Punjabi name. As sikhs do we have to give our kids a punjabi name?

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Sat Siri Akaal. I haven't heard that it's required. HOWEVER, the naming ardas/ceremony practiced by Sikhs is a way of asking Guru to assist in naming the baby, and using a word/name from Siri Guru that has spiritual meaning has the effect of uplifting the child's spirit and tying that child to SGGS.
Here is an example. The name "Jesse" can mean "jealous." The name Gurpreet means "Guru's love" or "beloved of Guru". Which would you prefer?
You could always give your children both names. Find a baby naming book for English/American names and study their meanings. Use the letter from the hukum in the naming/ardas ceremony and pick a name that starts with that letter but also has a more elevating meaning. Pick a name from SGGS with the same letter and when the child grows up, s/he can choose what s/he prefers to be called by.
Hope this helps.
-DKK