The Native American Naming Tradition

is an ancient practice of bestowing traditional ancestral names onto the children of a particular tribe. With 562 federally recognized Native American tribes or nations in the United States, this particular practice is widespread across the country. Each nation and tribe have their own particular culture with the largest tribes including the Cherokee, Choctaw, Sioux, and Apache, to name just a few. The Native American naming tradition is the age-old practice of selecting an appropriate title for a child and can vary from tribe to tribe.

The name a baby receives at birth may not be the name they grow up with as Native American names are fluid and can change over time. Many times, a child will have a name until another is found to be more personalized and appropriate for their individual personality. This also means that a Native American person could have many names throughout their lifetime.

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Teaching all children about this practice is an important way to promote understanding of indigenous practices. Learning about the Native American naming tradition can also teach all children to appreciate their own names and cultures as well. A perfect place to start with introducing this concept to young people is to incorporate the picture book Thunder Boy, Jr. written by Sherman Alexie and illustrated by Yuyi Morales. This beautifully written and illustrated book will help children learn all about the practice of the naming tradition. In Thunder Boy, Jr., Thunder Boy struggles with wanting a different name that is all his own. Students in your lower elementary classroom will connect with Thunder Boy and enjoy this picture book from start to finish.

Incorporating diverse picture books for young people is an important endeavor and the right activities are crucial to this effort. This picture book companion to Thunder Boy, Jr. contains over 50 pages to accompany the book and includes reading comprehension, vocabulary development, writing prompts, character education, grammar review, art incorporation, and more. Everything you need to integrate this wonderful picture book into your own classroom is included in my print-and-go unit.

This unit is best incorporated into a first or second-grade classroom. Students will begin the unit with reading and relevant comprehension activities. An exploration of their own name provides an important text-to-self connection. Students will then learn all about the Native American naming tradition and complete character education activities that will enforce the idea of acceptance and beauty in all things. Literacy activities such as writing, grammar, and vocabulary are next to strengthen your students’ skills. Lastly, students will complete creative art projects to connect to the book.

I know your students will love Thunder Boy, Jr., and all of the activities that are included in my comprehensive unit. Your students will love explaining the origin of their own names to others as well as exploring the concept of the Native American naming tradition. This is a perfect unit for promoting inclusivity and acceptance in your classroom.