The imagery and beauty of Native American names is a treasure worth preserving. Traditionally, Hopi newborns are given a name in a ritual that begins before dawn twenty days after birth. With all relatives assembled, the grandmother washes the baby then rubs the head four times with a perfectly formed ear of corn. The same rite is performed on the baby's paternal aunts who each suggest a name based on the father's clan. As dawn approaches, the grandmother chooses a name, then takes the infant outside where they both pay homage to the rising sun. A grand feast follows.

Later, when the child has reached the age of initiation, another name is added to symbolize a new birth. Today, babies are often given Christian names and the father's last name.

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