Safe Childhood India

From a trauma-informed perspective, naming is not a neutral administrative act but an early and meaningful intervention in identity repair following experiences of abandonment, separation, or loss. For children entering Child Care Institutions (CCIs), the loss of family, history, and familiar relationships often coincides with a profound disruption of self-identity. In this context, a name becomes far more than a label—it is a symbolic restoration of personhood.

In practice, the naming of children in CCIs is frequently undertaken by the institution, sometimes in consultation with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). Names are often selected through collective reflection by caregivers and staff, and occasionally with the involvement of older children within the institution. Drawn from mythology, nature, rivers, sacred landscapes, or culturally significant moments, these names are intended to confer dignity, meaning, and belonging rather than function as mere identifiers. In cases of surrendered children, original names are generally retained to preserve continuity, memory, and emotional linkage to the child’s past.

Message

Though largely informal and undocumented, this practice carries deep emotional significance. For a child separated from family and personal history, a name can serve as an early affirmation of their existence and worth—an act of recognition that gently counters anonymity, institutionalisation, and emotional erasure. When approached with sensitivity, naming becomes a quiet yet powerful gesture of care, anchoring identity and offering the first step toward healing and belonging.