A Critical Discourse Analysis of Naming Practices in Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Naming babies is a socially meaningful expression of family identity, belief, memory, and cultural values. This study explores reasons that motivate naming practices in Sindh, Pakistan. Parents were approached through their children to explain the motivation of their naming choices and why they chose the names they did. This research adapts a qualitative research design. Open-ended online questionnaires were randomly for data collection from 520 participants from all over Sindh, data were analyzed using critical discourse analysis framework. The data are discussed and interpreted through a lens of conceptual framework consisting of number of theories depending on the categories and themes of reasons behind naming practices. Results show that naming practices in Sindh are influenced by different factors including memory of ancestors, religion, family customs, cultural and ethnic identity, emotional bonds, personal preference, astrology, admiration for famous personalities, literary influence, and contemporary naming trends. Earlier research has found some of the factors similar to this study. Names function as personal identifiers and as carriers of cultural memory and social significance. The Research finds both traditional and modern values. It coexists with modern and global influences, resulting in hybrid and negotiated naming practices . Current study offers a thorough context-sensitive description of naming practice in Sindh, explaining how common naming choices reflect broader and historical processes.