• Many African tribes have very rigid traditions for naming their children. Some tribes name the child after relatives using a specific, and sometimes complicated, order. Others name the child according to the place, time, or circumstances of the birth.
• After a baby is born in Thailand, parents often ask the family priest to choose the name. The priest takes into consideration the day of the week and the general characteristics of the child before making his decision.
• Arabic names are often just special uses of ordinary words.
• In Cuba, a child born by Caesarean section is often called Cesarina.
• In some countries, names become popular after a significant historical event. For example, after the 1917 revolution in Russia, given names were often tied to communist or worker doctrine.
From Baby Love: An Affectionate Miscellany, by Rachael Hale.