On the 6th of July 2017, a special symposium entitled “Becoming and Belonging: The Significance of Personal Names and Personal Naming” will be held at the University of Leicester. The preliminary programme as well as information regarding registration can be found here. This is a free event with lunch included. Pre-registration is required as places are limited.
The names we have are at the nucleus of our individual identities and our family affiliations, as well as our social and civil-legal identities. Yet, despite the fundamental, ubiquitous and ongoing importance of personal names in everyday life and the high level of popular interest in all things naming-related, the topic of personal names remains an underdeveloped area of study – not least in the UK.
Bringing together scholars from a range of social science disciplines, this one-day symposium offers a programme of talks and discussions focused on personal naming practices. The symposium represents a unique opportunity for an exchange of ideas about the social and cultural significance of personal names and will contribute to a step-change in their interdisciplinary study.