The naming of children is a serious cultural practice among Ilocanos as it is in many other societies.

This study looks into how Ilocanos name their children and relates these practices to certain features of the Ilocano culture, social structure and world view.

The choice of personal names during the formal baptismal rites is often influenced by circumstances of birth, calendar of saints, the Bible, parts of the parents’ names, deceased kinsmen, historical figures.

Personal names may be changed following folk-healing rituals observed when a person repeatedly gets sick.

A person may also be assigned tease names as he gets associated with some unique characteristic. Terms of endearment among various relations are also observed among Ilocanos.

Whatever the circumstances he finds himself in, an Ilocano’s adaptation ability carries her through, manifested, more often than not, in how she names herself.