Who would you be if you didn't have your name?
National Celebrate Your Name Week has been inspiring people to explore and celebrate their names since 1997! Every day has a different focus to help you get to know your name.
Celebrate Your Name Week runs Sunday through Saturday each first full week of March. This year, it's March 2-8! Here are suggested activities:
Sunday, March 2 - Namesake Day: Today, explore where you got your name and if you were named after a particular person, place, etc. Plus, try using Google (or another search engine) to see if there are other people with the same name as yours!
Monday, March 3 - Fun Facts Day: Celebrate names today by discovering fun facts about names. (Hint: See the "Name fun facts..." portion of this site.) What other facts can you find out on the Internet or at a library?
Tuesday, March 4 - The Wide World of Names Day: This is the day for all people to appreciate friends, acquaintances and loved ones who have a name that you don't hear often. Names are often associated with specific cultures and places. Can you identify names commonly associated with your location or culture?
Wednesday, March 5 - Learn What Your Name Means Day: There are many online sites with a names/naming theme that can help you discover the linguistic roots of your name. To discover the meaning of names, possibly yours, try them out!
Thursday, March 6 - Also Known As/Alias Day: Today, whether privately or otherwise, enjoy adopting and using a fun nickname or "pen name" (pseudonym). Think, breathe and live your new, albeit temporary, name today.
Friday, March 7 - Middle Name Pride Day: Today’s middle name celebration requires honesty and boldness. Tell three people who don’t already know what your middle name is!
Saturday, March 8 - Genealogy Day: Join in on one of the world’s fastest growing hobbies and celebrate names at the same time. How does your name connect you to your family and ancestors?
*International Name Day*
The new International Name Day coincides with the first Monday of Celebrate Your Name Week. It's a day to recognize the important role names play in self-identity, human rights, and more. For more information see www.internationalnameday.org.
"CYNW is about making sure your name is a celebrated part of your personhood! Use this week to become better connected to your name."
-- CYNW founder Jerry Hill
This page presented courtesy of Names Alliance.
(c) 2025