Adult Naming Day - dlaws npe laug

When a male has his first child, he is giving an adult name. Normally the name is just a one phrase word added to his existing name. In some cases he may be given a completely different name.
Often practiced in the past is to give the person their grandfather's name

Not very often, but sometimes even if a person does not have any children yet, they are given an adult name anyways. But in this case there is usually no feast. For example I have an Anunt and uncle who are having a hard time having children one of my older uncle decided to give the son in law a Adult name in hopes that they have a child.

preparation, items needed

You should prepare a feast with the usual items. At the very least you should have a pig. play
tsaj plaub txhais teg taw

After the feast table is ready

You should ask the husband and wife of everyone you wish to sit at the table to have a sit, they should sit next to each other. Because you will be asking both of the to call and use the new name. If the person's spouse did not come, it's ok to just seat the one individual.
1.You pour the beer for both of the, lift the beer for both ????? then you move onto the next phase

You will ask the entire group to help select an adult name for the person. thov xaiv npe laug
nub nua has rua nam hab txiv rua nam tais yawm txiv hab rua taag nrho tej kev neej kev tsaav kev txiv kev laug tej nom tej tswv, mej suav dlawg tuaj lawm tes yuav vaam mej ntsug saiv ib lub npe laug rua (person's name)
ask them to drink their beer, Is this thov so do you npe????? play
Normally only the son who's getting named bow (pes), but others can help him as well(best for others to help)
After this is said, routinely the group will refer the naming to the father and mother in law. The father and mother in law will then ask the son in law and their daughter if they have chosen and name or if there is one they like.
A name is chosen

thov hu npe laug

2.pour beer again
The following phrase is what is said to the people at the feast table, asking them to help call the person their new name
When you say this to them you normally what to ask the person and their spouse
You also want to bow to each person (pes), since you thov them

Note : When you are saying these words and addressing the people at the table remember to address them by their relationship to the person who is receiving there adult name and not what their actually names.
For example Mom and dad, uncle and aunt, grand father and grand mother etc..
Example in Hmong : Txiv hab nam, dlaab laug hab tais dlaab, yawm hab puj

thov meb nawb ( person's name and their spouse) play
nub nua muab person new name tis npe hu person who's name is changed play
es luas tas rhawv kev rua luas taug rhawv npe rua luas hu play
tes vaam mej ob nam txiv lug huv nwg lub npe nuav play
kom sav quas zab lug kaav nam kaav txiv kaav tub kaav kiv kaav kwv kaav tij play
kom lug pov nyaj pov txaj kom ob tug ua neej play
kom fuam vaam le xub ntaab, nroo ntwg le xub mu play
khwv nyaj kom tau nyaj khwv kub kom tau kub nawv, es thov meb os play

Notes from Haam Choj : I did this on May 7th 2022. There were 3 rounds. First round you address each couple at the table individually along with the phrase above. The 2nd round you address everyone else in the room then say the phrase above one time. Then the 3rd round you come back to the table, addresss everone and say the phrase above after you address everyone one last time.

After you say the last round of this phrase, the son should stay kneeled down for the next step

foom koob moov

Will address the son, the wife should also be there
3.You will pore beer once again for the mom & father and the mother-in-law and father-in-law
And ask them to bless the new name
The son should be on his knees, the son pes after each parent finishes what they have to say

You ask the father and mother in law first
muab luas saib yug lub saam xeeb play
nub nua tug tub tug nyaab tau tug mev tub mev nyuas es nub nua peb yuav muab xaiv lug npe laug nua es
meb yog nam yog txiv tes vaam meb xub xub moog foom ib lu lug zoo rua ob tug mev tub mev nyuas ua ntej es maam moog rua lwm tug play

If the father-in-law know our customs he will say no and tell us to ask the father first. But if just excepts its okay too.

toast cups (cawv)

cawv thov
cawv xaiv npe
cawv tis npe
lawv rooj

Hu dlaab qhua lug noj mov we do this for every event ?????

laig dlaab we do this for every event ?????
has rua xeeb teb xeeb chaw thaj tsaam ntawm kuv nyob nua,
nub nua kuv muab noj muab haus es
muab kuv tub ( name of person ) tis npe hu (new full name),
mas hu meb lug ntsug kuv noj
kom nwg yuav tawm rooj moog ua dleb ua num
moog ub moog nua los mej paab tsom kaav tsom kwm nawv play

Additional Information

Within our family we don't name our son-in-laws and we don't call the father-in-law's to name our son's
luas tas ib raab teb tsaam txuj ib leej ua dlua lawm ib yaam play
play full verse

The process of choosing a name

More Information comming soon

Starting basis is your last name

Use the Laotion method

xaiv npe laug original laotian document
view web version

Adult naming wheel (Laotion Alphabet) Click for bigger images

Nyob, Las xim 1 – yuav muaj noj muaj haus muaj laj kaam zoo ua
Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 2 – yuav muaj kev cov nyom nrug miv miv nyuas
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 3 – yuav muaj noj muaj haus ua neej zoo muaj nyaj muaj txaj
Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 4 – yuav muaj yeeb ncuab muaj thuv muaj txim
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 5 – yuav muaj kev nyuaj sab ntxhuv plawv, muaj mob muaj kheeg
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 6 – yuav muaj teeb meem sib nrauj sib tso, tsi nyob ua ke
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 7 – yuav muaj noj muaj haus muaj nyaj muaj txaj, txhua yaam zoo
Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 8 – yuav raug teeb meem taag le
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 9 – Vaaj tswv fuab tais yawm saub yuav muab txhua yaam zoo rua yug. Yuav tau txhua yaam zoo
Zoo heev

Nyob, Las xim 10 – yuav tsi muaj noj muaj haus. Txom nyem
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 11 – yuav muaj noj muaj haus. Tsi txom nyem
Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 12 – yuav muaj teeb meem nroog moog lug lug tsi su le
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 13 – vaaj tswv yawm saub yuav muab txhua yaam zoo rua yug nyaav qeeg. Muaj noj muaj haus.
Zoo heev

Nyob, Las xim 14 – tsi muaj noj muaj haus, txom nyem
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 15 – muaj noj muaj haus kuas txom nyem hab.
Tsi Zoo

Nyob, Las xim 16 – yuav muaj kev txom nyem, muaj mob muaj nkeeg
Tsi Zoo