There are myriad reasons why a name becomes a crucial identity for many people. It is because they believe that a name can confer power, authority, loyalty and other special values. In many African countries such as Ghana and Nigeria or Asian countries such as Myanmar, the naming ceremony of a newborn baby is very special for the child and the family. Even the whole society can be involved in its celebration. People believe that a name will bring the child the prestigious cultural values ​​that will allow him to fit in well in society. A name can serve several purposes. It allows many people to connect with their important cultural heritage and facilitate assimilation into society; however, for some people, certain issues such as social or political pressure may cause them to choose one over the other. A name can be used to assimilate into a new culture. For example, English names are used as a tool to identify blacks as Americans. In Itabari Njeri's essay “What's in a Name,” he argues, “blacks [who achieved freedom] chose common English names like Jones, Scott, and Johnson… they wanted names that would allow them to assimilate as easily as possible (50) .” Through their newly adopted English names, blacks show society that English is their language and that America is their home. American society could no longer distinguish blacks by names alone. For these blacks, they abandon their cultural history due to assimilation. However, unlike other black people, Njeri changed her name from Jill Lord to Itabari Nijeri, a name connected to her African heritage. She suggests: "We [blacks who have adopted English surnames] are the legal and 'illegitimate' heirs of the Jefferson names, ... in the middle of the card ... we can probably distinguish my cultural background from my name. In conclusion , a name can represent one's ties to a certain cultural heritage and aid in better assimilation into the new culture and society. Both Njeri and Crasta believe that a name sends messages to society about the kind of cultural values ​​a person possesses and social influences cause many people to be perplexed about choosing culture or assimilation. However, you need to choose a name that balances both so that the society can understand your connection to the culture and trying to adapt well to the. Society. Works Cited Crasta, Richard. "What's in a Name?" language politics. Northampton: Davis, 2011. 50-52. Press.