In the first chapter of his book, Roots, Alex Haley describes the signal event in Africa of naming a child on the eighth day. 

"Omoro (the father) walked out before all the people of the assembled people of the village. Moving to his wife's side, he lifted up the infant; and, as all watched, whispered three times into his son's ear the name he had chosen for him.  It was the first time the name had ever been spoken as this child's name, for Omoro's people felt that each human being should be the first to know who he was."

It was a great celebration of identity, a ritual to recall that the person might always know who he or she is.

Nothing is more important than to know who we are.

Life consists of two journeys: a journey to self and a journey to god.  The truth in these two journeys are one.  Our identity is found only as we find God.