In Japan, in various areas of expertise, it is traditional for an apprentice to take the name of their master, most particularly in the area of traditional arts, such as kabuki or rakugo. This practice is called “shuumei” in Japanese. In many cases, the name is passed down to children, grandchildren, or other relatives. In kabuki and other performace arts, a special performance is held to announce the successor to that name. For instance, “ICHIKAWA Danjuro” is the most famous stage name in kabuki, having been passed down from generation to generation since the middle of the Edo Period (17th century). Along with creating a buzz around a performance that guarantees box office success, the idea is to pay tribute to the fame of the actor’s predecessors and to further motivate him to raise his game by taking on that name. In kabuki, the name Ebizo is taken before ascending to Danjuro, and before that other names are also given according to your rank. In the 1990s, the sumo world was caught up in the “Waka-Taka boom,” when the two brothers Wakanohana and Takanohana both rose to gain the ultimate title of yokozuna. The older brother had taken the name of his father’s older brother, the yokozuna“Wakanohana,” while the younger brother had taken his father’s name “Takanohana.” Their father and uncle had been extremely popular wrestlers, and the brothers managed to inherit this popularity, too. In the case of gyouji (sumo referees), similar to kabuki, they have ranked names, with “KIMURA Shonosuke” at the pinnacle as the most senior referee. Since famous names tend to be taken by offspring or relatives, some point out that the practice of handing down names is a hereditary one. In Japanese politics, too, you can also find many political dynasties. It is said that this reflects the national tendency to place importance on lineage and prestige. A good example of this would be the succession of the Emperor’s descendents to the throne, which has continued throughout Japanese history up until the present day. The practice of inheriting a name is also seen in professions, such as swordsmiths and potters, in which traditional skills are necessary. As a very long period of training is required to acquire these skills, it’s often the case that the artisan will rely on their children to take over, as they’ve already been living together. In the past, many commoners would change their names when reaching adulthood. Warlord TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi who unified Japan for the first time was named “Hiyoshimaru” when he was a child, but after that he renamed himself “KINOSHITA Toukichiro,” then “HASHIBA Hideyoshi.” In the West, you can often see “Junior” or “the Second” added after names. In both Japan and the West, you get a sense that there are a variety of different motivations behind the practice of inherited names.