In the matrilineal H clans, who assigns names to people in the clans?

• A. Clan mothers assign names to people in the clans.
• B. They assign taxes.
• C. They have no role in naming.
• D. They pick marriage partners.

Answer: (A)

In matrilineal Haudenosaunee clans, naming is a female-led responsibility. When a person is welcomed into the clan or joins it, the clan mother—often with the elder women of the clan—conducts a naming ceremony and gives the name. This practice ties the individual to their mother’s clan and marks their place within the kinship network, carrying social and sometimes spiritual significance. Because the clan mother holds this leadership role over lineage and clan affairs, she is the one who assigns names. Other options don’t fit the tradition: taxes aren’t the role described here, and while clan mothers influence kinship and marriage matters, naming is their distinctive function.