In today's white culture it seems a day does not go by without coming across a John, Mary, Matthew or Sarah. Elisabeth and Andrew are as common as sun and rain. Perhaps this is why Toni Morrison places such an emphasis on unique and original names in her book Song of Solomon. Naming in the African American culture according to Morrison is more than just a way of distinguishing individuals but also a way of highlighting one's originality with names as exceptional as the individuals. This is seen in the story with characters, Milkman, Solomon, and Pilate.
             Although naming is officially done at birth, a character's nickname proves to be equally, if not more, important as an official name. This is most certainly true of the character Milkman. Milkman is born with the name of Macon Dead the Third, but it is not until the event surrounding his nickname that his story truly begins. The first few pages of Song of Solomon create an illusion that the story is only about Ruth Dead and her inconsiderate husband and unquenchable loneliness (Morrison, 1-15). Morrison informs us only two things in the world pleased her, a water stain on the dining room table that reminded her of her childhood and breast-feeding her son, despite his being a toddler (15). Freddie, Ruth's husband's janitor, discovers Ruth breastfeeding the young boy. Freddie's spread of Ruth's shame leads to the birth of the nickname Milkman and shifts the story from Ruth to Milkman.
             Another aspect of African American culture that we learn from Milkman's name is that a name tells a lot about character. First, the story behind Milkman's nickname foreshadows his relationship with his mother for the remainder of the book. Like the breast-feeding incident discovered by janitor Freddie, Ruth uses Milkman as an escape from reality and a comfort to herself. One way in which she does this is when Ruth confronts Hagar about her attempts to kil...