What is customary among ashkenazi jews for naming children?

The naming of a Jewish child is a most profound spiritual moment. The Sages say that naming a baby is a statement of her character, her specialness, and her path in life. For at the beginning of life we give a name, and at the end of life a "good name" is all we take with us. (see Talmud – Brachot 7b; Arizal – Sha'ar HaGilgulim 24b)

Further, the Talmud tells us that parents receive one-sixtieth of prophecy when picking a name. An angel comes to the parents and whispers the Jewish name that the new baby will embody.

Yet this still doesn't seem to help parents from agonizing over which name to pick!

So how do we choose a name? And why is the father's name traditionally not given to a son – e.g. Jacob Cohen Jr., Isaac Levy III? Can a boy be named after a female relative? Can the name be announced before the Bris?

Jewish Customs

Naming a Jewish baby is not only a statement of what we hope she will be, but also where she comes from.

Ashkenazi Jews have the custom of naming a child after a relative who has passed away. This keeps the name and memory alive, and in a metaphysical way forms a bond between the soul of the baby and the deceased relative. This is a great honor to the deceased, because its soul can achieve an elevation based on the good deeds of the namesake. The child, meanwhile, can be inspired by the good qualities of the deceased – and make a deep connection to the past. (Noam Elimelech - Bamidbar) from http://www.aish.com/jl/l/b/48961326.html

first of all, it's important to say that the book we shall not be moved, written by joan dash, is about the first strike of women in the united states in the year 1909. the best historical detail to clarify the reader's undertanding is the phrase "general strike". this strike involved women working at a garment factory who decided to protest   long working hours, low wages and brutal conditions. this strike became known as "the new york shirtwaist strike" or "the uprising of the 20,000". the strike mostly involved jewish women who did not speak english or who had a basic knowledge of the english language. finally, the strike went on from november 1909 until february 1910.