Sanskar
Namkaran
The name is the first gift a family gives a child.
When
On the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth day — by family custom.
In namkaran the nakshatra, the family deity, and a hope all sit inside a name. A name may come from the Ramayana, from an ancestor, or from a quality the parents want to see. Choosing it is both learning and affection.
For a child born abroad this is often the first rite that grandparents can join from far away. Confirm the day with your own shakha. Read the meaning here.
This is a general introduction. Sequence, materials, and timing change with family, region, and shakha. Your priest and your own custom have the last word.