Project Surname, a government program put in place to rid Inuit of identification numbers, forced them to choose family names, which were not common in their culture. "Project Surname was the end of Inuit culture in terms of naming our children," says Peter Irniq, former commissioner of Nunavut.

Many Inuit believe spirits are passed on through names, and that children can take on the personality and physical traits of their namesakes. Naming is a significant tradition, that holds great honour and respect.