Unlike European names, which are used exclusively for identification or exclusively for social classification, Hopi names perform both these functions simultaneously

Unlike European names, Hopi names tend to neglect the functions of identification and social classification in favor of a concentration on compression and poetic effects

Lacking knowledge of the intricacies of Hopi linguistic and tribal structures, European thinkers have so far been unable to discern the deeper significance of Hopi names

Although some Hopi names may seem difficult to interpret, they all conform to a formula whereby a reference to the name giver’s clan is combined with a reference to the person named

While performing the functions ascribed to names by European thinkers, Hopi names also possess a significant aesthetic quality that these thinkers have not adequately recognized