宗教與文化是中西文化交流的重要議題，特別是基督宗教積極的向東方福傳的心態，已由過去強勢獨尊模式，逐漸走向與本地文化交談對話的模式，本文即是在交談氛圍中，針對蘭嶼雅美族傳統命名儀式與天主教嬰兒洗禮儀式所進行的比較研究，盼能藉此促進兩者間進一步交談對話的可能。 蘭嶼的雅美族有一套獨特的親從子名制的命名儀式，包含髮窩點水、命名與祝福，和天主教的嬰兒洗禮儀式相比較，兩者在儀式的形式以及象徵的內涵上，存在著大同小異的相似性。 過去五十年，為雅美族的天主教徒，兩個生命儀式是雙軌並存的，彼此沒有交談與對話，未來兩者是否有交談對話的可能，甚厔能因而互相豐富彼此，是蘭嶼天主教走 向教會本地化所該省思與努力的課題。

Religion and culture are important issues in inter-cultural exchange, particularly in the case of Christianity. Christian missionaries have changed gradually from an attitude of superiority to open discussion on matters of local culture. This essay focuses on the comparison between the traditional ritual of giving names in Yami society and Catholic baptism for newborn infants. The goal of this essay is to stimulate further communication between the two different cultures. The Yami people of Orchid Island have their own traditional ritual of giving names (both to the infant and to the parents), which has been handed down for generations. The rites of the Yami people, such as dripping water into the hair root, rites of naming and blessings, have many similarities with Catholic baptism, both in form and symbolic meaning. In the past fifty years, both rituals have been applied in parallel among the Yami Catholics. Nevertheless, there is no metal understanding between them. In the future, further communication and learning may broaden the horizon for the tow cultures. Indigenization remains an essential issue for the Catholic Church to strife for.