Traditions
Moroccan Birth and Naming Feast Foods
A birth in Morocco is welcomed with one of the warmest food traditions in the culture: the sboua, the seventh-day naming celebration, when the baby is named and the family gathers to feast, give thanks and share sweets with the community. Like most Moroccan life events, it is marked at the table — with a sacrifice, celebratory dishes and the sweets that signal joy. This guide covers the foods of a Moroccan birth.
- Read
- 6 min
- Topic
- Traditions
- Updated
- 20 July 2026
At a glance
- The sboua (aqiqa) is the seventh-day naming feast for a new baby.
- A sheep is traditionally sacrificed and shared, echoing wider Moroccan hospitality.
- Sweets and pastries are given out to mark the joy and share it widely.
- It is a communal event — food is cooked to feed family, neighbours and the needy.
The seventh-day celebration
By tradition a baby is named on the seventh day after birth, and the family holds a celebration known as the sboua (from the Arabic for 'seven', sometimes called by the religious term aqiqa). It brings together relatives, neighbours and friends to welcome and name the child, with prayer, blessings and, above all, food. The scale ranges from an intimate family meal to a large gathering depending on means, but the spirit — gratitude and shared joy — is constant.
The sacrifice and the feast
Central to the aqiqa is the sacrifice of a sheep (or sometimes two, especially for a boy), the meat of which is cooked for the feast and shared generously, including with those in need. From it come the celebration's main dishes — a méchoui or a great tagine, couscous for the crowd — the same generous, meat-centred hospitality that marks Moroccan weddings and Eid.
- Sacrificial lamb: roasted or made into tagine and shared widely.
- Couscous: the communal celebration grain for a crowd.
- Sellou and sweets: the new-mother's restorative and the guests' treat.
- Dates and milk: the traditional symbols of welcome and blessing.
Sweets and the new mother
Sweetness signals joy, so pastries and sweets are given out to guests and neighbours to share the good news. Sellou (sfouf) — the dense, toasted-flour, almond and honey sweet — has a special place, traditionally eaten by the new mother as a nourishing, restorative food in the weeks after birth, rich in the nuts, seeds and honey thought to build strength. Dates and milk, the classic Moroccan symbols of hospitality and blessing, are offered too.
A table for the community
Like the wedding and Eid feasts, the naming celebration is outward-looking: extra food is cooked to feed neighbours and the poor, and the joy is deliberately shared beyond the household. If you are welcomed to one as a guest, bring a small gift and accept the food warmly. For related life-event traditions, see our guides to wedding food and Eid al-Adha.
Frequently asked questions
What is the sboua in Morocco?
The sboua is the seventh-day naming celebration for a new baby, from the Arabic word for 'seven' and linked to the religious aqiqa. The family gathers to name the child and hold a feast with prayer, blessings and generous food shared among relatives, neighbours and those in need.
What food is served at a Moroccan naming ceremony?
A sheep is traditionally sacrificed and cooked as méchoui or tagine, couscous is made for the crowd, and sweets and pastries — especially sellou — are shared. Dates and milk, the classic symbols of welcome, are offered, and extra food is cooked to feed neighbours and the poor.
Why is sellou eaten after a birth?
Sellou (sfouf) is a dense, energy-rich sweet of toasted flour, almonds, sesame and honey, traditionally eaten by the new mother as a restorative food in the weeks after giving birth. Its nuts, seeds and honey are thought to help rebuild strength.
What is the aqiqa?
The aqiqa is the Islamic tradition of sacrificing an animal, usually on the seventh day after a baby's birth, to give thanks and share the meat with family and the needy. In Morocco it is woven into the sboua naming celebration and the communal feast around it.