So I'm working up a character whose shtick is ritual magic (yes, I know its generally a bad decision to go with). His back story is something along the lines of being a reporter who uses symbolic links (he will be initiated at least once) to cast divination spells in order to spy and get the "real dirt".

I'm trying to work together facets of his personality and one of them I came up with is a distaste for outright lies (ala Fey in some fiction/mythology. Also the 'Symphony of Ages' books by Elizabeth Haydon), possibly with gaesa to reflect this.

So, what does this have to do with Naming? I don't know exactly, I've read a bit here and there but never got the full run down. It seems that there is (should be?) some interaction with lies and Naming ala Earthdawn.

Can somebody please give me a run down on the act of Naming, Name Givers, and how this works with Patterns?

A True Pattern is just your aura, basically. It can be changed or destroyed, resulting in a changed or dead person (compare: essence loss).
Naming and Name Givers are just concepts of magic. Basically sentient people are Name Givers, with exceptions. Dragons (but not drakes) are the oldest namegiving race, Trolls, Orcs, Dwarves, Humans, Elves and in ED T'skrang, Windlings (in essence Pixies in SR), Obsidimen and their variants. Naming is just the process of a sentient being giving things in their environment a designation, thus marking a true pattern. Manipulating the pattern makes it possible to change the nature of the item. Obviously, most things already have established names and thus have no need of being named again Dragons did it.

So, no real connection to your concept.

Afaik Shadowrun haven't advanced far enough in the cycle to be aware of naming and patterns... With the exception of GDs and IEs.
You can always look and see if you find something on AH's old site (in sig) it covers most of the cross pollination between SR and ED.

There were other ways to utilize Patterns and pattern magic back in ED that is similar to Symbolic Linking. Linking basically lets you use a focus or something of enough significance to use Ritual magic on them. Back in ED, there was more that you could do with someone's Pattern Items (or places for that matter in some cases). You could link/tie a thread to that item yourself and use it to undermine them (gain bonuses against them, give them minuses,etc).

Since you're tying a thread (sorta like bonding a focus) you typically need to have some knowledge of that items Pattern, which is more of a requirement than using Legend Points (EDs version of karma). LP costs for bonding are relatively low, especially when compared to karma costs for bonding. Typically the first piece of Key Knowledge that you would need to bond a Pattern Item would be the items True Name. So , again, names come up.

If you really want to know something about ED though, message Grinder.

Dragons were Name-Takers. They self-named upon growing up from being juveniles to being full-grown. Name-Givers are given names from others. Name-Takers choose their own name.

Where's Ancient History when we need him.

I remember reading there was some significance in the Aztechnology security forces being given names in one of the books. Probably older ones.

Seems like there is an effect in giving names even this early in the Mana Cycle.