22/02/2022
What is a Naming Ceremony? Part 1
ceremony is a special day to celebrate the of your child and him/her into the family and the wider world, It is a wonderful way to celebrate and welcome your child into the family and the wider human community. It is how ancient civilizations publicly and officially assigned a name to a new member to the family. Naming ceremony is as old as humanity, its pre-dates Jesus Christ. Jesus himself had a naming ceremony performed for him during which the name Jesus which the angel had given was confirmed and assigned to him (Luke 2:21). John the Baptist too had a naming ceremony performed for him (Luke 1:13-14 & Luke 1:57-63). During the he was named John by his parents. So, haven a naming ceremony for your child does not stop you from your religious initiation rite such as Baptism/Christening etc.
Why Naming Ceremony?
Birthing is quite a private event- the mother, partner, and the medical team. Naming/welcoming/ is that which enables family and friends to participate in the welcoming of the baby into the world and recognize the newcomer in some official capacity. So, it is an occasion for celebration with your family and friends around you, and it is a time when you can affirm your commitment to your child in front of those who mean most to you- a very special welcome.
Naming ceremony was how a baby was assigned a name and welcomed into the family. In the classic film Juda Ben Hur, when Ben Hur saved the Roman general, the latter named him as his son. Among the ancient Romans a son was not a legal member of the family until the father had named him in a ceremony. Thus, a full legal son of the family, in our terms, could be adopted, born out of wedlock, born of a wife or another woman. Naming (or name giving) was the rite that brought the child into the family.
Why Choose a Naming Ceremony for Your Child?
People choose naming ceremony because they want to bring family and friends together to celebrate one of life’s key milestones- the birth of a child. They are ideal for families who want to mark the occasion in a way that isn’t religious or for Christians who do not do infant baptism.
A naming ceremony also provides the opportunity for those gathered to reflect on the roles that key people will play in the life of the child.
The Importance of announcing the name
Formally announcing the full name is an important part of the ceremony and must not be taken out. This is the actual moment when the parents or the celebrant officially name or announce the name of the child to people gathered. It is likely that everyone already knows part of the child’s name but not the full name and its significance, so, this is an opportunity for the parents to explain why it was chosen and its significance to them. It is also a good place for the family to talk about ancestors with this name, its history, its cultural meaning, or as the ancient saying goes, “nomen est omen”- a name expresses in a certain way the person and his/her destiny. See for example, the Gospel of Luke 1;13b-14 your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John. He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth. Also, Luke 1:59-64 & Luke 2:21-24.
