What is a Namegiving Ceremony?
Naming Ceremonies are relatively modern. Many people in our society are now choosing not to join organised religions, the secular naming ceremony is a good alternative for people who want the formality of a ceremony without the religious content. As naming ceremonies do not intiate children into religions, they give children the opportunity to choose their own spiritual direction later in life.
Naming ceremonies can be conducted for anyone at any time. Most naming ceremonies are conducted for babies, although they can be conducted for anyone, including adults. There are no rules as to who should be named or how old they need to be.
People choose to have naming ceremonies for the following reasons:
- To welcome the baby/child into the family and wider community
- To announce the name chosen, explain the meaning of the name, and give the reasons for choosing that name
- To make promises to nurture, support and educate the child so that he/she becomes an independent, contributing adult in society
- To formally express the parents' wishes for the child's future
- To nominate other significant adults to support the child and gain their commitment to this special relationship
- To blend two families so that a new family unit is created
- To provide a non-religious alternatie to a traditionally religious rite
- For an adult to celebrate a rite of passage for their own personal reasons.
