Welcoming Babies (sometimes called Baby Namings or Name Givings)
A Baby Naming Ceremony is the civil (non relgious) version of a Christening. These types of ceremonies are used to:
- welcome the new child into his or her circle of family and friends
- acknowledge the responsibilities of parents, grandparents/guardians and others
- acknowledge the baby's names
- appoint godparents/guardians, whose role is to ensure a religious (or moral) education for the child.
Back in the day, in some cases, godparents took on the full responsibility of the child when something happened to the parents where ie: illness or death. That can still happen today, but note that a naming ceremony has no legal baring.
Mostly though now godparents/guardians are expected to undertake a special and lifelong interest in the child's welfare and to support the parents in raising their child.
Becoming a more secular society has not taken away the need for a celebration to mark this event. All the non-religious aspects of a Christening as listed above are the focus of a Baby Naming. In our multicultural society such civil ceremonies allow family and friends to be involved, even though they may have different religious beliefs.
This means the child may still have a separate religious ceremony at the time, or later in life. A civil ceremony does not prevent that.
A Baby Naming Ceremony can be held at any time. Some people will coincide with the child's first birthday, but there are not rules to the timing.
The Celebrants Network has Family Celebrants who specialise in Naming Ceremonies. Find your local celebrant HERE