Today, Name Giving ceremonies are becoming increasing popular because they offer a non religious way of welcoming your new born child into your family community. The ceremony itself offers a fulfilling and meaningful experience for all involved.

 
 
 

 In ancient times a child was deemed not to be a part of the family until the father had named him/her in a ceremony. Today, naming ceremonies build on the ancient Roman tradition, and helps parents, Godparents or Guardians become more fully aware of their responsibilities.


I would be delighted to work with you in creating a naming ceremony for your child - regardless of age.  I place great importance on creating a naming ceremony unique to you - reflecting your values, your personalities, and your dreams for your child. The ceremony can be as spiritual (or as not) as you wish, and you can have as much input as you choose, from designing the ceremony yourself to having me create a special ceremony for you.

 

Who would attend?

 

Apart from all your family and friends  being there, there are some special people that are very important in the naming ceremony: Godparents are the ones chosen by you to offer support to your child throughout out their lives. These days some parents are choosing to use the word "Mentor" instead of "Godparent".Mentor originally meant a "wise and trusted counselor". It has come to mean "a particular person that one can look to for advice and guidance."Grandparents play a special role in our lives and as such are a welcome part of the ceremony if you so choose.


 

Format and planning

There are many special ways to make this a significant ceremony for you and your child and the many people that support you in  your lives. You may have specific ideas on this and may have some family tradition that we could incorporate into the ceremony, if not you may like to start a new tradition! I can help with some suggestions here if you wish. I will give you a booklet with some suggested verses and readings when we have our initial meeting. This is meant to be a guide, as you may have your own special words that mean a lot to you.


Basically the format is as follows but there are no hard and fast rules here, this is your day and you decide what you

want. Remember there could be lots of little guests on the day so it is a good idea not to make the ceremony too long.

  • Introduction and welcome to guests
  • Reading
  • Godparent/Mentor commitment
  • Grandparent involvment
  • Naming
  • Signing of Certificate