Naming Ceremony
Planning your day
A Naming Ceremony or Baby Naming as it is sometimes referred to is the perfect opportunity to bring your friends and family together and celebrate the birth and/or official naming of your child without the traditional and full religious ceremony. Naming Ceremonies are also a fantastic way to welcome adopted children into the family, or to celebrate when two families are blending into one.
So how do you begin? What are the key steps to organising and arranging a Naming Ceremony?
Who will lead the Naming Ceremony?
As a Celebrant I can officiate your day. Together we will decide on the best way to conduct your ceremony and I will write a personalised and meaningful Ceremony that you will cherish forever.
What can the Naming Ceremony include?
The possibilities are endless! It is up to you what becomes part of your Naming Day. We will talk through some ideas and options to help you decide. Some examples could include:
Introduction to your child
Welcome the child to your wider group of family and friends
The meaning of your child’s name
A reading, a special book or poem
Formal naming of your child - Rituals including water ceremony, candle lighting or another type of blessing
Parents, grandparents and your chosen guide parents (in a traditional ceremony these are the ‘godparents’), and/or siblings can make promises and commitments to the child, along with any symbolic gestures and other readings or speeches
I can offer a certificate and a keepsake for the child to remember the day.
Where are Naming Ceremonies held?
Naming Ceremonies can be held in any location of your choice.
Some ideas include are your home, halls, hotels, gardens or reception venues. The room can be decorated with flowers, balloon, ribbons or simply paper bunting, giving it a special feel as the celebration takes place with your colours and a theme.
If you are planning to have an outside ceremony, do consider having a backup in place to prepare for all weather conditions, and also ensure there are chairs available for any guests that may need them (elderly or pregnant guests for example).
Who should you invite?
This is of course entirely your choice and dependent on the location. If you are holding the ceremony at your home for example, consider whether you will have everyone stand or be seated, as this will determine the number of guests you can have.
Will the Naming Ceremony include readings?
There are so many beautiful readings for Naming Ceremonies that could be read during the service. A passage from your favourite Paddington Bear book or some choice words from your favourite nursery rhyme, this is the part where you can truly personalise your ceremony.
You can choose someone special to read or perhaps the parents would like to write their own. You might like a guide parent to do a reading, or grandparent, the choice is entirely yours but I can help you to decide for this part of the ceremony.
Will you make promises and commitments?
During your Naming Ceremony parents can say promises and commitments to your child. They could also be made by siblings, grandparents and the supporting adults. I can help you to write the promises for you, or you may wish to make some yourself.
Can we choose Godparents?
Absolutely, however, you may not wish to call them Godparents. For Naming Ceremonies, Godparents are generally called Supporting Adults, Guardians, Guide parents or sometimes even Odd-parents!
Your Guide parents will form part of your ceremony and make their own personal commitments to be supportive throughout their life. There is no set format as to how many you have, so this would be entirely your choice.
Let’s create together!
You can be as creative as you like with your Naming Ceremony. You can decorate as you choose, include any readings, poems, speeches, or significant words as you choose, and select the timings that suit you. I will help guide you through ideas, inspiration and the choices you have to create a ceremony that suits you as a family.
A Naming Ceremony is a beautifully relaxed, personal and special occasion to share with your friends and family, and will create memories that last a lifetime.