Baptismal Names (Teachings of the Orthodox Church) Christianity. Orthodoxy. Catholicism. Sense of life. Articles for Christians.
“I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.                “You shall have no other gods before me.                “You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.                “You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.                “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. You shall labor six days, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.                “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.                “You shall not murder.                “You shall not commit adultery.                “You shall not steal.                “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.                “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”
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Baptismal Names (Teachings of the Orthodox Church)
   

QUESTION:

How does one pick a baptismal name when one converts? My daughter, age 12, will be baptised soon, and I will be either baptised or chrismated. Neither of our names "suit."

ANSWER:

There is no "universal, standard" way by which a name is selected. In some traditions, for example, it is the custom to name a person after the saint commemorated on his or her date of birth. In other cases names are selected based on devotion to a particular saint. And, of course, there are those who select a name exclusively on personal preference.

It is interesting to note, however, that in the Orthodox Church the naming of a person occurs in a special rite celebrated on the eighth day after birth, thereby separating this action from the celebration of Baptism and Chrismation.

In the case of adult conversions, it would seem that the most meaningful way of selecting a "Christian" name would be to choose the name of a saint whose life one may especially wish to emulate or whose life offered special inspiration on the road to conversion.

It is always wise to discuss such matters with your parish priest who can offer personal direction in greater detail.






Published in January 2011.









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