Christian Naming: When It Happens & How to Choose

01 When the name is given, by tradition

Some traditions confer the name in a rite; others give it at birth and simply use it at baptism. Here is each.

Catholic

The name is usually given at birth and confirmed at baptism. Canon law (CIC c. 855) asks that it be "not foreign to Christian sentiment," which in practice encourages a saint's name, a biblical name, or a name with Christian meaning, often as a middle name. At confirmation, Catholics traditionally take an additional saint's name.

Orthodox

Orthodoxy keeps the most distinctive custom: the Naming on the Eighth Day, a brief rite in which the priest blesses the child and confers the name eight days after birth. The name is almost always a saint's; that saint becomes the child's patron, and the saint's feast becomes the child's name day.

Anglican / Episcopal

The name is given at birth and used, but not conferred, at baptism. The Book of Common Prayer offers a Thanksgiving for the Birth or Adoption of a Child, at which the name is announced and the family blessed. Saint names are common but not required; biblical and family names are equally usual.

Mainline Protestant

Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Reformed practice gives the name at birth and announces it at infant baptism without conferring it. The Lutheran and Methodist books include thanksgiving services for a birth. Biblical names, virtue names (Grace, Hope, Faith), and family names are all common.

Evangelical / Non-denominational

The name is given at birth with no set rite, and announced at a child dedication where one is held. What makes a name "Christian" is decided locally: many families choose biblical names, virtue names, or family names, with the pastor as a resource where invited.

02 Choosing the name

Most Christian families draw from four kinds of source: saints' names, biblical names, virtue-meaning names (Grace, Hope, Faith), and family names. The kinds overlap, and most families combine them across the first and middle names. Whether a name needs to be "Christian" is answered firmly in Orthodox custom, softly in Catholic canon law, and openly in Anglican and Protestant practice. Where it matters, the parish priest or pastor is the source for the local expectation.

03 Gifts and readings

Gifts Naming gifts Keepsakes and gifts that mark a child's name, including patron-saint items. Readings Naming readings The passages on naming and blessing used at a naming or thanksgiving rite.

04 Common questions

Do we need to choose a Christian name?

It depends on the tradition. Orthodox custom almost always uses a saint's name; Catholic canon law asks for a name "not foreign to Christian sentiment"; Anglican and Protestant practice gives full latitude to biblical, virtue, family, or contemporary names. The parish priest or pastor is the source for the local expectation.

What is a confirmation name?

In Catholic and some Anglican practice, a candidate at confirmation chooses an additional name, traditionally a saint whose life resonates with them. It is used at the rite and sometimes carried into adult life. The choice is the candidate's.

What is a name day?

In Orthodox and some Catholic practice, the feast day of the saint a person is named for is kept as their name day, often celebrated in place of or alongside the birthday. The parish sings "Many Years" for the person, and the family may mark the day at home.

Last updated: August 21, 2026