Baby naming ceremonies
Do you want to celebrate the birth of your baby, but aren’t sure how to do it? If you’re not religious, or don’t practice, then it can be tricky to work out how to celebrate such a momentous occasion, since the main celebrations that are promoted are all tied to religion (like Christenings, for example). The good news is – there are some alternative options out there, and the most popular one is a baby naming ceremony. Baby naming ceremonies are becoming more and more popular in the UK, as a growing number of parents choose to celebrate the birth of their child, but decide against a christening. So this is what baby naming ceremonies are all about, and why they might be the right option for you/
What are baby naming ceremonies?
So, first things first, what are baby naming ceremonies? In simple terms, a baby naming is the non-religious version of a Christening. It’s a celebration of family and life, with a ceremony to gather with friends and family to officially welcome your child into the world. Each ceremony is different, but generally they will include officially naming your child, declarations of promises and commitments from parents and other significant members of the family, along with readings, songs and any other elements you want. Since there are no licenses or legalities needed for a naming ceremony, you can have them wherever and whenever you like (as long as you have permission). So, you could hold it at home, in the garden, in a park, in the woods, at a hotel, or in your local community centre.
Naming ceremonies aren’t just for new babies either. They are also a great opportunity to welcome any new member to your family – like step-children, or an adopted child. It’s a way to help them feel like a solidified, official member of the family, and is the perfect time to bring the whole family together to unite and bond.
Why Choose a Baby Naming Ceremony?
Baby Naming ceremonies are a fantastic alternative for people who don’t want to go down the religious, or very formalised route for welcoming a baby into their family and community. Baby naming ceremonies are completely personalised, written from scratch to reflect you, your family and your wishes. Your celebrant will work closely with you to understand what you want from the day, and design the perfect ceremony to achieve it. Your celebrant will have lots of ideas and suggestions from previous baby naming ceremonies they have done, which you can choose to weave into your own preferences.
When you chose a baby naming ceremony, your celebrant will spend time getting to know your family, so that they can conduct a ceremony which is personal and meaningful. Together with the celebrant, you can discuss promises, readings, poems, rituals and music you might like to include. During the ceremony, parents generally state their love and commitment to their child, acknowledge the roles of friends and family, and declare their hopes for your child’s future.
If you want, you can also choose to include symbolic actions that have meaning to you. This could be anything from a sand ceremony or tree planting, to candle lighting or hand/foot printing. The celebration could last for half an hour, or all day, and include as many or as few people as you want. It’s a wonderful way to bring the family together in celebration of a new life, or a new addition to the family of any age.
So really, a naming ceremony can be anything you want it to be!
The first, and main thing you need to do to organise a naming ceremony is find a celebrant. There are a wide variety of celebrants out there that can perform naming ceremonies, and if you need to meet with a few to find one you like, that’s OK! Once you’ve got that, your celebrant will be able to support you with the other elements of your day, and work on crafting a ceremony that is right for you. I’ve worked with many families to create and shape a baby naming ceremony that perfectly reflects them and their new family unit, and I would love to help you do the same. If you would like to talk through some ideas, or book your own baby naming ceremony, just get in touch with me