Naming Ceremonies
“We know we want to do something to celebrate our baby’s arrival,
but we’re not really religious so a christening wouldn’t feel right.”
I hear this a lot and this is exactly where a humanist naming ceremony comes in. I consider myself a humanist, a non-religious person who makes sense of the world using reason and experience. As a humanist I try to base my ethics on the goals of human welfare, happiness, fulfilment and our relationship with the natural world.
Naming ceremonies are happy, personal and relaxed occasions and they can be where and when a family chooses. Naming ceremonies are relatively new and increasingly popular. They are organised by parents who know that they want to mark their child’s arrival but who want to do so in a way that isn’t religious.
Naming ceremonies:
- Can be held wherever want. At home, the beach, in the park, the garden, a local hall, …
- Focus on the individual child, their personality and the friends and family that surround them
- Can be held whenever you’re ready. There’s no rush. Some are combined with first birthday celebrations or could be joint namings for siblings.
A typical naming ceremony might include readings or poems, parental promises to their child, the appointment of "guide parents"and perhaps a symbolic action such as planting a tree, signing a certificate or writing in a wish book.
There’s no set script for a humanist naming ceremony – it’s too personal an occasion for that. Every naming is tailored to meet the your family’s requirements.
I will:
- Meet you to get to know you and what you want from the occasion
- Share your ideas and draw on my own experience
- Write a unique ceremony based on your preferences
- Edit this in response to your feedback to make sure it’s absolutely perfect for you
- Conduct the ceremony on the day itself
- Give you a presentation copy of the final script.
If you would like a non religious naming ceremony for your baby or child please message me on the contact page.