Posted on 07/23/2013 4:10:11 PM PDT by Alex Murphy
What’s in a baby name?
Money, for one, for those among the Britons who’ve bet on the name of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s new son, born July 22 in London. According to multiple sources, the bookmakers are betting on a traditional moniker such as James or George. Similarly regal names were predicted if William and Kate, as the parents are better known, were to have had a girl.
For Catholics, a name also traditionally includes a patron saint.
Catholics have a long history of naming their children with recognized saints in mind, making a name like “North” – Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s recent choosing for their daughter – once unimaginable.
That’s no longer the case.
Deacon Vito S. Piazza Sr., pastoral associate of St. Joseph in Sykesville who coordinates the parish’s baptisms, said he has seen a decline in the number of Catholics who purposely choose saints names for their babies. Those who do often make them middle names.
Baptismal classes could provide an opportunity for Catholic leaders to encourage saint names, but couples are also waiting longer than in the past to baptize their children, Deacon Piazza said. Many wait until after the child is born to take baptismal preparation classes.
“At that point, they’ve already named their baby,” he said.
Naming a baby after a saint goes back to the early centuries of the church, said Monsignor Steven P. Rohlfs, rector of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg.
The name affirmed the parents’ belief in the communion of saints and expressed admiration for the early Christian martyrs. It also demonstrated hope that a saint would take a special interest in interceding on behalf of his or her namesake, Monsignor Rohlfs said.“
(The name) is a constant reminder that we are to emulate our patron saint, whoever he or she may be, and that we have a special affinity toward them, and they to us,” he said. “It was a core belief, and still is, that those in heaven still take an active interest in those who are still on their way.
”As Christianity emerged from oppression to become the dominant religion, the culture of Christendom presumed people would name children after saints, Monsignor Rohlfs said. That continued for centuries, until the rise of secularism.
The trend has noticeably declined since the 1960s, he said.
“When I was growing up, we were taught a prayer to our patron saint which we said every day, and which I still say every day. I’ve said it since I was in the third grade,” he said.
With thousands of saints canonized by the Catholic Church, the statistics lean in parents’ favor of giving their child a saint’s name, if unintentionally.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, the top 10 baby names for boys in 2012 were Jacob, Mason, Ethan, Noah, William, Liam, Jayden, Michael, Alexander and Aiden. For girls, they were Sophia, Emma, Isabella, Olivia, Ava, Emily, Abigail, Mia, Madison and Elizabeth. Most are the names of saints or biblical figures.
There’s even a St. Zoe (which ranked last year as No. 30), but not, unfortunately for Catholic parents wishing to emulate Gwyneth Paltrow, a St. Apple.(There’s also no St. Gwyneth, but there is a St. Gwen.)
If a Catholic was not given a saint’s name at birth, the sacrament of confirmation offers another opportunity to take a saint’s name, Monsignor Rohlfs said.
However, he would like to see the tradition of naming a child after a saint or virtue revived, he said.
“Besides the spiritual dimension of it, a Christian name is part of Catholic culture,” Monsignor Rohlfs said. “As the Catholic culture has eroded, so too have many of these practices. We simply have to await a better time when people will once again rediscover these things.”
Deacon Piazza also said he would advise parents to embrace the practice, calling it “a wonderful tradition.”
“That child, if they are raised in the faith, would be taught to pray to that namesake to intercede for them,” he said.
My four catholic boys have names that include Charles, Francis, Isaac, James, John, Joseph, Robert and Stephen. Our daughter’s name similarly reflects saints, though we don’t have a Mary yet. It is a good old traditioon that we keep alive and in doing so have managed to give our children names that stand out from their age group.
I’m getting grouchy too! This was actually an interesting and kind of amusing discussion until we met somebody busy being his own St Peter and St. Paul. No wonder Protestant churches don’t hold together and there’s about a billion of them. Each man his own Pope.
I have the inside track on this. No kidding. My children are named William and Kathryn, what more proof do you need?
My royal sensibilities tell me that the baby will be named George.
If they’ve truly lost their minds over in the UK, we might get something like Eugene or Gerald or Bob. But George is the absolutely correct name for this future king kid. Period.
/:)
Or Sue.
Well, maybe Sue. Has a certain ring to it.
But more likely, if they go in that direction, it would be Sue-Bob. Or Phillip Sue.
Getting serious again, it could be Wendell.
Well, it’s possible little Apple could grow up and become a saint. And then there will be a St. Apple patron saint. I mean, we started out with just s few saint’s names.
Leave it to Free Republic to have a religious argument over a baby’s name...
Hysterical! That’s funny!! Lol
“Parents up in heaven, who are not omnipresent or omniscient, and therefore incapable of hearing every prayer on Earth, certainly cannot.”
Even if God says they can? He can’t do that?
“Even if God says they can? He can’t do that?”
God never said it. The Papists said it, but certainly not God. And why would God say it? So mankind can go to the creation, rather than the creator, despite God’s promise to aid us and be our rock and savior?
Job_15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
“God never said it. The Papists said it, but certainly not God.”
No, no, you miss my point. What I’m getting at is that God could certainly do it if He wanted. It only remains, therefore, to determine if He did want to do that, and did in fact make it so.
“And why would God say it? So mankind can go to the creation, rather than the creator, despite God’s promise to aid us and be our rock and savior?”
Because He is a generous God, who gives with both hands. It’s another blessing, another aid on the road to salvation. Sure, we can go to the Creator, but why would He not give us both? Why restrict and limit the paths that lead to the Creator?
We know (I presume) that God often uses people to achieve His ends. If He uses mere mortals made of clay, why would He not use saints?
The fact is that He does use saints, and you would be able to discover that for yourself were you so inclined.
Jesus was fully human and fully divine. as God He was not a crated being, but as a man He was. That is the nature of the hypostatic union. You may not like it but it is a fact. When He was human he was "lower than the angels" and when we die we will sit in judgment of the angels. This is what the scripture says and says plainly. If you want to deny the bible that is fine but it does not alter the facts.
If they’ve truly lost their minds over in the UK, we might get something like Eugene or Gerald or Bob. But George is the absolutely correct name for this future king kid. Period.
I would vote for either George or Arthur.
LOL who's arguing? The only arguments that I read are the ones that took place 'twixt parents and priest at the baptismal font.
I think it will either be George or James.
Thank-you for making my day with your posting. God Bless.
We're watching over you.
Paul says "Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus." But he doesn't say "The great cloud of witnesses? Fuggedaboudit, they mean nothing at all."
I rather think he has the same attitude as Isaiah (tagline).
You're doing a good job of ignoring the mindless drivel that makes up about 1/3 of this thread. Congratulations!
**God never said it. The Papists said it,**
Strange — God and Jesus Christ changed many people’s names in the Bible
Abram = Abraham
Sarai = Sarah
Jacob = Israel
Simon = Peter
I’m sure there are more.
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