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.
Lets not name Kardashian and West as a normal couple.
Not even too many black men marry a white porn star and known whore.
I have never met a kid named after Saint Pancretius of Saint Polycarp. I guess those names are not in vogue.
Are you a Catholic Catholic Catholic?
Girl name: Mary
Boy name: MaryAre you 100% Catholic but live outside the compound?
Girl name: Pick one name that sounds good and has nice connotations, and one saint name to cover your behind.
Boy name: Just nothing that would appeal to Gwenyth Paltrow, for goodness’ sake.Are you a Catholic who can name everyone in the team of attorneys who are lodging a complaint against the Pope for crimes against humanity, but keep forgetting the address of your local church?
Girl name: Something empowering and possibly devastatingly ironic. One system is to take something that makes Catholics uncomfortable, like heretics or dodgy Marian apparitions, and slyly pair it with something that would make Oliver Cromwell nod with satisfaction—so, like, Medjugorje Louise or Hans Kung Makepeace. Show that you’re resisting oppression and that you went to college.
Boy name: a girl name. Bonus points if you can incorporate Pope Joan.-- from the thread Simcha's Guide to Naming Catholic Children
To stunned WH disbelief the royal couple is STILL refusing to name the baby Barack.
There will be repriosals - already 5 planeloads of CD’s with Obama’s speeches are said to be made reay to be dropped over London.
They should name him after Prince.
“The Prince Formally Known as Prince”
He will have a Purple Reign.
I think Sarah, or Martha should be considered. Who knows if he will choose to be a boy.
Is West actually married to Kim or are they just cohabitating?
He’s just that baby daddy.
To be honest I am not sure anyone knows.
At this point I don’t believe they are married., although many sources say they will be married. Not sure her last divorce is final yet.
Kanye may be smart enough to take advantage of her excellent oral & sexual skills and get away clean. Well maybe not clean, but at least with something curable.
In Spanish, I have heard some of the older generation have names such as “Polycarpo,” or “Ignatio.” I might name my own son either one of those. Polycarp was burned at the stake by the Romans. Ignatius was eaten by lions. A name like Augustine would also seem quite good.
Not for the sake of a “patron saint,” as it is God who watches over us, not the saints in heaven.
The saints are simply your older brothers (and sisters) in the Faith. Older siblings always watch over the younger ones.
Christians believe that “death shall have no dominion,” as Dylan Thomas wrote, and our older brothers and sisters are still helping us as much as we let them.
God is over all, but don’t throw out your brothers and sisters in the Faith who have gone before.
If they named the Royal baby Jordan, he could sell a new line of sneakers named Heir Jordan. Just saying.
-
Mark Knoller (@markknoller) July 23, 2013
I think the Church needs to insist on at least one saint’s name. Once upon a time, this was virtually a requirement. I’m not sure how official it was, but I do know that prior to Vatican II, a priest would have insisted that least one of the names to be that of a saint.
In your opinion.
Do parents watch over their children or is it your opinion that that is left to God also?
Why would saints have a reason to pray if they are already in heaven?
"And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God. And the smoke of the incense of the prayers of the saints ascended up before God from the hand of the angel." Apocalypse 8:3-4
Kardashian is Armenian, not European-descended (white). Not that it changes the fact that she is a moron.
“Do parents watch over their children or is it your opinion that that is left to God also?”
Parents who are here on Earth can certainly do so. Parents up in heaven, who are not omnipresent or omniscient, and therefore incapable of hearing every prayer on Earth, certainly cannot.
My parents were expecting only one child when my mother suddenly produced twin girls. If it was a girl the name was going to be Nancy Ann. They had to scramble and ended up with Nancy Lee and Nadine Ann. My sister regularly refers to Ann as "her saint."
“God is over all, but don’t throw out your brothers and sisters in the Faith who have gone before.”
If my brothers and sisters are omnipresent and omniscient in heaven, they have the attributes of God, and therefore are not only higher than the angels, but share in the divine attributes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.