Baby Names - You're kidding Right???

[Coralreef]

I saw back a few pages about saint names being required for Catholics for baptisms and it reminded me of a book I read last year where a woman in N. Ireland had picked a name she liked but her husband, MIL and SIL (who was her best friend before the marriage) went behind her back and had the child baptized Margaret Mary but the woman only ever referred to the girl by the name she'd wanted her to be called.

In Catholic Québec, years ago, it was almost mandatory to have Joseph (boys) and Mary (girls) in your name.  I was the only one who didn't have Mary when I saw the registry at church.  I have NO idea why, but I was kind of glad about it when I found out. 

Babies were baptized soon after birth, even if the mother was not there or if it would have been dangerous to the baby (premies, etc).  When one of my sisters was born, my mother wanted to name her Nancy (not real names, of course) but the priest didn't like it, so he named her Lucy-Ann.  Mother didn't know for a while that Nancy was not Nancy.  And no one from the family that was there went against what the priest said.

So in those places, is what the priest names you at baptism your legal name?  There's no birth certificate?  Here in the US, your legal name is what's on the birth certificate.  If the priest refuses to baptize little Zaphod Beeblebrox by that name and baptizes him as 'Francis', legally he's still Zaphod.

For a lot of people, the baptism name is their "real" name, not what is on the birth certificate, since a religious sacrament "trumps" governmental bureaucracy.

Actually, in Québec, until 1984 (approx.), the Church documents were the legal ones.  So whatever name was on it, that was your name. 

What did people do who weren't Catholic?  There are several Christian sects who do not baptize infants, but wait until people can make that choice for themselves as teens/adults.  And there are people who aren't Christian at all.  Were they just in limbo, with no legal acknowledgement of their existence?

Sometimes, yes.

Centuries ago, the church baptism also served as your registration with the state as a citizen in some countries. If you were not baptized, you were nobody. If you were lucky, you flew under the radar and nothing would happen (except a lot of inconvenience). If you were not so lucky, and your refusal to be baptized or have your child baptized came to the attention of authorities, you could sometimes be charged with treason and executed.

But I haven't heard of anything happening to anyone in the last hundred years or so, other than some annoying paperwork.

Civil paperwork was always available.  You were "legalized" at Cityhall.  The Province was mostly Catholic in those times but it was fine to register your newborn at a Cityhall.  Other religious denominations/faiths could also fill in those civil documents, even if there was no baptism. 

[Betelnut]

Recent Southern Maryland names:

Marley A'Dyn--boy.  His brother is listed in the birth announce as ... Cam'Ron.  I'm assuming A'Dyn is pronounced Aiden?

Kamdyn--boy.  That "reads" as a girl name to me, but, shrug.

A Jaxen and a Jaxon. 

Justice Eliza.  Not too bad but...

Kali Zaarahi--girl.

[scotcat60]

When one of my sisters was born, my mother wanted to name her Nancy (not real names, of course) but the priest didn't like it, so he named her Lucy-Ann.  Mother didn't know for a while that Nancy was not Nancy.  And no one from the family that was there went against what the priest said. 

Shades of Leo Milligan, father of the great Goon, Spike. His parents wanted him to be called Percy, but the priest at his baptism said "Call him Leo, after the dear Pope", so they did.

My Dad knew and Irish lady who needed her birth certificate to claim her state pension, but she had no copy herself, and the original record had been consumed in a fire in the 1920s. However, she got a copy of her baptismal record from the church where the ceremony was performed, and consequently, her pension.

[*new*mommyagain36]

Met a Mom signing in her kids at one of those establishments that has  inflatable jumping doodads.

Her 3 kids are Kelly, Sage and Hunter.

Their last name is Green.

I kinda like that 

She also told me they have a cat named Emerald.

[Lorelei_Evil]

They need a parakeet called Minty Fresh.   

[snowdragon]

there is a child in my nephew's school named Aanddersin.  They are not in my nephew's class so I am not sure if it's a boy or a girl.  but sigh.

[kareng57]

I saw back a few pages about saint names being required for Catholics for baptisms and it reminded me of a book I read last year where a woman in N. Ireland had picked a name she liked but her husband, MIL and SIL (who was her best friend before the marriage) went behind her back and had the child baptized Margaret Mary but the woman only ever referred to the girl by the name she'd wanted her to be called.

In Catholic Québec, years ago, it was almost mandatory to have Joseph (boys) and Mary (girls) in your name.  I was the only one who didn't have Mary when I saw the registry at church.  I have NO idea why, but I was kind of glad about it when I found out. 

Babies were baptized soon after birth, even if the mother was not there or if it would have been dangerous to the baby (premies, etc).  When one of my sisters was born, my mother wanted to name her Nancy (not real names, of course) but the priest didn't like it, so he named her Lucy-Ann.  Mother didn't know for a while that Nancy was not Nancy.  And no one from the family that was there went against what the priest said.

So in those places, is what the priest names you at baptism your legal name?  There's no birth certificate?  Here in the US, your legal name is what's on the birth certificate.  If the priest refuses to baptize little Zaphod Beeblebrox by that name and baptizes him as 'Francis', legally he's still Zaphod.

For a lot of people, the baptism name is their "real" name, not what is on the birth certificate, since a religious sacrament "trumps" governmental bureaucracy.

Actually, in Québec, until 1984 (approx.), the Church documents were the legal ones.  So whatever name was on it, that was your name. 

My mother had always been called Amelia but when she got her baptism certificate (for her wedding), it was Emily, with the family name having an alternate spelling rather than the one used by her father.  She had to have all legal documents changed to fit her real name.  As I said earlier, sometimes the mother was not present when the child was baptized.  In her case, her father forgot what her mother wanted to name the baby.  To add to the fun in baptized vs. use names in my family, some of my sibblings are children of Amelia, others of Emily.  I don't know who the priest was in that parish, but he could not spell his way out of a paper bag.

When the civil code was revamped, the town/city hall birth certificate became the legal one.  The Church document was only for religious purposes, say you want a Church wedding, etc.

True.  My Dh was born in Quebec and had to get a new birth certificate when we were applying for passports about nine years ago.  His original was a "town" birth certificate, but everyone born before 1984 had to get a new one.  Before that time, it was kind of a mish-mash of municipal certificates, health-board certificates and baptismal certificates.

[Piratelvr1121]

I was baptized in the Catholic church, in Virginia, in 79 and my parents got away with using my legal first and middle names, neither of which are saint names, so I guess the priest wasn't picky. 

Though all of my aunts and uncles on my dad's side have saint names either as the first or middle names.  I think my mother and at least one of my aunts on that side also have a saint name.  And my brother's middle name is a saint name as well. 

Hm, come to think of it, without even meaning to, we named all 3 of our boys with saint names but since the elder 2 were baptized in the Methodist church and the youngest will be baptized in the Episcopal church, it doesn't really matter.

[BB-VA]

Yewneek spelling seen the other day - Kristyan.  Guess the gender and pronunciation (shown below)

Male, pronounced "Christian". 

[Elfmama]

Yewneek spelling seen the other day - Kristyan.  Guess the gender and pronunciation (shown below)

Male, pronounced "Christian". 

I would pronounce it Kristy-Anne, and guess female.

[Brisvegasgal]

My work has two clients a father and son called Donald Duck.  Surely father (born in the 40's) must have known about the cartoon character when he called his son Donald Jr (born in the 70's)!

We also have more an one client whose first name is Christmas...and yes their birthdays are 25 Dec.

[BB-VA]

Yewneek spelling seen the other day - Kristyan.  Guess the gender and pronunciation (shown below)

Male, pronounced "Christian". 

I would pronounce it Kristy-Anne, and guess female.

That was what I thought too - and then this male voice came over the phone.    That was definitely a "what were his parents thinking??" moment for me.

[Ereine]

I was watching a movie and in the credits there was a Mens-Sana.

[Piratelvr1121]

I saw on fbook recently that a friend liked a photo shared by a friend that said "Thanks mom and dad for giving me a name that can't be found on any personalized items in souvenir shops!"

That's not too hard to do though.  I've only once found my name on a personalized sign for a bedroom door and Annie's not that unusual of a name.  Neither is Liam and around Christmas I was trying to find ornaments with my boys names on them.  Edward and Kevin were easy. Couldn't find Liam.

[Tierrainney]

I saw on fbook recently that a friend liked a photo shared by a friend that said "Thanks mom and dad for giving me a name that can't be found on any personalized items in souvenir shops!"

That's not too hard to do though.  I've only once found my name on a personalized sign for a bedroom door and Annie's not that unusual of a name.  Neither is Liam and around Christmas I was trying to find ornaments with my boys names on them.  Edward and Kevin were easy. Couldn't find Liam.

Use Personal Creations (personalcreations.com)  You can order an ornament with just about any theme and get it personalized.