Naming Ceremony

What is a naming ceremony?
A Naming Ceremony is a great way to celebrate the birth of your child/children with family and friends. It is a way to officially name them and share the dreams and aspirations you have for your child/children’s future. It is a non-religious alternative ceremony to a church christening. Giving you a personalised, meaningful opportunity to celebrate – and welcome – your new addition(s) to the family.

A Naming Ceremony can also be a chance to welcome new stepchildren or adopted children to the family.

Where can we have our Naming Ceremony?
Absolutely anywhere, the choice is yours. The venue does not have to be licensed in any way, nor does it have to be local to you. If you choose to hold your ceremony outside, we suggest you have a backup plan in case of bad weather. Have an alternative location prepared under cover readily available to move to.

Your options are endless; if you don’t know where to start, we can help guide you.

Will my Celebrant help plan what to include in our Naming Ceremony?
Yes, they will. Your Celebrant will talk you through all the options to personalise your service from start to finish through ongoing, regular communication. You can ask them to include important aspects to you or remove others from the ceremony script. You have total freedom with a Celebrant to ensure the words spoken on the day are what you wanted.

Will we meet our celebrant before the ceremony?
Yes, you will. The Celebrant will make a point of seeing you before your ceremony starts. We also like to meet couples for an initial free consultation, preferably via video phone (e.g., Google Duo, Facebook Messenger, Microsoft Teams or Zoom) with no obligation to continue, allowing couples to decide whether we are the ‘someone’ they wish to design and perform their ceremony.

Will our Celebrant help with ceremony planning like sorting the venue or the food?
No, we are only there to ensure your ceremony is delivered per your wishes and ensure the content you have chosen to incorporate into your ceremony script is correct. We do not participate in any other planning or preparation for your ceremony day.

Will our Celebrant stay with us for the whole day?
From a booking point of view, our Celebrants are booked for one ceremony per day, and you will receive their full attention. They will stay for a while after your ceremony to ensure everything goes smoothly. If you wish the Celebrant to arrive sooner and/or stay longer, this must be agreed with them before your ceremony day. The only exception would be if a Celebrant has been asked to cover for a fellow Celebrant who has been taken ill or for unforeseen circumstances beyond their control and is no longer able to officiate at a ceremony on the same day.

Is a naming ceremony legal?
No, a Naming Ceremony has no legal standing. It is an entirely private occasion, a ceremony that celebrates the arrival of a child/children into your family.

How long are your ceremonies?
It depends on the content you wish to include in your ceremony. A ceremony could be anything between 20 and 45 minutes long. However, we are conscious of children’s attention spans. Hence, with best endeavours, we try to keep the ceremony to a minimum amount of time.

Do we have to write our own promises?
No, you do not have to. We can help you by supplying some suggestions for you to select from.

Can we involve grandparents in the ceremony?
Yes, you can. Involving grandparents is a beautiful way to show your love and thanks to your parents for all they have done for you and your child/children. There are many ways to include them, from dedicating a reading or poem, including them in a symbolic action, to making their own ‘promises’ to their grandchild/grandchildren.

Can we have godparents?
Yes, you can. In a Naming Ceremony, godparents are usually known as ‘Supporting Adults.’ You can appoint as many as you wish. They are usually a relative or very close friends. We can suggest some promises for them, or they can write their own and discuss other ways of involving them in the ceremony.

Can we include friends and family members in the ceremony?
Absolutely! When we meet to discuss your ideas, we will explain how friends and family members can be included in the ceremony.

Can we include music, poems, or readings?
Yes, you can. We can supply some suggestions to help you decide what you want to be included in your ceremony, or you can incorporate your own choices. However, if you cannot find someone to read a poem or reading, our Celebrant will be happy to read it on your behalf. Alternatively, you could have a singer and/or a musician play some music if that is what you prefer.

Do you allow religious content in your ceremonies?
Yes, we are happy to include religious content in your ceremony. Whether it’s a prayer, reading, hymn or song, you can have as many elements as you wish.

Can we have whatever we like in the naming ceremony?
Yes, you can. We will help and guide you to ensure the Naming Ceremony is created as you wish.

Can we have a joint birthday party and naming?
Yes, you can. It is becoming more common now to combine a 1st Birthday and Naming Ceremony into a double celebration.

Can our older children be included in the ceremony?
Most definitely. Including older siblings makes the ceremony even more special. They could make a promise, read a poem, or give a present to their younger sibling(s). For example, their favourite book or a handmade gift. There are lots of beautiful ways to include siblings in a naming ceremony.

Is there an age limit for naming a child/children?
Absolutely not. A Naming Ceremony can be for all ages, like church christenings, allowing families to have a joint Naming Ceremony for an older child and a new arrival.

​Do you conduct adoption ceremonies?
Yes, we do. The ceremony is similar to a Naming Ceremony and has no legal status. It is a celebration of a child/children joining a family. A welcome of sorts and a chance for a family to acknowledge the gift of love and union. A place to share what a child brings to a family. A chance for new memories to be made together.

​I hate speaking in public. Do I have to say anything?
A Naming Ceremony would typically involve parents making a commitment or promises to their child/children. This could be in the form of a question asked by your Celebrant, answering “we promise”. If neither parent wishes to speak, we will work with you to find a way around this. For example, perhaps the Celebrant reads promises on your behalf.

Does it matter that I’m a single parent / we’re not married / we’re a same-sex couple?
​Not at all. We would be delighted to be involved in helping any parent or couple welcome the arrival of their child/children.

Our first child was christened in Church. Are we allowed to have a Naming Ceremony for our second Child?
Yes, you can. Today, people’s priorities have changed. Many couples had not heard of Naming Ceremonies before, thinking a church christening was the only means for naming a child. Some did not have their child/children named because they considered naming a child to be in the form of a church christening and were not religious followers or because they were of mixed religious faiths.

What does a Naming Ceremony typically include?
There is no ‘typical’ ceremony. Every ceremony we create will be unique.

Our Naming ceremony includes the following:

• • • Working closely with you to create a unique and meaningful ceremony which has special meaning for you.
    • Preparation and writing of ceremony script.
    • Guidance on readings, parents / grandparents / friends and family promises, and meaningful symbolic ritual (optional choice).
    • First draft review of ceremony script via email or video phone call.
    • As many additional reviews of the ceremony script as necessary via email or video phone call.
    • Final proofread of the ceremony script via email or video phone call.
    • A commemorative certificate.
    • Pre-ceremony checks on the day – 5 minutes with parents.
    • Conducting your ceremony on the day.

The ceremony is built around the following framework:

• • • Welcome and introduction by the celebrant
    • Celebrant opening words
    • Parent’s readings
    • The naming of the child/children
    • Parent’s promises
    • Importance of grandparents (optional)
    • Grandparents promise (optional)
    • Friends & family promise (optional)
    • Meaningful symbolic ritual (optional)
    • Closing summary
    • The signing of the naming certificate
    • Celebrants closing words