Baptism name for babies

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robin_hood

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In Canon 855 it states " Parents,sponsors and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given".
But I have read on this forum that this can be relaxed if the parents are rigid in not changing their minds if they have chosen a non Christian name.
My question then is Canon 855 a hard and fast rule:confused:
 
robin_hood said:
In Canon 855 it states " Parents,sponsors and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given".
But I have read on this forum that this can be relaxed if the parents are rigid in not changing their minds if they have chosen a non Christian name.
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Given the nature of this forum as a place to share opinions, and the diversity of individuals who post here, you’re likely to read just about anything from time to time.
robin_hood said:
My question then is Canon 855 a hard and fast rule:confused:
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Canon Law is just that - Law. That’s why they don’t call it Canon Option or Canon Suggestion.
 
Non-Christian is one thing, ANTI-Christian (calling your child after a pagan God or the devil, for example) is entirely another!
 
Servulus said:
Given the nature of this forum as a place to share opinions, and the diversity of individuals who post here, you’re likely to read just about anything from time to time.

Canon Law is just that - Law. That’s why they don’t call it Canon Option or Canon Suggestion.
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Canon Law is an interpreted law. Each Canon is applied to a specific situation. There are also other questions that need to be answered.
“a name foreign to Christian sensibility”
What would cause a name to be “a name foreign to Christian sensibility”? What is “Christian sensibility”? The Canon does not say, a name that is not that of a canonized Saint.
 
the judgement is left to the priest at the time of Baptism. Our old pastor at least 3 times I know of added the name of Mary or Joseph to the name of a child being baptized with names he considered unchristian (greek gods, aztec gods, “new age”). Many seemingly “neutral” names actually do have a Christian connotation. OSV has great dictionary of saints which gives the meanings of boys and girls names, and relates many names to either saints, “nicknames” of saints, or attributes of Mary, or the saints, or the angels. For instance, OT names are acceptable if they are not names of overt enemies of God and his people. Can you imagine Nebuchadnezer in 7th grade homeroom answering to that name?

Amber is one of the minerals named in conjunction with Solomon’s temple and in the description of heaven. Brandy could be the feminine of an Irish St. Bran, for instance. Dawn or Aurora, like other “neutral names” are attributes of Mary in the litany. One thing we do for RCIA candidates is help them research their birth name, find the saint or saints, angels, patriarchs etc. relating to their name. I also provide this for Father so he knows everyone being baptized has an acceptable name. We have had greek gods and aztec gods recently, but fortunately these people had saints for middle names. We did have to add a Confirmation name for one boy.
 
puzzleannie said:
the judgement is left to the priest at the time of Baptism. Our old pastor at least 3 times I know of added the name of Mary or Joseph to the name of a child being baptized with names he considered unchristian (greek gods, aztec gods, “new age”).
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Aztec Gods? If I remember rightly most of them have names that are a couple of city blocks long. That in itself should be a reason to discourage them!
 
As Puzzleannie stated, there are many names that have Christian/Biblical connotations.

And with all the saints that John Paul II canonized there are very likely saints with with names that at first glance would seem to be overtly pagan.

I don’t know if there are any St. Nebuchadnezers or St. Quetzlcoatls but there just might be.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
What would cause a name to be “a name foreign to Christian sensibility”? What is “Christian sensibility”? The Canon does not say, a name that is not that of a canonized Saint.
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My name is Wendy-Kay. It is not Christian nor does is have any connection with Christianity, Wendy first being used in the turn of the century Peter Pan story. My mother named me that because it was “cute”. She was not a Christianly woman.
I have to live with this tradition-less name. Names are big deals. These will be written on tombstones one day and will define much of who we were. I had added a saint’s name after I converted so I could feel tied to my beloved Church and thus, to Christ. The magisterium knows what is best for us. I think Mother Church gives us plenty of pasture within Her boundries. I gave my own children traditional southern names with Christian middle names; Ruby Pia Pietrelcina and Wyatt Michael Xavier. This is not a result of my own piety or anything ( 'cause I don’t have much of that!) but rather as a result of my own meaningless trendy name.
 
The 2005 Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church has:
“**264. What is the meaning of the Christian name received at Baptism? **
2156-2159 2167
The name is important because God knows each of us by name, that is, in our uniqueness as persons. In Baptism a Christian receives his or her own name in the Church. It should preferably be the name of a saint who might offer the baptized a model of sanctity and an assurance of his or her intercession before God.”

Clearly choosing the name of a saint is optional. It is preferred, but the priest and godparents cannot insist upon it with support from canon 855.
 
Wendy-Kay said:
My name is Wendy-Kay. It is not Christian nor does is have any connection with Christianity, Wendy first being used in the turn of the century Peter Pan story. My mother named me that because it was “cute”. She was not a Christianly woman.
I have to live with this tradition-less name. Names are big deals. These will be written on tombstones one day and will define much of who we were. I had added a saint’s name after I converted so I could feel tied to my beloved Church and thus, to Christ. The magisterium knows what is best for us. I think Mother Church gives us plenty of pasture within Her boundries. I gave my own children traditional southern names with Christian middle names; Ruby Pia Pietrelcina and Wyatt Michael Xavier. This is not a result of my own piety or anything ( 'cause I don’t have much of that!) but rather as a result of my own meaningless trendy name.
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Have you ever tried to use it to your advantage at the hanburger place?
 
Wendy could also be a feminine form of Wendelyn a male saint. Kay is a short form of Katherine, so you are covered.
 
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