Confirmation Name Question

[MissRose73]

When I was confirmed as a teenager, our priest and catechist did not emphasize nor require anyone in my class to take a confirmation name. Each of us was confirmed using our 1st and middle names. A few years later, my cousins were confirmed, 1 of them for a while did use her confirmation name with her given name but doesn’t now.

My mother and my aunt (sisters) each have confirmation names but it was in the era of Pre Vatican II where everyone had to have one. Both of them still know their confirmation names.

Can those already confirmed still get a confirmation name long after or not especially in my situation where we weren’t really told we had to pick one. It is possible as a teenager I may have chosen something like Therese for the Little Flower.

 

[KD8TZC]

I don’t know the answer to this, but I find it interesting that you were not given one when confirmed. I was confirmed well after Vatican II (Early 1980’s) and I had one (Paul) and I remember putting great thought into why I picked it. I also know all of my kids had confirmation names too.

I will be interested to see what the answer is here. I’m wondering though if you didn’t have one, but you just forgot all about it. I remember for mine and my kids the bishop would ask the sponsor for the “name” of the person being confirmed. They had to tell him the confirmation name.

Pax,

John

 

[edward_george]

Picking a Confirmation name is a pious custom, but it is not necessary, nor is it formally part of the rite, save for when the Bishop pronounces the name of the confirmand (which, as you point out, can be simply your birth name). If you’d like to pick a patron saint that you have some strong relationship or affinity with, that’s a perfectly laudable thing to do, but don’t worry if you didn’t pick a Confirmation name.

-ACEGC

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Confirmation names are a custom in some places but not in others. They are not required. If they’re used, it’s during the confirmation rite itself so they wouldn’t be needed afterward.

All of that said, having a patron saint or a friend (or many friends) in heaven is a good thing. If there’s a saint you feel attracted to, go ahead and use that person as a role model, ask his or her intercession, and make him or her a part of your life.

 

[Dorothy]

When I was confirmed as a teenager, our priest and catechist did not emphasize nor require anyone in my class to take a confirmation name. Each of us was confirmed using our 1st and middle names. A few years later, my cousins were confirmed, 1 of them for a while did use her confirmation name with her given name but doesn’t now.

My mother and my aunt (sisters) each have confirmation names but it was in the era of Pre Vatican II where everyone had to have one. Both of them still know their confirmation names.

Can those already confirmed still get a confirmation name long after or not especially in my situation where we weren’t really told we had to pick one. It is possible as a teenager I may have chosen something like Therese for the Little Flower.

St. Therese, the Little Flower, is a wonderful choice of a saint to intercede for you. She can be a special friend for you as you ask her to pray for you. No need to have to choose her at Confirmation time. I have more than one favorite friend in heaven.