Do I have to choose a baptismal name or can I use my present name?

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Rutherford2

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Based on my understanding, during baptism I need to choose a baptismal name for myself (I’ll probably choose Rutherford from Saint Ruth) but is it okay if I simply choose my own name? My real name is Eddy. I don’t want it to become “Rutherford Eddy” as I am not used to it although it would be useful to remind me of my patron saint. What is your opinion?

[CCC 2158] God calls each one by name. Everyone’s name is sacred. The name is the icon of the person. It demands respect as a sign of the dignity of the one who bears it.
 
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You’re not obligated to use your saint’s name except when identifying yourself by your full name. Go ahead and keep being Eddy.
(Or you could be Eddy Rutherford if you like.)
 
You’re not obligated to choose a name at all. It’s a popular custom, but it’s not a necessary part of the rite.
 
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Do you think Eddy Rutherford or Rutherford Eddy sounds good? Will you name somebody that way?
 
Um… Rutherford means “cattle ford.” It comes from Old English , “hryther” (meaning cattle or cattle-related) + “ford” (meaning ford).

But wait! I found stuff for you!

St. Ruth’s name is from Hebrew re’ut, meaning “friend” or “companion.”

There is a male form: Reuwel or Reuel, meaning “friend of God” or “companion of God.” It is a Biblical name. Raguel is another form of this name (a Greek form).

The English form is Reuel, which was one of Tolkien’s middle names. It is pronounced “RU-ul” or " RU-wul".

Hope this helped!

But of course you can pick any baptismal name that isn’t actually offensive to Christianity. You are becoming part of Christ’s Body, so any name will become a saintly Christian name.
 
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Cor_ad_Cor Is right. You don’t have to choose a new name. It’s a pious custom, not mandatory.

Also Mintaka. Rutherford is not a male form of Ruth. There are male forms, such as those Mintaka offered.
 
Mintaka said:
Reuel
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Reuel sounds nice but others might probably call me “Real” as in “Here’s Real Eddy”. This of course sounds strange and funny. Haha. I also have no idea why my Buddhist parents gave me the name Eddy instead of Eddie as so many people refer me as Eddie. I guess my “-dy” makes it sounds cuter. 🙂 or perhaps it makes me sound more “high status” since most Chinese do not have an english name.
Zaccheus said:
Rutherford is not a male form of Ruth.
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Really? I didn’t know that. Oh well… since you said it is ok to not choose a new name I’ll just stick to my name Eddy. Saves me all the hassle. 😉
 
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Rutherford2 said:
I need to choose a baptismal name for myself (I’ll probably choose Rutherford from Saint Ruth) but is it okay if I simply choose my own name? My real name is Eddy. I don’t want it to become “Rutherford Eddy” as I am not used to it although it would be useful to remind me of my patron saint. What is your opinion?
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You can choose a baptismal or confirmation name, but you don’t have to.

Rutherford is not a saint. So I don’t suggest you go that direction.

Edward is a Saint, so if your name “Eddy” is short for Edward you already have a Saint name.

Also, you don’t actually change your name, it’s just used in the baptism ceremony. So you wouldn’t “become” Rutherford Eddy even if you did choose that name.

I suggest you talk to your pastor about your baptism and name.
 
Lets say my priest knows that I had chosen Rutherford. Next time when he sees me will he call me Rutherford or Eddy?
 
You aren’t required to take a Saint name. When I was confirmed I had the option to just use my first name ‘Matt’ or add a Saint name which I did, I picked my favorite Saint (after Mary haha), St. Martin de Porres.

When I was confirmed I had to say “Bishop my name is Martin de Porres and I wish to be confirmed”

Other than that I have never been called that name or referred to myself by that name.
 
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Heh, the people in Paraguay are pretty sure that Rutherford B. Hayes was a saint! (It is a long story, but basically he ruled in their country’s favor when acting as an international mediator.) But yeah, he was not a Catholic.

Lots of famous Rutherford clanmembers, but no saints.

You can still have St. Ruth as your patron saint, or one of them. (Obviously she must be one already, since you are devoted to her.) Patron saints are between you and the saint.

Lots of neat Edwards were saints. (And Eduardos, and Edgardos, and…)
 
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We never got chance to pick one 😦 also make sure your priest has you do a first confession as ours didn’t and I had to seek this out by myself
 
@halogirl
The OP is getting baptized; confession comes later.
 
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One does not make a confession prior to Baptism. Baptism cleanses of both original and personal sin.
 
If you do have to do this it is something of which I have not heard. I understood you can have any name at baptism provided it is not in some way offensive to the Catholic Faith. The name we are usually given at baptism is our own name. I was baptised Thomas, my dad registered my birth under the name Thomas. Nowadays only my mum calls me Thomas, I’m Tom to everyone else.

I know we choose a name at confirmation but never use it. Is that what you have been asked to do. Because, obviously, if you are being baptised as an adult you will be confirmed at the same time.
 
You don’t have to use the name you pick. My dad picked St. Jude when he converted, and while he was devoted to St. Jude his whole life, he did not go around calling himself Jude, nor did anyone else.

“Rutherford” is a fine English name. It is not technically a saint’s name, but you can ask your priest if it would be an acceptable variant for a man (another similar one is “Ruthven” which is a Scottish name). However, your priest and everyone else would continue to call you Eddy. These days, if someone uses their baptism or confirmation name at all, it’s typically a middle name, so you would be “Eddy Rutherford” or “Eddy Reuel” or whatever if you chose to use it at all - and it’s your choice. You can have the devotion to the saint without using the name.
 
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Yes. I don’t really understand this.

I had baptismal names and it was purely for that sacrament, my priest calls me 1, of course this is a nickname. (Joke. He calls me Lee, sometimes Oi !)

There was an elderly parishioner who had been an actress in Australia, very eccentric, every time she saw me she’d say “not you again.” She was joking, pretty sure.
 
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There’s an old joke, you can call me anything you like except late for breakfast.:grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:
 
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