Need advice - confirmation name

[NetNuncio]

I wouldn’t use the name of C.S. Lewis (who’s names are actually Clive Staples…I’d go by C.S. too).

Although his writings are incredibly interesting and, indeed, quite good, not only is he not canonized, but he wasn’t Catholic. He was Anglican.

And again, it’s been pointed out that the use of a confirmation name other than your first name (or for some, such as myself, your middle name).

Perhaps you’d like to look into St. Louis. He would be an excellent choice. That way you can take the name of a canonized saint and also pay some homage to C.S Lewis as well.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

Nothing wrong with that, considering there is a St John and a St Paul as well. I know several Catholic families who gave their sons the first or middle name of John Paul.

In particular there are SS. John and Paul, Roman martyrs, who share a feast, which makes that particular combination especially easy.

 

[lampstand]

True story: my brother chose the Confirmation name Thomas.

His middle name was already Thomas.

So, yes, it was Thomas Thomas…

:whacky:

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

True story: my brother chose the Confirmation name Thomas.

His middle name was already Thomas.

So, yes, it was Thomas Thomas…

:whacky:

Well, wasn’t Thomas also known as Didymus - the twin?

 

[lampstand]

True enough!

 

[psr13]

My name is Ursula Jerome. I was baptized and confirmed in December, so I chose a name for both. Yes, I’m a woman. Yes, Jerome was a man. I chose Ursula because she is a patron saint of teachers, which I want to be someday. I chose Jerome since he is an ancestor of mine. I would say to not pick a person who isn’t Catholic.

 

[Crepusculum]

Don’t let anyone put you off taking a name based on gender issues - my priest is Fr. Meredith and he’s one of the best! Take whatever name feels right for you, you’ll know it when it resonates out loud.

God bless,

 

[jmcrae]

I’m going to be baptized and confirmed at the Easter Vigil this year… but I never knew about needing a confirmation name. Is that only for already baptized Christians or should I speak to someone about this as well?

Yes, speak to someone about this. It’s part of the process; don’t let anyone talk you into thinking it’s “too old fashioned” or whatever.

 

[Miss_Echo]

Don’t let anyone put you off taking a name based on gender issues - my priest is Fr. Meredith and he’s one of the best! Take whatever name feels right for you, you’ll know it when it resonates out loud.

God bless,

Actually Meredith is a fairly common Welsh name for men.

 

[RLT]

Actually Meredith is a fairly common Welsh name for men.

Merideth, Carrol, Shannon, Lindsey, Stacey, Hilary, Nikita, Kelley, Vivian, and Andrea are some historically masculine names that if you were to name your son any of those (at least in the US) they will have a rough childhood.

 

[Phemie]

Yes, speak to someone about this. It’s part of the process; don’t let anyone talk you into thinking it’s “too old fashioned” or whatever.

In his case since he’s going to be baptized, that should be the ideal time to take a new name. Confirmation names are not part of the new rite and in parishes that still have that tradition the Church recommends using your baptismal name.

Seems to me that since he hadn’t heard about it up to that it wasn’t something that was being done in his parish.

 

[jmcrae]

In his case since he’s going to be baptized, that should be the ideal time to take a new name. Confirmation names are not part of the new rite and in parishes that still have that tradition the Church recommends using your baptismal name.

People baptized in Protestant traditions also do not have “baptismal names” since Protestantism has no concept of Patron Saints.

I agree that if someone already has a Patron Saint, they probably don’t need two - nevertheless, it is still customary for children being Confirmed to take a Patron Saint for Confirmation. (Are the children still using the “old rite”?)

Seems to me that since he hadn’t heard about it up to that it wasn’t something that was being done in his parish.

That’s too bad. One of the really important things for me when I was becoming Catholic was to be able to “fit in” with those who were brought up Catholic. Having my own Patron Saint was part of that.

 

[Phemie]

People baptized in Protestant traditions also do not have “baptismal names” since Protestantism has no concept of Patron Saints.

I agree that if someone already has a Patron Saint, they probably don’t need two - nevertheless, it is still customary for children being Confirmed to take a Patron Saint for Confirmation. (Are the children still using the “old rite”?)

There is a new rite of confirmation since Vatican II. For one thing the bishop no longer slaps you.

I was confirmed under the old rite and didn’t take a new name. As I said in a prior post, even though I’m confirmed, my 2 bothers are confirmed and 2 of my 3 kids had been confirmed, I’d never even heard of this tradition until 1999. When it was brought up by one of the parents, we were told by the diocesan religious education coordinator that it was not required and that we were “called by name” at baptism and that was the name that mattered.

That’s too bad. One of the really important things for me when I was becoming Catholic was to be able to “fit in” with those who were brought up Catholic. Having my own Patron Saint was part of that.

Never heard of that either until I came on this board.

 

[jmcrae]

Never heard of that either until I came on this board.

So, when you pray the Rosary with a small group, you don’t have the custom of mentioning each person’s Patron Saint at the end of it? Or of calling on your Patron Saints when doing blessing prayers of various kinds, and celebrating your “name day” in addition to your birthday?

 

[GIMJ]

In his case since he’s going to be baptized, that should be the ideal time to take a new name. Confirmation names are not part of the new rite and in parishes that still have that tradition the Church recommends using your baptismal name.

Seems to me that since he hadn’t heard about it up to that it wasn’t something that was being done in his parish.

They actually did say something about it, but since I had been away for school last fall, I missed the meeting when they mentioned it. My sponsor asked me about it this last week at Mass, so I’m all good now

I’m going to be choosing Thomas for my confirmation name (I like St. Thomas More, St. Thomas Aquinas, and the fact that both St. Thomas the Apostle and I are twins ) I’m also going to legally change my middle name to Thomas.

 

[Phemie]

So, when you pray the Rosary with a small group, you don’t have the custom of mentioning each person’s Patron Saint at the end of it? Or of calling on your Patron Saints when doing blessing prayers of various kinds, and celebrating your “name day” in addition to your birthday?

No. FWIW, 98% of little girls baptized around the time I was had "Marie’ as their first name and went by one of their other names and 98% of the little boys had Joseph as their first name and went by one of their other names. I’m Marie S. Surname, my mother Marie F. Surname; Dad Joseph L. Surname; brothers Joseph L. J. Surname; Joseph J.-L. Surnname. We all go by the bold initial.

 

[Irish_Kathy]

When I was confirmed, my Mom suggested I take the name Mary because my sister was my sponsor. So that’s what I did.

About your other question, about using your Confirmation name as your middle name, I have heard of people doing it.

Kathy

 

[RLT]

From Wikipedia:

Confirmation name

In many English-speaking countries and in German-speaking lands, as well as in Poland, it is customary for a person being confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church (and some Anglican dioceses) to adopt the name of a saint with whom he/she feels a special affinity, thus securing an additional patron saint to be his/her protector and guide. This practice is unknown in many other countries (including the Spanish and French-speaking ones and also Italy), and is not mentioned in the official liturgical book of the Rite of Confirmation.

How true is this? I don’t trust wiki 100%.
Because if it is correct it would explain why I have never heard of choosing a confirmation name until later in life.
I grew up within a Spanish Catholic tradition (Puerto Rican).

 

[Phemie]

From Wikipedia:

How true is this? I don’t trust wiki 100%.
Because if it is correct it would explain why I have never heard of choosing a confirmation name until later in life.
I grew up within a Spanish Catholic tradition (Puerto Rican).

I think in this case Wikipedia is right.

I was raised in a French parish and my first 2 kids were confirmed in a French parish and I had never heard of taking a name at Confirmation. It is definitely NOT in the Confirmation Rite, which I have sitting on my desk, and it is not mentioned in any of the various Confirmation preparation programs that are available for use in Canada.

This is not surprising really. In the French tradition there was a celebration that was bigger than First Communion and Confirmation. “Solemn Communion” was your graduation from the catechism classes. You made this in your teens. Only one of the Anglophone people I’ve spoken to over the years had ever heard of this tradition and she knew the history of it.

 

[jmcrae]

No. FWIW, 98% of little girls baptized around the time I was had "Marie’ as their first name and went by one of their other names and 98% of the little boys had Joseph as their first name and went by one of their other names. I’m Marie S. Surname, my mother Marie F. Surname; Dad Joseph L. Surname; brothers Joseph L. J. Surname; Joseph J.-L. Surnname. We all go by the bold initial.

Not all families are like that, though. What happens to kids at your church who are named “Petunia” or “Cinnamon”, or “Hume” or “Calvin”? Do they just never get to have a Patron Saint to pray for them?