Naming Cermony 

If you are looking for a way to celebrate the birth of your child with family and friends, yet don't want a religious ceremony such as a Christening, our Naming Ceremony is ideal.  You can appoint 'moral guardians' as an alternative to Godparents  The reasons for choosing these particular people - the special qualities they possess - can be stated as part of the ceremony, as can your reasons for choosing your child's name. Another important aspect of the ceremony is to thank wider family members and friends for their contributions to your own family life.  The Naming Ceremony also gives you a chance to state what you most learned from your own upbringing and what hopes you have for your child's future.

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Our Baby Naming Ceremony typically follows this structure:
• The parents and child enter after the guests have assembled; the guests are then seated
• The celebrant welcomes the guests and introduces the ‘Moral Guardians’ (any number you wish) and the child’s grandparents, if they are being specifically included
• The child is formally named
• The parents, Moral Guardians and grandparents (if included) make promises of commitment to the child
• Non-religious readings and music are then incorporated in the ceremony
• A record of the ceremony is signed and presented as a memento
Depending on the number of readings and the options chosen, the ceremony usually lasts about 20 minutes.

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Examples of Promises Given to the Child

By Their Parents
• I promise that I will always love and support my son/daughter to the best of my ability
• I promise to work hard to create a loving, stable and happy home for our son/daughter
• I promise that I will always be ready to listen to him/her so that s/he will come to me whenever s/he needs to talk
• I will be honest, generous and tolerant and in doing so, will teach him/her to be
• Through acting responsibly, I will by example, teach my child about responsibility
• I promise to be supportive of my child’s life choices and praise him/her for success and support him/her through failure
 

By Their Moral Guardians
• I promise that (name) will be able to trust me
• I promise that I will always be there for (name), to provide practical or emotional assistance
• I promise to find time for (name), and to love him/her unconditionally.

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​By Their Grandparents
• We promise, as grandparents, before you all that we will give (name) as much love and support as we gave his/her parent
• We look forward to being part of (name’s) life and we promise to use our life experience to help (name) develop.