When’s the best time to have your child’s naming ceremony? The quick answer is whenever suits you, but here are 9 actual ideas for a little more guidance…
Joyful as naming ceremonies are – showing a child how loved they are, and celebrating their individual wonder? Yes please! – organising them can be a tad overwhelming sometimes. Of course, you want it to be the best it can be, but what does that mean in practice?
The good news here is that there’s no right or wrong way to organise a baby naming ceremony (deep breaths, and let me see those shoulders drop in relief) Much more than following the traditional or ‘proper’ way to do things, what matters most is to devise your plan based on what works for your family. This includes what you do, who you invite, what you call your child’s godparents (if you have them at all) and when you host it.
Timelines are different for every family, so please know this is a judgement-free zone. That means that if any of these ideas feel too early or not quite right for you, then honour that. You know your situation best.
When to have your child’s naming ceremony: some ideas
100 days old
It’s a really cool milestone to celebrate when your little human has been on the scene for 100 days – triple digit days, wow! It’s also a popular date to officially welcome a new child in some cultures; for example, in Korea, it’s known as
Baek-il, when they honour the spirit of childbirth and give their thanks for it looking after the baby to this stage.
Baby’s half birthday
With six months of adjustment to your new schedule (and…adjusted sleep, let’s say!) you might be feeling ready to socialise and enjoy a baby naming ceremony properly.
Before end of maternity/parental leave
Where this lands in the calendar will obviously differ depending on how you’ve decided upon your parental leave, but it can be a lovely end to the chapter before you head back to work.
Baby’s 1st birthday
A naming ceremony is an awesome way to celebrate your child’s first trip around the sun – like a birthday party, but with even more meaning.
Or someone else’s any age birthday party
And speaking of birthday parties with even more meaning… maybe you’re turning 37, or your stepmum is turning 56. Why not couple that party with your naming ceremony? It’s double the reason to celebrate! Just make sure they don’t mind sharing, of course…
Link to a family milestone, or another reason to have a party
It’s not just birthdays that provide ripe opportunities for naming ceremonies. Perhaps you’ve got an anniversary coming up, a new home, or family who live abroad are visiting. Or maybe there’s a tradition your family does every year, like an Easter Egg hunt or a garden party. These are all perfect days to double up the celebrations.
When your child has joined the family, and everyone’s ready
This is perhaps particularly relevant for adopted children, who might have a longer period to feel safe and comfortable and used to their surroundings. You’ll have a sense of when they’re settled, and when you can all truly enjoy the ceremony for all it is: a celebration of them.
When your family is complete
Why not have a naming ceremony for all siblings at once? This is popular, especially with couples who didn’t know about naming ceremonies when they had their first child, but have now learnt and want to do one for their younger siblings. Honour them all at once with a siblings' naming ceremony.
When is the best time to have a naming ceremony? Ultimately – whenever you get round to it!
Whenever you’re reading this, be reassured: it’s not too late and your celebration doesn't have to fit neatly in a box. I’ve conducted ceremonies for babies, children of nursery and primary school age, adopted children, multiple siblings and families where there are one, two or more paretnal figures. No-one's ever batted an eyelid that anything is particularly unusual.
To be honest, not everyone has been to a naming ceremony before, so people have very little knowledge of what to expect, meaning generally everyone goes with the flow.
Parenthood can be full of comparison and worry, and this is one area where I don’t want you to lose any (more) sleep. It’s your family's day: a chance to highlight how awesome your child (or children) are, and show them they are loved and accepted. Whenever and however you do it will be the right choice because it’s what you decided. Simple as that.
No matter when you choose to host your naming ceremony, I’d absolutely love to be your celebrant. As well as leading the ceremony, I’ll help you shape it in the weeks leading up, so that we can land on a celebration that’s exactly what you want.
If you’re looking for a Yorkshire based naming celebrant, get in touch here. I will travel further afield too, so do drop me a message wherever you are. I can't wait to hear from you!