A naming ceremony is for parents and their guests to celebrate the birth of a new baby or welcome an adopted child or stepchild to their family. It has no legal status and does not contain any religious references. A naming ceremony can be held for children of all ages and for more than one child in the same family. A typical ceremony has seven elements:
- Introduction and welcome
- Readings
- Naming the child or children
- Promises by parents
- Promises by supporting adults
- Signing the commemorative certificate
- Closing words
You may also wish to:
- include parents’ vows to one another
- ask grandparents to participate or contribute
- pay tribute to absent friends or family
- personalise the ceremony with music of your choice
- give a gift to your child to mark the end of the ceremony
You may also wish to choose one or more supporting adult for your child. Choose with care. You will be asking a supporting adult to make a public pledge to help you guide and support your child as they grow up. A supporting adult should be a friend or relative who sees the child often and will have a positive influence in their life. Ceremonies can be held in the Admiral’s Suite at Enfield Register Office on Gentlemen’s Row or at a suitable licensed venue of your choice.
A naming ceremony can also be held straight after a marriage ceremony.
To arrange a naming ceremony, you should first decide where you want to hold it. You should have a first and second choice date in mind and then get in contact with us. When you do, you will book a ‘celebrant’. This will be a person from the Register Office team. You will also book another appointment to discuss all your requirements. This second appointment will need to happen about a month before the ceremony.
For pricing information for naming ceremonies, visit our fees page.