Welcome a new baby
Gather the people who will surround your child with love and mark their place within the family.
Naming & welcoming ceremonies
A warm welcome to the family.
Gather the people who matter, share the story of a name and make the promises that will surround a child as they grow.
What is a naming ceremony?
A family occasion without a prescribed format.
A naming ceremony is a personal way to welcome a baby or child and recognise the people who will be part of their life. It can reflect your values, culture, faith or no religion at all.
There are no compulsory words. You can explain the meaning of a name, invite parents and supporting adults to make promises, include siblings and create a keepsake for the future.
Your celebrant writes the ceremony around your family and keeps the atmosphere relaxed enough for feeds, wriggles, interruptions and every other perfectly normal part of the day.
Every family has its own beginning
Welcome the child. Honour the whole story.
Celebrate adoption or surrogacy
Honour the family you have become while keeping private histories and your child’s future choices carefully protected.
Bring a blended family together
Create a shared moment for siblings, parents and important adults as a new chapter begins.
Mark a chosen name
Celebrate an older child or young person’s chosen name in a way led by their wishes and level of involvement.
A closer look
A non-religious alternative to christening.
County Celebrants Network members are delighted to lead baby naming ceremonies as a non-religious alternative to ceremonies such as christening.
The purpose is to recognise and celebrate the arrival of a child and welcome them into the family and circle of friends — with warmth, meaning and no prescribed religious format.
Personal touches
Small moments they can keep.
The story of their name
Share where it came from, the people or places it connects to and what you hope it will carry.
Promises from parents
Speak honest commitments about the home, support and freedom you want to give your child.
Supporting adults
Invite guideparents, mentors or other important people to make promises in language that fits their real role.
Words for the future
Choose a reading, poem or letter that can be kept and returned to when your child is older.
A family ritual
Plant something, fill a keepsake box, light a candle or create another simple act with meaning for your family.
Include siblings
Give children a manageable part through a short promise, drawing, song, gift or shared ritual.
Child-centred from the start
Their story deserves thoughtful boundaries.
A beautiful ceremony can still protect the details a child may want to understand or share in their own time.
- 01Decide which parts of the child’s story are private and should not appear in the ceremony
- 02Ask before naming birth relatives, donors, surrogates or other people in sensitive family histories
- 03Let older children choose whether and how they want to take part
- 04Agree who may photograph, film or share images of the child online
- 05Use language that leaves room for the child’s own identity and beliefs as they grow
From first chat to welcome
Planned with care, held without fuss.
Tell us about your family
Your celebrant listens to the story, relationships, values and traditions that matter, without assuming every family looks the same.
Choose the promises
Together you shape the words, readings, supporting roles and ritual, keeping everything warm, brief and comfortable for children.
Welcome them together
On the day, your celebrant guides the gathering with a relaxed pace and makes space for the unpredictable moments that families bring.
A symbolic welcome
Full of meaning, without legal paperwork.
A naming ceremony does not register or legally change a name, appoint guardians or create parental responsibility. It is a personal commitment made in front of the people you trust. Legal changes and appointments need their own official process.
Common questions
The practical parts, simply answered.
Is a naming ceremony legally binding?
No. A naming ceremony does not legally register or change a child’s name, create parental responsibility or appoint legal guardians. Any legal arrangements must be completed through the appropriate official process.
Is it the same as a christening or baptism?
No. A celebrant-led naming ceremony is not a religious sacrament. It can be entirely non-religious or include spiritual, cultural or faith elements that are meaningful to your family.
Do we have to call supporting adults godparents?
Not at all. Families use guideparent, mentor, supporting adult, guardian of promises or simply the person’s name. The ceremonial role itself does not create legal guardianship.
Can we include siblings and other children?
Yes. Children can read, carry a keepsake, add something to a memory box or make a short promise. Your celebrant can suggest roles suited to their age and confidence.
Where can the ceremony take place?
At home, in a garden, village hall, hotel, woodland venue or another suitable place where you have permission. Consider access, weather, facilities and a quiet space if a child needs a break.
Welcome them in your family's own way.
Find an independent naming celebrant near you.