How to choose a name in God's way. Baptism of a child with a double name or a name not according to the calendar

Names for the baptism of children, if you follow the traditions, you need to choose this: the child should be named after the saint on the day of commemoration of which he was born, or which falls on the day of baptism.

Another tradition is also welcomed by Orthodox Christians when a child is named after a saint who is especially revered by this family. Of course, in our time, not all parents follow this order, although not so long ago in Orthodoxy there was a special rite of naming, which was really the main event for the family and was carried out about a week after the birth of the baby.

They baptized the child after 40 days, if nothing prevented this.

Nowadays, naming is not a special event, but very often a child is called a baptismal name. That is, the baptismal name is personal.

If you follow the church canons, then the baptismal name will be the most correct, since it is not a person who gives it, but God, because he controls the date of birth of a person.

Now the return to canonical names is very important, because the fashion for unusual names is passing, and Orthodox names are becoming more valuable and meaningful.

Adult and baptismal name

It often happens that a person lives for a very long time unbaptized. However, he dreams of a heavenly patron and wants to join the traditions of Orthodoxy. But what should he do, because he already has a name, and he is not going to change it. During the rite of baptism, such a person does not change his name, but is given a second one: he is named either in honor of a saint, whose name is more suitable for his first personal name, or in honor of a saint whose memorial day is celebrated on this day. What is the difference between the first - a personal name and the name given at baptism?

We explain: the name that is given at baptism exists for the soul, spiritual and religious life. And the one that was given first - worldly - for ordinary life.

Sometimes it happens that a person was already initially given a canonical name, then a second name is not needed.
The name given at baptism to an adult is very important, this indicates that he has joined the traditions of Orthodoxy, which are inseparable from Russian culture.

Name differences in the Orthodox calendar

Looking through the Orthodox calendar, you can see that the forms of names in it and literature, and especially in ordinary speech, are very different. John - Ivan, Theodore - Fedor, Alexy - Alexei, Tatiana - Tatyana, etc.
Why is this happening? A lot of names in the Orthodox calendar came from the culture of other countries, in Russian they have changed, as they are pronounced differently.

Many names came from Hebrew, Ancient Greek, Latin and other languages. Of course, they were very different from the old Russian names, and this made a great contrast. Therefore, adaptation was necessary, and it went in several ways.
There were rearrangements in the spoken language: Greek [f] - was replaced by [p] in some names, [theta] changed to [f] - so the names Stepan, Philip, Fedor and some others appeared. [h] in the name Helga was replaced by [o] - this is how Olga appeared. Also in the conversation there was a loss of some sounds - Auxentius - Axentius, Dionysus - Denis. And in other words, on the contrary, sounds were added - Xenia - Aksinya, John - Ivan.

For a long time in Russia there were two forms: the written form of names (as they were written) and the Slavic Russian vocabulary.

The main feature was that two languages were used: Church Slavonic (in which texts for the church and literary works were written), as well as business Russian - in which social texts and private correspondence were created.

Church Slavonic is the correct language - all names were spelled correctly and completely, and in private and business correspondence there were diminutive forms.

First name, patronymic, last name

Choosing a name for baptism is quite difficult, because the number of names that are recommended by the church is limited. It is also difficult because the name that is given at baptism affects the whole life of a person.

Modern names sound very different from the sound of church names. In addition, new modern names have nothing to do with the holy calendar.

And the question arises - how to choose a cross name for a child?

Most often, the name for Baptism is chosen based on the date of birth of the child, a close date gives the name day and the name of the saint. If the name of the saint has not changed much over the past time, then this name also becomes a personal name: Arseny, Sophia, Alexander, Anna.
There is another way: first, a name is chosen, and then a name from the calendar that is most suitable is selected. Name days in this case may be later than six months from the birthday.

But all these methods are unsuccessful and incomplete if the name is not combined with the patronymic and surname. Children with names - Nil Protasov or Serafima Neugodnova are unlikely to be grateful to their parents for such dissonant and, unambiguously, rare names.
Surname - this word from the very beginning meant "family". Since ancient times, this is a hereditary name that indicates what kind of person this person belongs to.

And although now there are no generic and class differences, the sound and where the surname came from helps in distinguishing which surnames belong to the "noble" and which are the "nicknames" that were assigned to the peasants after the Law on the Full and universal certification.

Along with the name and surname, there is also a patronymic, which was also adopted according to Slavic traditions. And also the patronymic should be consonant with the name and surname.

It should also be noted that naming sons after the father, and daughters after the mother is considered wrong, since children with such names grow up irritable and constantly quarrel with their parents.

Children should not be named after deceased relatives, especially those who died under tragic circumstances.
And don't forget the initials. It is necessary to check the combination of the first letters of the surname, name and patronymic, so that there are no unpleasant associations.

Slavic names

Now people are very attracted to the ancient Russian culture, people have begun to move away from the influence of the West and therefore they are trying to name the child with a Russian name. It should be noted that many of the names that many now bear - Elena, Konstantin, Irina - are Byzantine names that came to Russia with the advent of Christianity.

There are many truly Slavic names that were previously banned by the church, as they were given in honor of pagan gods. However, more and more often children began to be called Slavic names.

Again, children began to be called old Russian, Bulgarian, Polish names - Snezhana, Lada, Milana, etc.

But it cannot be said that a beautiful Slavic name is just a fashion. Earlier in Russia, a person was called by two names (don't you think that this is similar to what we talked about above: a personal name and a baptized name?). One name was false, which was called by everyone, and the other was hidden, which was known only to the person himself and his relatives. According to the ancient Slavs, this helped in protecting a person from evil spirits and evil people. And usually the first name was ugly - Malice, Nekras, etc., so that the evil fate would leave the person ...

Later, a ceremony was performed in which a person received a middle name - already an adult, serious. Such a name was given on the basis of character, origin.

The Slavs are a people who were very close to nature. Therefore, the names were most often associated with the outside world: Svyatoslav, Lada, Dobrynya, etc.

Now Slavic names are very popular, due to the fact that their sound is unusual.

However, when naming a child, read about what this name means, find out its history. And then a beautiful, unusual name will be a great choice for your child.

Weaving Traditions

Thus, we can say that now, when giving a name, Slavic traditions, pagan and Christian faith and the social development of society are intertwined.

All the wisdom of the people, the meaning of Christianity and ancient knowledge - all this formed the basis of Russian names.
Nothing could kill the love of the Russian people for traditions dating back to ancient times: even the propaganda of the newest names, when baptism was banned in 1918 and the church was separated from the state. New names: Traktorina, Oktyabrina and others - absolutely did not take root.

Many people, despite all the innovations, called their children old names, the names of saints.

Now the Orthodox Church allows children to be called at baptism even by the names of non-canonized saints. However, along with baptism, registration with the registry office must be carried out, in which the parents independently choose the name of the baby, which is recorded on the birth certificate.

And again we are talking about the fact that a child almost always receives two names - civil and church. And again, it should be noted that no one, except relatives and friends, should know the church name, since the name has a certain energy and with its help it is possible to bring damage to a person.

The naming is carried out by a priest who blesses the person whom he baptizes and reads a special prayer over him.
You need to know the day of your name day, you need to know the history of your saint in order to pray to him and ask for help and protection.

You need to distinguish between your heavenly patron and guardian angel.

The guardian angel helps a person to understand what is evil and what is good.

A heavenly saint is a saint whose name a person is named at baptism. Many people have not one, but several intercessors and patrons. And it is better to know about all your saints and ask them to protect you and guide you on the right path.

"Rejoice, for your names are written in Heaven!" These are words from Holy Scripture related to. The names given at the sacrament were once chosen by Jesus himself.

Thus he called all Christians. So one of the prophecies of the Bible came true. All the names commanded by Christ are in the calendar - the list of saints. Let's take a closer look at the essence of church naming.

What does the name given at baptism mean?

Name at baptism not accidentally taken from the saints. The saints in heaven must recognize the ward out of millions. To help a person, one must see him, distinguish him. In the old days, they called once during the sacrament.

In modern tradition, it is allowed to have two names - secular and church. The first can be anything - Aigul, Semiramida, Palmyra. The second rank always coincides with how some ascetic, healer, great martyr is called. By the way, the names of the great martyrs are not given to repeat their fate.

The goal is to glorify the deeds of the saint. In addition, it is believed that the canonized get access to the throne of the Lord. That is, the souls of the great martyrs can personally ask God for good for their wards.

What is the baptismal name choose, the father decides. He consults the saints. For each day they have their own saint. Therefore, how a person will be called depends on the date. This makes it possible to study the list of Slavic names in advance and appoint a ceremony for a specific day.

By the way, the connection of given names with dates dates back to the 16th century. Then the Pope approved the Gregorian calendar. The head of the church was called Gregory, hence the name of the system.

It is worth noting that the list of names commanded by Jesus was replenished by the 16th century. Now there are even more mentions in the holy calendar. On one day, sometimes, there are several people. Among them are the martyrs glorified in the 20th century.

Doesn't matter, what names are given at baptism- from the original code, or from the updated one. The main thing is that they are all “written in heaven”, because the souls of the owners of these names are there.

The moment of giving a Christian name

Middle name at baptism give after three dipping in water. It is a symbol of death and rebirth with Jesus. At the moment of immersion, a person dies for the carnal, sinful world and opens up for the spiritual sphere. The rite is considered a second birth. After him, the priest names him as a newcomer to the world, who has come to the church.

“Entered into the church” is a figurative expression meaning joining the camp of Christians. The rite itself does not necessarily take place in a temple. You can do it in open water, or at home. Calling a priest in a dwelling allows, for example, illness. The priest himself will come to the one who is on his deathbed.

Nuances when giving a name to a person being baptized

Not everyone is looked through by the saints in advance. Cases of urgent baptism during serious illnesses also do not imply a correlation between the rite and a specific date. Therefore, the clergy are ready to call the believer the name of the saint, revered on another day.

This may be necessary, for example, if baby's baptismal name male, and the ceremony is a girl. There are few holy women. Therefore, the saints scroll until they open a page with a suitable name.

Baptism by another name, sometimes, does not suit the baby's relatives because of dissonance, or not modernity. In this case, the priests also listen to the opinion of the parishioners. An option is taken from another part of the saints.

Often, the name remains civil. After all, the list includes saints Mary, Irina, Elizabeth. is on the list and Anna. it baptismal name causes awe, since the righteous Anna gave birth to the Most Holy Theotokos herself.

Suitable baby girl christening names: Svetlana, Tamara, Milica, Marina, Nina, Efrosinya. The last old Russian version gained popularity because of the series that was broadcast on Channel 2. By the way, the saint with a rare name had the gift of clairvoyance and foresight.

In the calendar there is Genevieve, Matrona and Julianna, but no Alice. it baptismal name decided to change to Alexander. So once did the daughter of the English Queen Victoria. Princess Alice, having married the Russian Tsar, became Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

What name is given at baptism? The list includes dozens of attractive options and deeds created by their carriers. Saint Leo fought heresy. Alexander Nevsky is a famous diplomat and military leader.

Vladimir Krasno Solnyshko christened the native people. Since the name of the prince, the baptism of Russia are displayed not only in textbooks, but also in the holy calendar. Let's pay special attention to this.

The history of the baptism of Russia

Having visited different lands, choosing a faith, Red Sun settled on Christianity. The ruler dissolved his harem, announcing to his wives that his new religion allowed only one spouse. Husband suddenly lost: Adele, Julia, Olofi, Manfreda. These are the ones that have come down to us. names husband of Vladimir before the baptism of Russia.

Vladimir set an example of faith by personal example. Rejecting polygamy, the prince baptized his sons. Then, the ruler began to personally read sermons, preparing baptism all Russia. Associated with the name Krasno Solnyshko conversion of combatants to Orthodoxy. The prince's army was considerable. The warriors carried out propaganda in their families, increasing the number of Christians.

By the year 988, when the official baptism of Kievan Rus was announced, the new faith had almost no opponents left. Scientists suggest that only about 10% of the population opposed it. For them, coercion was a disaster. But, on a historical scale, the event was successful.

Name days and angel's day are holidays that are not widely celebrated in modern Russia because of a tradition that was once lost. They have lost their significance due to the confusion of concepts. Many associate these holidays with a person's birthday. In order to understand what a name day and an angel's day are, you need to pay attention to your own name, the date of birth, as well as the history of Christianity.

What are name days?

Birthday is the moment of the physical birth of a new person, but this fact has nothing to do with name days. The latter acquire their mysterious meaning and power only after the newborn is named during baptism in the church. Therefore, name days are considered the day of spiritual birth, when the child is given the name of a particular saint. He becomes the heavenly patron of a person for life.

In Russia, to find out the name of a person, they asked: “What is your holy name?” After the baby is baptized, not only does he have a guardian angel. It is generally accepted that the name day and the day of the angel are one and the same. Name days are celebrated on the day of the Saint, in whose honor the person is named. It often happens that this holiday coincides with a birthday or they are separated by a short period of time. This is explained by the fact that the born child was named after the great martyr. In modern society, children are given names that are not in the calendar (Orthodox calendar). Then the priest at baptism chooses for him a middle name corresponding to the day of christening.

Day Angel

This holiday is strictly individual. It so happened that it is celebrated by a baptized person named after the saint during the sacrament. For example, if a baby (girl) received and she was born on the twentieth of November, then her patron saint will be Persian. In this case, the day of the angel according to the church calendar should be celebrated on the third of December. It happens that religious parents choose in advance the name of their favorite saint and name the child in his honor.

On the day of the angel, it is customary to visit churches and temples, take communion, confess, and instill in children the knowledge of the need to honor their heavenly patron. This is a special Orthodox holiday that cannot be celebrated exactly like a birthday. If a person is religious, then it is advisable to celebrate the day of the angel not only with a feast, for example, with family or friends, but also with communion, going to church, and doing good deeds. If the holiday fell during Great Lent on weekdays, the meal should be moved to Saturday or Sunday.

What is a name day and an angel's day for believers? This is the reading of prayers to the patron saint. It is imperative that during the meeting of the day of the angel, a manifestation of sincerity, a desire to receive forgiveness, true repentance for sins. Lack of self-interest, humility and repentance, kindness to others and to ourselves - this is what it means to be under the protection of higher powers and receive help from them.

How was the name day celebrated in Russia?

Many are interested in the question: "What are name days and how to celebrate them?" The tradition of celebrating this day dates back to the seventeenth century. In Russia, they prepared for the name day in advance. At home they brewed beer, made pies according to special recipes, kalachi, loaves. On the name day, the whole family without fail attended church, took communion, ordered and read prayers to the patron saint for health, and lit candles. In the evening, a festive dinner was arranged for the birthday man, to which guests of honor were also invited - godparents. Served as a table decoration without candles. Before the departure of the guests, the birthday boy distributed pastries to everyone: kalachi and pies with special fillings (cabbage, potatoes, etc.), which denoted the characteristic features of relatives.

Angel Day and name day - what is the difference between these holidays? But she was not in Russia, since the birthday man treated the patron with the same respect and accepted gifts. For church employees and royal persons, name days were called name days, which were widely celebrated.

Name days in the 21st century

In the modern world, the name day and the day of the angel gradually began to lose their common features. First, the newborn is given the name that the parents like best. After some time, the baby is baptized according to Christian customs (or this procedure is skipped altogether if the parents are atheists - in this case, the name given at birth does not change). It happens that the day of baptism and name day do not coincide, then the two holidays lose their relationship.

Today, many do not know what name days and angel's day are, so they do not celebrate them in any way. It is customary to pay more attention to one's own birthday and the meaning of the name given at birth. Some parents and adults arrange small celebrations in honor of their name days. This is correct if a person is baptized and named in honor of a saint.

The difference between name day and angel day

In Christianity, Angel Day and Name Day are synonymous. However, there are still small differences. When a baby is born, according to modern church rules, after forty days it should be brought to the temple for the rite of baptism. Previously, the choice of a name was approached very seriously and looked into the Orthodox calendar. If a child was born on the day of a certain saint, that name was given to him. Parents believed that this was pleasing to God.

Angel Day and name day - what is the difference between these holidays? For Christians, there is no difference, since it did not matter much. The main thing is that in the process of baptism a spiritual connection was established between the child and the patron saint. It turned out that the christening of the baby and the name day coincided, and the line between these concepts was gradually erased. Epiphany water in the font cleanses the newborn, and the Lord will give the person a guardian angel at this moment. That is why the procedure of baptism is also called patronage from above.

The meaning of name day in Christianity

What are name days for Christians? In religious Orthodox families, they were considered a more important holiday than the day a child was born. The reason is the naming of the baby by the name of a holy person, which gives the baby the right to receive spiritual and physical help, support, intercession from the patron. Along the way, the newborn receives a guardian angel, who is the same saint. It was believed that celebrating a name day once a year and honoring your angel is the duty of a baptized person.

The rite of baptism in Russia was usually carried out seven days after birth (at present, after 40 days). The number 7 has a sacred meaning for Christians. During this time, the creation of the world continued. In every Orthodox family, name days were widely celebrated and paid tribute to the patron saint. Before the advent of Christianity, a child was given a name, taking into account the circumstances of his birth, appearance, eye and hair color, and character.

We determine the date of the name day and the day of the angel

Today, more than two thousand Christian names of holy people who have been canonized are known. Name days in October, as in other months of the year, play an important role in a religious sense. Before choosing a name for the baby (for the rite of baptism), pay attention to the following point: many saints have different honoring dates, but the same names. To correctly determine the day of the name day, select the closest date in the Orthodox calendar, which is celebrated as the saint's memorial day. It should follow the baby's birthday. What is a name day and an angel's day for a modern person if he does not know anything about these holidays? You can answer this question yourself if you have a great desire to pay tribute to the memory of your guardian angel.

Name day in October

Finding out about your angel day is pretty easy. To do this, just look at the Orthodox calendar. Name days in October are celebrated by everyone who bears the names of saints canonized by the church. Men's: Alexey, Alexander, Andrey, Arkady, Anatoly, Boris, Bogdan, Vladimir, Veniamin, Vyacheslav, Grigory, Gabriel, Vladislav, Valentin. Among women, name days are celebrated in October by Sophia, Ulyana, Alina, Anna, Veronika, Vera, Taisiya, Irina, Zinaida, Tatyana.

At baptism, the baby is given a name. As a rule, this is the name of one of the saints, whose name is mentioned in the Saints (a list of the names of saints). Previously, a child was baptized in the name of a saint whose memory falls on the day of the sacrament. Now, most often by the same name, the catwhich is indicated on the birth certificate.

Behind every name is the life, deeds and prayers of a saint. Now, after baptism, Dima is already Dimitri, Anton is Anthony, Vova is Vladimir,

Vanya - John...

How to choose?

Big question. Often a mother knows (sometimes even feels) what name to call her child. However, there are some selection rules.

1. By birthday.But it happens that on this day only men's exchanges, but it is necessary for a girl. Then we look at the nearest suitable name before or after this day.

2. On the day of christening. Here you can select the day of baptism when the saint or saint is celebrated. For example, you can baptize a boy on December 19, the day of memory of St. Nicholas. Or call the girl Nina and baptize on January 27th.

3. Choose a name that your parents like (they especially revere this or that saint). In this case, the name day (sometimes called “Angel Day”) will not coincide with the birthday.

What to do if the name is not in the calendar?

This situation happens when the worldly name recorded on the birth certificate does not have a saint. For example, Diana or Stanislav. There are no such saints in Orthodoxy.
The way out of this is simple. It is necessary to baptize a person with a different name.Diana - like Daria (although it is possible as Nina or Olga, for example), butStanislav - like Stachy (one of the apostles). In this case, a person appears church name, different in sound / spelling from the worldly one. In principle, you can baptize with any name, but in this case there will be no patron saint for a person. My uncle's name was Rem - a combination of the first letters of the words: revolution, electrification, mechanization. He was baptized with the name Roman.

What if a person does not know with what name he was baptized?

This usually happens with adults who come to God consciously, having lived for many years. They were baptized in early childhood and there is no record of this. The name of such a person (as in the example above) is not in the calendar. But he has already been baptized and there is no need to re-baptize (it is strictly forbidden by church rules to baptize a second time). Then a suitable name is chosen, and the person, having prepared for Communion, communion with this new name. It becomes his secondecclesiastical) name, - with him he subsequently confesses, takes communion, gets married, is commemorated in notes on health (by the way, in these notesdo not writeboth names separated by a dash - the priest cannot know which one to remember) ...

Do I need to specifically choose a second (church) name for myself, so as not to jinx it?

This is one of the most common superstitions. You don't need to do this! If you believe in God, read prayers, attend divine services, then the Lord keeps you from all dangers. One Sign of the Cross saves a person from witchcraft. This is an example of Saints Cyprian and Justina. The history of their life describes how sorcery was destroyed by the sign of the cross of Justina. You don’t have to invent a second name on purpose - it appears in the situations I described above. However, some secular names have a church name that is similar in sound. These are options such as Tatyana and Tatiana, Alexei and Alexy, Ivan and John, Zakhar and Zacharias, Anton and Anthony, Jacob and Jacob, Ignat and Ignatius, etc.

So be always with God , pray to your Guardian Angel, whom a person receives from God in the sacrament of Baptism, and do not forget about your heavenly patron - that saint or saint whose name you bear!

They baptized the child after 40 days, if nothing prevented this.

Nowadays, naming is not a special event, but very often a child is called a baptismal name. That is, the baptismal name is personal.

If you follow the church canons, then the baptismal name will be the most correct, since it is not a person who gives it, but God, because he controls the date of birth of a person.

Now the return to canonical names is very important, because the fashion for unusual names is passing, and Orthodox names are becoming more valuable and meaningful.

Adult and baptismal name

We explain: the name that is given at baptism exists for the soul, spiritual and religious life. And the one that was given first - worldly - for ordinary life.

Name differences in the Orthodox calendar

For a long time in Russia there were two forms: the written form of names (as they were written) and the Slavic Russian vocabulary.

Church Slavonic is the correct language - all names were spelled correctly and completely, and in private and business correspondence there were diminutive forms.

First name, patronymic, last name

Modern names sound very different from the sound of church names. In addition, new modern names have nothing to do with the holy calendar.

And the question arises - how to choose a cross name for a child?

Along with the name and surname, there is also a patronymic, which was also adopted according to Slavic traditions. And also the patronymic should be consonant with the name and surname.

Slavic names

There are many truly Slavic names that were previously banned by the church, as they were given in honor of pagan gods. However, more and more often children began to be called Slavic names.

Again, children began to be called old Russian, Bulgarian, Polish names - Snezhana, Lada, Milana, etc.

Later, a ceremony was performed in which a person received a middle name - already an adult, serious. Such a name was given on the basis of character, origin.

The Slavs are a people who were very close to nature. Therefore, the names were most often associated with the outside world: Svyatoslav, Lada, Dobrynya, etc.

Now Slavic names are very popular, due to the fact that their sound is unusual.

However, when naming a child, read about what this name means, find out its history. And then a beautiful, unusual name will be a great choice for your child.

Weaving Traditions

Thus, we can say that now, when giving a name, Slavic traditions, pagan and Christian faith and the social development of society are intertwined.

Many people, despite all the innovations, called their children old names, the names of saints.

You need to distinguish between your heavenly patron and guardian angel.

The guardian angel helps a person to understand what is evil and what is good.

What name to choose at baptism? Many parents ask themselves this question when naming their baby. If you give the name of a martyr, he will be tormented all his life, you will name him with the name of a reverend (monk) - God forbid, he will become a monk. Maybe give the name of the king, commander, thinker? And every time the priests patiently explain: the name given to the child does not affect a person's life in any way. And many common names - it is easy to verify this by opening the calendar - were worn simultaneously by kings, and monks, and martyrs. Here is an example: John. The name is Hebrew, which in translation means - the Grace of God. There are 188 people in the modern church calendar of St. John. Here is the apostle of Christ John the Theologian, and the poet-songwriter and theologian John of Damascus. And one of the founding fathers of the severe monastic feat, John of the Ladder, hegumen of the monastery on Mount Sinai. John Vlasatiy - for the sake of Christ, the fool, who labored in Rostov. John of Damascus is a hermit who left the city and shut himself in a cave. John of Kronstadt is a great Russian pastor and public figure. John of Palestine is an outstanding fast. John of Constantinople is a patriarch and an outstanding personality of his time. John the Baptist, the first of the martyrs, and after him many more martyrs John, who suffered both in ancient times and in modern Soviet times. We observe the same with respect to other well-known names. The conclusion is obvious: the name of the saint in no way affects the fate of the child. Today, children are called by the name of their beloved grandmother or grandfather, by the name of a book character, or simply by a sonorous and beautiful name they like. There is nothing wrong with this, but we can also recall another, ancient tradition: the baby was given the name of the saint whose memory fell on the day the name was given (the 8th day after birth). Which name to choose for the baptism of a child depends on what name and according to what principle the child was named at birth. If the name of the child at birth was given in honor of a particular saint, then at baptism he will be named by the same name. In other cases, in order to choose what names girls and boys can be baptized, it is enough to look into the Monthly Book. The Church Calendar of the Moscow Patriarchate is published annually, where a list of the most famous saints is given, it is sold in church shops and stores. Already in the 3rd century, it became customary to give a child the name of an ascetic of the Christian faith. This saint, Christians thought, would become a friend to our son or daughter, would pray for him in heaven, before the throne of the Heavenly Father. St. John Chrysostom persistently taught the parishioners: "Christians should try in every possible way to give children such names that would not only excite those who receive these names to virtue, but also serve as an instruction in all wisdom for all others and for subsequent generations." People leading a true Christian life often told and tell that they feel connected with the person whose name they bear, with their holy heavenly patron. The day on which the church celebrates the memory of our saint is called "name day." The namesake day is the name day) of your name, and there is the day of your Angel. Since ancient times, it has been established that those who are baptized cannot take the Names of the Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother - Mary. (You can take the name Jesus in honor of the Old Testament saint Joshua, and the name Mary in honor of the saints Mary, of which there are many.) Not always, if you did not find the name of the child in the calendar, this means that it is not there, it just may contain form of the name, a little unusual for us. For example, such a common name for us Ivan is recorded in the calendar as John, Denis - Dionysius, Yegor - Gregory, Ulyana - Juliana, Yana, Zhanna - John, Polina - Appolinaria, Yuri - George, Veronica - Virineya, Angelina - Angelina, Oksana, Aksinya - Xenia, Martha - Martha, Lilia - Leah, Ilona - Elena, Svetlana - Fotina, Zlata - Chris. It will be very good to get acquainted not only with the meaning of the name. It often happens that there are several saints with the same names, and parents have the opportunity to choose the heavenly patron of their child. In this case, you can read the lives of these saints of the same name and choose the one whose life is closer to you. In church records and when performing other Sacraments, it will be necessary to indicate exactly the name that was given at baptism. If the name that the parents gave to the child at birth is still not mentioned in the calendar, then you can choose an Orthodox name similar to it in the calendar, for example, Alina - Elena, Zhanna - Anna, Alice - Alexandra, Diana - Anna, Olesya - Alexandra, Alina - Alexandra or Inna, Karina - Cleopatra or Cyrus, Stanislav - Svyatoslav, Arthur - Artemy, Victoria - Quiz, Arina - Catherine or Marina, Timur - Timothy, Edward - George, Milan - Anna or the name of that saint whose memory falls on birthday of the baptized. They say: “My girl was born on the day of St. Xenia of Petersburg. How can I call her otherwise? ..” When choosing a name for your child, you should remember that this name is for life, so you should not try to stand out by naming the baby. Names such as Aristocles or Anempodist are certainly beautiful and original, but aren’t they obliging too much? , a real example, when parents who bore the surname "Durakovy" gave their daughter a name ... Idea). Parents forget that there are a lot of interesting and wonderful names that are almost never used today. And these names are no less harmonious or interesting than those popular today, and their bearers-saints in their Christian feat are not at all less famous than those whose names are well-known. Remember: the name given to the child will be carried by him until his death and can serve as a pretext for ridicule and bullying from peers in childhood and adolescence. Many of the ancient names worn by the ascetics of piety are hardly relevant today. Among such names we mention: Algabdil, Amavs, Aod, Arab, Atom, Eupl, Euprob, Square, Mudiy. Female: Aksuya, Golindukha, Dragon, Kazdoya and so on. WHAT TO DO IF THE CHRISTIAN NAME IS FORGOTTEN? Often people come to the temple who have a non-Orthodox name, but once, in childhood, were baptized. They do not remember their Christian name, and the parents who baptized them have died. What to do? So to come to the temple with the name of Lenian, Marksin, Oktyabrin? .. There is nothing wrong in this situation. You just need to come to the priest and tell about it. The priest will read a special prayer for the naming of the name and give you a new name for the Orthodox saint. Is changing your name a sin? It all depends on how and for what purpose you are going to do it. If you want to go to the registry office and change the dissonant name, then there is no sin in this. But if you are going to take a middle name in Baptism, replacing the first one, which is also completely Orthodox, and you do it out of superstitious motives, then this is a grave sin. An even more serious sin is an attempt to change the name through repeated Baptism. The latter method is also invalid, since we believe in the uniqueness and uniqueness of Baptism. There is talk about not naming children after deceased relatives. The fact that there should not be several people with the same name in a family is nothing more than superstition. The name of a child cannot in any way affect his future, make him happy or unhappy: in Christianity there is no concept of “fate” in the meaning of “predestination”. The Lord gave man free will, and therefore we have to make a choice every day, every minute. What choice we make depends on our spiritual dispensation, and the consequences of this choice are “fate” for a person. That is why you must make every effort to live a Christian life yourself or raise your child in a Christian way. The material was prepared on the basis of open Orthodox sources

Angel Day is a spiritual holiday. Those who are not initiated into the sacrament of baptism ask themselves the question: what is a name day? The answer is discouraging in its simplicity: in an effort to be better and kinder. In order to become worthy of your name, you need to create for the good and work on educating the will.

On the name day, they thank Christ and the Mother of God, the heavenly patron and guardian angel. It is believed that the saint of the same name is called to ask for a Christian before God. On a special day, a person is cleansed and strengthened spiritually.

A secular name in the modern world often does not coincide with the church understanding. At baptism, they give a consonant Orthodox name: Alice - Alexandra, Dina - Evdokia, Milan - Militsa.

At churches in parish libraries, people come to understand what name days are. Reading Orthodox literature, they learn about the life of the namesake saint. It happens that parents call their children by the name of a saint revered in the family.

In Russia, after the adoption of Christianity from 988, the name of the canonized saint was given at baptism. The list of names of saints is called Monthly Words. At the moment it contains more than 1,000 names of different origin (Latin, Greek).

The birthday, if possible, was not called to a wide circle of acquaintances. But the date of the name day became known thanks to the church calendar. In ancient times, the day of naming was celebrated on the 8th day after the birth of a child.

For baptism, they come to the temple with a child on the fortieth day after birth. Naming a child according to the holy calendar is allowed on the day of baptism. The Orthodox calendar contains information on the days of the memory of the saint and the dates of church holidays.

The number of male names prevails over the number of female ones, therefore they draw an analogy and write down similar names of girls and boys: Apollinaris - Polina, Anastasius - Anastasia.

There are several names in one day. For many years, the names of various historical figures were recorded on the calendar for the same date, because there are more names than days in a year.

So, the male name John, which means in Hebrew "the grace of God", is celebrated in honor of:

Forerunner and Baptist - January 20, March 9, April 7;
apostle - May 21, July 13, October 9;
St. - February 9 and 12.

The female name Alexandra is translated from Greek and means "courageous", this name was worn by:

martyr - April 2, May 6 and 31, November 19;
venerable martyr - November 11;
reverend - March 23.

Dates are selected according to the new style.

The same names of the same saint are found on different days of memory (birthday, day of repose or finding, transfer of relics). Different people with the same names are ranked as saints - there are more people than names.

Parents or priests choose the name of the saint whose memory is celebrated on the child's birthday. According to the established rules, the first holiday in honor of the memory of the holy saint of God is considered the name day of the newborn.

The remaining days of memory are called small name days. When the baby has learned to speak meaningfully, adults teach the child to pray to the saint during the day and before bedtime. The saint becomes a heavenly patron and an adult who has received the sacrament of baptism.

In 2000, the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia were glorified. After the adoption of the list of names by the Council of Bishops, young parents choose a saint whose date of memory is closer to the birthday of their son or daughter.

Celebration according to the church calendar

In Soviet times, the celebration of name days and everything connected with the church was banned. Today, as before, here and there in the houses they sing: “As on ... a name day, we baked a loaf.” The celebration began in the 17th century.

If you look into the depths of history, you can find the fact that the namesake of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Maria Feodorovna had the status of public holidays.

An adult believer goes to the temple on his name day to partake of grace. A Christian prepares for confession and communion.

On the day of the angel, a thanksgiving prayer service is ordered to the saint of the same name. When the day of the angel coincides with the day of fasting, the celebration is transferred to non-fasting days or days of breaking the fast.

From the early hours, pies and rolls of oval, octahedral, rectangular shape are baked, and during the day they are distributed to godparents and relatives. The tradition has been preserved to this day. Relatives and closest people share the evening meal with the birthday man.

They wish the birthday man a long life, a peaceful life in happiness, peace of mind. The evening celebration takes place with quiet speeches and in a calm atmosphere. Children, seeing how a special day goes by, will already transfer the custom of celebrating the day of the angel to their families. Name days will become a traditional day that will be remembered and loved by future generations.

Young people book a trip and spend the day of the angel in holy places.

Gifts for the celebration

For an Orthodox person, not a day goes by without prayer. While giving a gift, thoughts and images radiate goodness.

Determine what to give for the birthday. A large selection of gifts is available in the church shop. The correct option is a nominal icon in the form of a book. Icons are embroidered with beads. For gifts, carved and painted icons are found. Suitable shelf for icons. The right choice is a book whose content is spiritual.

The godparents do not wonder what to give the godchildren for the day of the angel. Gifts are presented in the form of recordings on discs, it can be an Orthodox film or music recorded in churches and monasteries.

You can give church utensils for a name day: bowls for holy water, lamps.

A gift made with your own hands will resonate with the birthday man. A metric with the name of the child, date of birth and name day is embroidered on the canvas. They sign a personalized postcard, made in the original style and colorfully decorated. Children are given useful gifts: a blanket, socks, blouses.

Secular gifts include figurines of angels made of ceramics or cotton fabric.

Engraved boxes and medallions will delight women. The Bible will be a worthy gift for men. They give a letter with the history of the origin of the name.

A secular name in the modern world often does not coincide with the church understanding. At baptism, they give a consonant Orthodox name: Alice - Alexandra, Dina - Evdokia, Milan - Militsa.

The number of male names prevails over the number of female ones, therefore they draw an analogy and write down similar names of girls and boys: Apollinaris - Polina, Anastasius - Anastasia.

There are several names in one day. For many years, the names of various historical figures were recorded on the calendar for the same date, because there are more names than days in a year.

So, the male name John, which means in Hebrew "the grace of God", is celebrated in honor of:

Forerunner and Baptist - January 20, March 9, April 7;
apostle - May 21, July 13, October 9;
St. - February 9 and 12.

The female name Alexandra is translated from Greek and means "courageous", this name was worn by:

martyr - April 2, May 6 and 31, November 19;
venerable martyr - November 11;
reverend - March 23.

Dates are selected according to the new style.

Celebration according to the church calendar

If you look into the depths of history, you can find the fact that the namesake of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Maria Feodorovna had the status of public holidays.

An adult believer goes to the temple on his name day to partake of grace. A Christian prepares for confession and communion.

Young people book a trip and spend the day of the angel in holy places.

Gifts for the celebration

For an Orthodox person, not a day goes by without prayer. While giving a gift, thoughts and images radiate goodness.

You can give church utensils for a name day: bowls for holy water, lamps.

Secular gifts include figurines of angels made of ceramics or cotton fabric.

Engraved boxes and medallions will delight women. The Bible will be a worthy gift for men. They give a letter with the history of the origin of the name.

Immediately before Baptism, it is customary in church practice to make an announcement - a deep and comprehensive explanation of the meaning and foundations of the Orthodox faith. In many churches, public conversations with future godparents are held in advance, if possible.
should be visited. Before the sacrament, all the candles are lit, the priest goes around the temple or baptismal and reads three prayers: a prayer on the baby’s birthday, a prayer for naming in
the eighth day and the prayer of the 40th day (mother's prayer). To perform Baptism, the baby is completely undressed; while reading prayers, the godparents hold him in his arms, wrapped in swaddling clothes. If it is cold, it is allowed to leave the baby in clothes, but slightly open his chest, arms and legs.

The presence of the mother of the child at the Baptism is allowed only after the priest has read the permissive prayer of the fortieth day. But some priests read it at the beginning and, thereby, allow the mother to participate in the Sacrament, while others - at the end, and then the mother should not even enter the temple (it is allowed to stand in the porch). Both are allowed by the Church: when reading a mother’s prayer is the priest’s decision. After these prayers, the priest asks the godparents and the godson to turn their faces to the west (symbolically, this is the abode of Satan). And, turning to the godparents, he asks questions three times, which also need to be answered consciously three times. Because baby
cannot understand the essence of the issues, his godparents make vows for him.

First the priest asks:

Do you renounce Satan, and all his works, and all his service, and all his pride?

The godfather should answer:

I deny.

Then the priest says:

Dun and spit on him (as a sign of extreme contempt).

After that, the priest orders to turn his face to the east, to the Lord, and asks:

Are you aligned with Christ?

The godfather should answer:

I match.

With this answer, the godparents confess their loyalty to the Lord for the godson. Next, they read the Creed prayer, which should be learned by heart. Then the priest reads the great litany, during which he blesses the oil and water in the font. For invincibility in the fight against Satan, before immersing in the font, the priest anoints the baby with Holy oil with the words: A servant of God (slave
of God) The name of the oil of joy in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Anointing the chest, he says:

For the healing of soul and body.

Anointing the ears:

To the hearing of faith.

On hands:

Your hands created me and created me.

On foot:

To walk him (her) in Your footsteps (Your commandments).

18.7. What if a person with a non-Orthodox name does not remember the name with which he was baptized?

- This problem should be addressed to the priest. He will read a prayer for the naming of a name in honor of the saint that the person chooses. Communion with a new name, and it will become legal.

18.8. Can a child be named after their father?

- Can. But it is good to choose a name according to the rules of the Church (see the answer to question 18.5).

A practical guide to parish counseling. St. Petersburg 2009.

When considering names in the Russian cultural tradition, one can single out a historically established group of names that is closely associated with Russian religion and culture. This group of names is usually called church, Orthodox or canonical names. Most of these names are inscribed in the church calendar, which, in addition to the names, mentions the dates of memory of the saints who glorified each name. Some of the church names are of Greek origin, as well as Hebrew, Latin and Slavic names.

In past centuries, church names included only those names that children were called at baptism, and those that monks took during tonsure. Over time, the group of church names replaced the group of non-canonical names from frequent use. Orthodox names have become very popular when parents choose personal names for children. Gradually, church names that came into wide use began to acquire a more convenient pronunciation for Russian people.

In the church tradition, during the sacrament of baptism, the child is called by a second name, which becomes his amulet and also participates in shaping the fate of a person. It is under this new name that the baby appears before the heavenly forces and God, is born with him for the second time, but already as a member of a religious community.

For choosing a baptismal name the day on which a person was born and the day on which he was baptized into the Christian faith plays a key role. It is believed that only the closest people and the godson himself can know this name, since it has a mysterious power, much more important than the mundane.

What are the principles by which such an important attribute of every believer is chosen? In fact, everything is quite simple. A baptismal name can only be the name of a saint who became famous for his good gifts, sermons or martyrdom for his faith. The name of the saint is usually used, the day of honoring which falls on the birthday, the day of the baptism of the child, or the next calendar days. It is this righteous man who becomes the intercessor of the child before God, and you can turn to him with prayers for health or well-being.

It is also a common custom to baptize a new member of the community in the same naming that his parents gave him at birth, but only if a saint with the same name appears in the calendar. In addition, often a worldly name has some differences from the same canonical one. In this case, it is the canonical that is assigned to a person as a baptismal one: instead of Ivan - John, instead of Nelly - Neonilla, and so on.

The baptismal name may also not coincide with the worldly name in cases where the baby received from his parents an unusual name that is not in the calendar. Then it is customary to name the most consonant option: Robert - Rodion, Karina - Ekaterina, Alice - Alexandra and the like. If such a situation occurs, then it is preferable to consult a priest who will help prepare in advance for the sacrament and choose the most appropriate name.

church names necessarily have a certain meaning stemming from their Latin, Slavic, Greek or Hebrew roots. These values may relate to character traits, the appearance of a person. For example, Gabriel is the fortress of God, Arseny is courageous, Vasilisa is regal, Paul is small. It is believed that these features, to a greater or lesser extent, both literally and figuratively, pass to the intended and characterize his character and future fate.
, as already mentioned, defines the holy intercessor in heaven, who will accompany (like the guardian angel) a person in life and even after death, accompanying him to God.

That's why choice of baptismal name so important to every believer and his children. Chosen and agreed with the priest, the name is assigned at the baptism ceremony by a special prayer, which secures it to the godson. Based on the fact that baptism is perceived by Christians as a second birth, it is worth saying that this day is just as important as the day of birth. Therefore, in the orthodox tradition, the name day (the day of memory of the patron saint) has always been celebrated very solemnly. On the same day, prayers were offered for a long life, happiness and health of the birthday man, protecting him from all sorts of troubles and misfortunes.

His godparents are closely connected with the church name of the child, who from the moment of the sacrament are considered responsible for his spiritual education and instilling the foundations of religion. According to tradition, godparents must necessarily be of the same faith in which their ward is baptized, and not be married to each other. Even if your family is not very religious, but tries to comply with the basic precepts of the dogma, then you can choose just good people as godparents who will help you in the difficult task of raising a child and will always be ready to help him with advice and deed, instilling high moral qualities. That is, their participation in the life of the baby should not be formal, but full-fledged.

Thus, at baptism (and the Orthodox Church recommends doing it as early as possible), the child is given a second name, which is directly associated with a saint or martyr who distinguished himself by his faith and deeds. From that moment on, this saint will help a person in life, patronize, protect from evil and intercede before the Heavenly Sovereign. There are certain baptismal name selection rules to help you choose the most suitable option. With this, you can contact the church priest. It is believed that the name itself, its roots and sound have a deep influence on the life of the intended, the features of his character or appearance. We are always ready to offer you our best ideas in the field of professional

The name Ruslan, popular in Russia, is of Turkic origin and means the word "lion". In the Turkic version, it sounds like Aslan or Arslan. The great distribution of this name in Russia went after Pushkin's poem "Ruslan and Lyudmila". After all, the name Ruslan is very consonant with "Russia". In the folk epic there is even a legend about the hero Yeruslan Lazarevich. But, despite this, under this name is not. And it is impossible to baptize a child under the name Ruslan.

Parents can choose any other name for the child, which will be given to him at baptism. How best to do it. You can choose a name for the child according to the holy calendar for his birthday and the next day. For example, the baby was born on September 3rd. You can see in the Orthodox calendar which saints are revered on September 3 and 4. And choosing the name you like, give it to the child at baptism.

You can find the name directly on the day of baptism. Let's say the baptism is scheduled for October 19th. On this day, the holy righteous John of Kronstadt is venerated. You can call the boy John, in common speech - Ivan.

Among the saints with a name close to Ruslan is the great martyr Rustik (on the last syllable). He is revered by the Russian Orthodox Church, in the St. Danilov Monastery there is an icon of St. Martyr Rusticus of Paris. Most often, it is this name that priests offer to name the child if parents address them.

It is important to remember that you can only pray for Ruslan by the name under which he was baptized. Our ancestors believed that the more names a child has, the more likely it is to mislead the dark forces. In Catholicism, for example, children are given several names at once.

The sacrament of baptism is a rite in which a person seems to be born again into a new spiritual life and with a new Orthodox name. This name is given to him to the glory of one of the saints, it is contained in the Saints and "written in heaven." The saint, whose name a person will be called, will protect him, being for him a heavenly patron. People who are not fully versed in religious matters may wonder what name to choose when baptizing their child and themselves.

You will need

Saints.

Instruction

Moreover, it used to be customary at birth to name a child with the name of the saint on whose memory day he was born. For a small "shift" in the choice of name was allowed. This was done because the days of remembrance of holy women are somewhat rarer than those of holy men. But at baptism, a person received a different name.

Some names, for example, Georgian or Serbian saints, are not in our Saints. Despite this, their names can be given at baptism, because they are variants of the names available in the Saints adapted to another language. If your name or your child's name is one, take it at baptism.

In addition to the presence of the name in the Saints, the day of memory of the saint who bore it should be celebrated in the interval from the birth of the child to the eighth day of his life. Today, the "rule of seven days" is no longer mandatory when choosing an Orthodox name, so follow it only if you wish.

A person receives a new name by going through the rite of baptism, during which the priest reads a prayer three times, invokes the Holy Spirit three times, blesses the water and dips the baby into it. Adults are simply sprinkled with consecrated water. The priest puts a drop of myrrh oil on the forehead of the receiving person. It is when immersed in water that a person is, as it were, and then born to a new spiritual life, while receiving a new Orthodox name. The anointing is the blessing of the Lord.

If a person has forgotten the name he was given at baptism, he cannot be baptized again, but he needs to repent, take communion and ask to take another Orthodox name. It can be chosen from the names present in the Saints, so that it is consonant with the passport version. You can also ask for blessings in order to take on the name of that saint whose deeds and life left a mark on your soul.

note

During the year, the days of memory of many saints are repeated. The name day of the child will be considered the next day of memory of the saint after the birthday.

Useful advice

Now adults who are baptized have the opportunity to take the name of a saint, whom he considers himself close in spirit.

Sources:

Name at baptism in 2019
how they gave names in 2019

Advice 3: What name to give the child if he was born in September

When the ultrasound has already shown the sex of the child, one of the most important questions arises for expectant mothers and fathers: the unborn child. After all, the future of your beloved child depends on it to some extent. Many choose a name depending on the month of the expected birth of the baby.

You will need

Holy calendar, horoscope, family tree

Instruction

Of course, the birth of a child is a gift from God. However, in order to fully present the baby before the Lord and allow the child to be reborn not in the earthly, but in the spiritual world, it is necessary to baptize it and give it the name by which it will be known to God.

What is baptism

The baptism of a child is a sacrament, his first acquaintance with God and his spiritual birth. This is not just a rite or a beautiful tradition, as it is often perceived in modern society, it is something more and deep. At baptism, a child is cleansed of original sin, presented to God, and a patron is named who will accompany him and protect all earthly life. At baptism, a person is given God's good, which he undertakes not only to preserve and protect, but also to increase it and share it with others.

Modern trends are such that many parents who are not fully believing baptize their children only in order to pay tribute to traditions or so that the child is not “jinxed”. Although their motives are not entirely correct, the very fact that children are still committed to the rite of baptism is already positive.

When to baptize a child

When to baptize a child, in infancy or conscious age, is the choice of his parents. However, the church recommends not delaying this and christening the child after 40 days from the date of his birth, because it is after 40 days that the child’s mother is removed from original sin and she is allowed to enter the church.

Until the child reaches the age of 7, the rite of baptism takes place only with the help of godparents, who accept the blessing of God and renounce Satan for the baby and undertake to be his guides to the world of God and the church.

What name to baptize a child

Which name to choose for depends on what principle the child was named at birth. If the name of the child at birth was given in honor of a particular saint, then there is no need to choose a name for baptism, his own name will be ideal.

As a rule, the name for the ceremony is chosen according to the calendar, according to, most often similar or close in sound to his name in documents. But this is not entirely correct. If the parents chose a name for the child, starting simply from the beauty of the sound or in honor of relatives, then for baptism it must be chosen based on the saint whose life is close to the parents and delighted them with something. The euphony and similarity of the name of the saint with the name, of course, are also important. It often happens that there are several saints with the same names, and parents have the opportunity to choose who they would like to see as the patron of their child.

You can also take advantage of the practice and traditions of the ancestors, using the name of the saint whose saints pass on the day of the sacrament of baptism. It is not at all necessary that it repeat its own name or be close to it, the main thing is that this saint be close to a person.