Do children have to be baptized with saints names in the Catholic Church? The answer is in the Code of Canon Law which you can readily find on the free Laudate app under “Vatican Documents.” But The Deacon’s Bench answer includes the citation and explanation in lay terms:
Can. 855 Parents, sponsors, and the pastor are to take care that a name foreign to Christian sensibility is not given.
“And that’s it. There are no requirements that the child be named for a saint.”
Lucifer, Satan and Hitler are a NO. That being said, it is a good idea to name your little Mini-Me after someone with heroic virtues–great witnesses to the faith. Our new grandson was named after my husband. His sainthood is certain given his life with me. But his name happens to be that of a glorious Catholic king from Hungary. (Any guesses?) Want your baby named after a saint? For a helpful listing, check out Saint Names for your Baby offered to you by Our Sunday Visitor. It’s .99 cents and, unfortunately, it is only available for iOS devices. From the developer: “Some of the most meaningful and interesting names can be found in the cloud of saints and witnesses in Holy Scripture and the Catholic Church. The Saint Names for Your Baby app provides you with the names and information for over 1,000 saints, including meaning and origin of the name, feast date, place of origin, an image, details on what the saint presides over, a brief biography, and much more. Special functions allow you to search by gender, create a favorites list and circulate those names to loved ones who can help weigh in on this important decision. A perfect tool for expectant parents and grandparents.”
What about choosing a Confirmation name? No problem. OSV has an app for that too!
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