Your Christian Name

[Star of the Sea 773]

This is going to be a quick question on Christian names

Were I come from, your 1st name is known as your Christian name... then of course you have your surname ( second name..family name)...

We all say it like that over here... I still call my 1st name my christian name...Geri is short for my christian name ...Even though I am no longer Christian...If someone was to ask me my 1st name I would say my christian is Geri...(short for Geraldine)

I was wondering if they do the same in IE - The USA.. Europe and even in Austrailia...etc etc.. Would you call your 1st name your christian name?

This question is aimed at anyone that was ever baptized in a christian church and maybe later changed their religion or even just dropped it.. and may well call it their christian name....just asking...Reason why this just came to me is because I was filling out a new insurance form and on it read --- Christian name__________ & Surname_____________

EDIT - PS...reason as to why I placed this thread here rather than the religious & beliefs board.. is due to so many skeptics tend to post more on this board..and my question is mainly aimed at the skeptics as I am curious as to how they would ref to it, even though now they are skeptics.....and yea also the christians asking if they too call their 1st name their christian name.. because they all might not.. they may just ref to is as their 1st name and leave it at that

Hi BM - Geri!

Just asked my hubby who is Principal of his own Financial Company your question - all insurance forms, documents ect that he is aware of ask for a Christian name. He is a will writer aswell and this includes your will! Family, friends and mostly everyone I know here in England refer to their first name as their Christian name.

[Michelle 22,878]

Hi BM - Geri!

Just asked my hubby who is Principal of his own Financial Company your question - all insurance forms, documents ect that he is aware of ask for a Christian name. He is a will writer aswell and this includes your will! Family, friends and mostly everyone I know here in England refer to their first name as their Christian name.

That is so odd considering most people outside of the US think that we are such a backwards Christian nation with arhcaic traditions.

[Sherapy 30,076]

This is going to be a quick question on Christian names

Were I come from, your 1st name is known as your Christian name... then of course you have your surname ( second name..family name)...

We all say it like that over here... I still call my 1st name my christian name...Geri is short for my christian name ...Even though I am no longer Christian...If someone was to ask me my 1st name I would say my christian is Geri...(short for Geraldine)

I was wondering if they do the same in IE - The USA.. Europe and even in Austrailia...etc etc.. Would you call your 1st name your christian name?

This question is aimed at anyone that was ever baptized in a christian church and maybe later changed their religion or even just dropped it.. and may well call it their christian name....just asking...Reason why this just came to me is because I was filling out a new insurance form and on it read --- Christian name__________ & Surname_____________

EDIT - PS...reason as to why I placed this thread here rather than the religious & beliefs board.. is due to so many skeptics tend to post more on this board..and my question is mainly aimed at the skeptics as I am curious as to how they would ref to it, even though now they are skeptics.....and yea also the christians asking if they too call their 1st name their christian name.. because they all might not.. they may just ref to is as their 1st name and leave it at that

Very interesting, my name was chosen for my Mom's love of everything french and Frankie Avalon.

I wanted Matty's name to be Christian.

But I went with Matthew, because anyone I ever knew named Matthew was/is an amazing person.

[Sherapy 30,076]

Hi BM - Geri!

Just asked my hubby who is Principal of his own Financial Company your question - all insurance forms, documents ect that he is aware of ask for a Christian name. He is a will writer aswell and this includes your will! Family, friends and mostly everyone I know here in England refer to their first name as their Christian name.

Hmm, We do not do this here in America on wills.. It goes by birth name..

[Still Waters 51,162]

This is an interesting thread

I always call my first name, my christian name, always have done and never think to call it anything else. In fact until I read this thread I didn't know that was unusual.

Christian name.....middle name.....surname.

Out of curiosity I just looked at my birth certificate and marriage certificate, and they both say..

Name......surname.

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

That is so odd considering most people outside of the US think that we are such a backwards Christian nation with arhcaic traditions.

Most people? well I don't know about that... but I never would have viewed the US as a christian nation... I always thought my own country was more christian .. rare to meet any atheists,even Jewish folk are rare in these parts...meaning numbers...out country is built on Christianity mainly.... were as in the US.. you meet all sorts...

If you are just basing your views on what is said on a forum.. then that doesnt really count for most people... like I said IF you are...

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

Hi BM - Geri!

Just asked my hubby who is Principal of his own Financial Company your question - all insurance forms, documents ect that he is aware of ask for a Christian name. He is a will writer aswell and this includes your will! Family, friends and mostly everyone I know here in England refer to their first name as their Christian name.

Yea I know... I have spoken to so many from England... My dad being a brummie has a habit of ref to it as the christian name

I guess when you grow up around a certain way, it is all you know.. then you will tend to think everyone does the same lol...even with simple things that go on in the family home

.....FOr example....When we were kids... the sec we came home from school.. we had to automatically go up stairs to change out of our school uniforms and get washed..and then have our homework done before dinner... It was all I knew and the norm to me.. so I figured every single family did the same LMAO...

Same with my dads house rules... he never allowed us to have our feet up on the furniture.. especially the bare foot.....I then felt all parents had that same rule.......... years later I go out to my partners home...and his brother is picking at his feet up on their sofa... I sat there in horror.. thinking OMG WHAT CHEEK!!. His mom will go spare if she see's that.........his mom see's him as he continues to pick at his feet on their sofa and she didn't say a word.....I was in shock..Later when I told htis to Gary he laughed and said.. his mom doesnt mind.....Heck I recall sitting with my face drained as I watched Gary read his dads paper before his dad got the chance.....and again was shocked when I noticed Gary not washing before bed time...I was like - who the heck does that..not bothering to wash yourself before bed? wellllllllllll I sure as heck am not sleeping in his bed EWWW.... Funny how it works.

....I later trained Gary to wash last thing at night...he says whats the point.. for he has to shower in the morning anyhoo.. I said thats not the point.. the point is..I dont want your stench in my bed

Anyhoo..like what I was saying before I went on about family and gary lol....I seriously did think everyone ref to their 1st names as - Christian names...As I was raised Catholic.. I believed that the Catholics liked to nab as many names as they can get...your christian name.. middle names.. and when you got confirmed your confirmation name too....

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

This is an interesting thread

I always call my first name, my christian name, always have done and never think to call it anything else. In fact until I read this thread I didn't know that was unusual.

Christian name.....middle name.....surname.

Out of curiosity I just looked at my birth certificate and marriage certificate, and they both say..

Name......surname.

OK now I feel that a few of us will go a hunting for our certificates etc.. just out of curiosity lol..I went on the hunt for my daughter birth certificate earlier...I was a tad curious

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

Very interesting, my name was chosen for my Mom's love of everything french and Frankie Avalon.

I wanted Matty's name to be Christian.

But I went with Matthew, because anyone I ever knew named Matthew was/is an amazing person.

Aww this kind of post takes me back to the parents forum I was once a member of.. they had topics all about what names we like for out kids...I guess if I were to make a thread on what kind of names we like and what we prefer more... I guess I would post it on the General Off Topic Boards....it's a nice idea.. so thanks for reminding me of a topic I was once involved in when I was on the hunt for baby names lol...I love to read up on all sorts of names.. and the meanings behind them

Anyhoo getting back to the topic at hand....

Say Sheri.. what do you make of the question in the OP? the question and the idea behind this thread was to ask all of you how do you ref to your 1st name.. do you call it your christian name? or do you just drop that and ref to it only as - 1st name?

Edited May 7, 2010 by Beckys_Mom

[Sherapy 30,076]

Aww this kind of post takes me back to the parents forum I was once a member of.. they had topics all about what names we like for out kids...I guess if I were to make a thread on what kind of names we like and what we prefer more... I guess I would post it on the General Off Topic Boards....it's a nice idea.. so thanks for reminding me of a topic I was once involved in when I was on the hunt for baby names lol...I love to read up on all sorts of names.. and the meanings behind them

Anyhoo getting back to the topic at hand....

Say Sheri.. what do you make of the question in the OP? the question and the idea behind this thread was to ask all of you how do you ref to your 1st name.. do you call it your christian name? or do you just drop that and ref to it only as - 1st name?

Just first name,middle initial, last name on every document here except birth and marriage certificate. Sorry about that I thought I put that .

We don't use Christian name in the US that I know of..

it's a very kool thread .

Edited May 7, 2010 by Sherizzle

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

Just first name,sorry about that I thought I put that.

We don't use Christian name in the US that I know of..

it's a very kool thread .

Well from the answers given so far.. it seems to be that the UK and Ireland tend to cling to it a little more than other parts of the world...weird huh?

[Sherapy 30,076]

Well from the answers given so far.. it seems to be that the UK and Ireland tend to cling to it a little more than other parts of the world...weird huh?

Good pull, I think you are correct, now that I think about it, you are more Christian(catholic) as a country. In the US it is very diverse, but we do have the bible belt which is evangelical christian.

Which would be about one of our smaller bible belt states(Alabama or South Carolina) compared to Ireland's 4 million plus.

Do you have a large evangelical group?

Edited May 7, 2010 by Sherizzle

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

Do you have a large evangelical group?

Ireland itself is built on Christianity...its all we know.. and further more.. in our schools.. they do not teach you about other religion... just Christianity.. I never got to learn anything about other faiths until I researched it for myself...

Its rare to see a primary or secondary school over here that is not religious.. most named after saints...!!!

[Sherapy 30,076]

Ireland itself is built on Christianity...its all we know.. and further more.. in our schools.. they do not teach you about other religion... just Christianity.. I never got to learn anything about other faiths until I researched it for myself...

Its rare to see a primary or secondary school over here that is not religious.. most named after saints...!!!

It sounds predominately Catholic, is this right Geri?

[MARAB0D 4]

Where did this idea spring from?

It springs from a virtual situation - say, my name is Osama or Moishe, and I have to write it into a questionnaire asking for a "Christian name". Then I could feel insulted. But I am not, my name was chosen by my parents from the list of saints, recognised by the Orthodox Church, and I was actually baptised with my name, Anton - despite there was the breach of the church rules, as I was born on December 19 and the Church was supposed to baptise me as "Nicholas" instead, as on this date in Julian calendar is St Nicholas, the Santa (so my "name day" is not my birthday but Julian 31st January, st Anthony, the Gregorian date would be 13 days later). However in USSR these rules were not enacted anyhow, so the parents' choice was always ahead of church regulations. The other thing, if my parents called me, say, Oleg (Hoelg), which in those places is also a popular historical name, then the Church could refuse, as there is no saint with this name (historical Regent Oleg of Kiev was a viking and a pagan). Orthodox church only admits the female form, Olga (Helga) as she was canonised as a saint. Thus, Anton is anyway my rightful Christian name, despite I did not get used to call it "Christian name". But I respect the customs of the other countries, calling it a "Christian name", so I have no problems with this.

[Sherapy 30,076]

It springs from a virtual situation - say, my name is Osama or Moishe, and I have to write it into a questionnaire asking for a "Christian name". Then I could feel insulted. But I am not, my name was chosen by my parents from the list of saints, recognised by the Orthodox Church, and I was actually baptised with my name, Anton - despite there was the breach of the church rules, as I was born on December 19 and the Church was supposed to baptise me as "Nicholas" instead, as on this date in Julian calendar is St Nicholas, the Santa (so my "name day" is not my birthday but Julian 31st January, st Anthony, the Gregorian date would be 13 days later). However in USSR these rules were not enacted anyhow, so the parents' choice was always ahead of church regulations. The other thing, if my parents called me, say, Oleg (Hoelg), which in those places is also a popular historical name, then the Church could refuse, as there is no saint with this name (historical Regent Oleg of Kiev was a viking and a pagan). Orthodox church only admits the female form, Olga (Helga) as she was canonised as a saint. Thus, Anton is anyway my rightful Christian name, despite I did not get used to call it "Christian name". But I respect the customs of the other countries, calling it a "Christian name", so I have no problems with this.

Very interesting for an atheist country.

[norwood1026 1]

I remember a guy I met at a night club...his name was Kevin.....and when I look back at it now.. I think if the name Kevin really means - Handsome....... then this guys mom must have been taken the p*ss lol... for I recall when I had sobered up ohhhhh my he was just brutal...so ugly that when he cried the tears ran down his back lol.......Beer googles are a bloody nuisance!!!!

Not saying all guys called Kevin are like that lol... it was just him

PS the Irish have a Gaelic name for Kevin....I am nearly sure they do...

[MARAB0D 4]

Very interesting for an atheist country.

Well, I was baptised secretly by my [non-religious] grandparents - and my parents did not know about this for at least next 10 years. It was not prohibited, however they both could kiss their careers goodbye if it became known. A throwback, baptising the children simply could not the same time be a Defense Physicist or a school Principal... About 20 years later it was silently dropped, as most of people started to baptise their kids, just as a matter of tradition - after Brezhnev, the General Secretary of CPSU, born in 1906, publicly admitted he had been baptised. When I was born, any person anyhow connected to any religion, was publicly perceived as a loony.

[Sherapy 30,076]

Well, I was baptised secretly by my [non-religious] grandparents - and my parents did not know about this for at least next 10 years. It was not prohibited, however they both could kiss their careers goodbye if it became known. A throwback, baptising the children simply could not the same time be a Defense Physicist or a school Principal... About 20 years later it was silently dropped, as most of people started to baptise their kids, just as a matter of tradition - after Brezhnev, the General Secretary of CPSU, born in 1906, publicly admitted he had been baptised. When I was born, any person anyhow connected to any religion, was publicly perceived as a loony.

Very interesting to say the least.

why was this prohibited to this point?

[MARAB0D 4]

Sheri, it was never "prohibited" - it was simply eliminating the career prospects. You do not want to make a career - you are free to do whatever you like, to go to a church, to baptise your children... All basic freedoms were formally respected in this bloody USSR, but by exercising them one would be placing themselves out of the circle of people, on whom the government was relying. With all outcoming consequences. It was a matter of choice, in some sense of a free choice. The public opinion was for those who can comply or who can openly and LEGALLY dodge the system. Say, Muhammad Ali was greatly respected not for his boxing achievements, but for his conversion to Islam, as he was seen as a smart dodger, who defeated the System and legally escaped being conscripted to Vietnam. The totalitarian systems develop completely different mass mentality! Everyone had to play by the rules, and each opportunity to go around these rules was seen as luck.

[Mr Walker 6,402]

Everyone i deal with in ausralia knows what a christian name is. That includes young children. Perhaps because of political correctness the term christian may not be used on forms anymore, athough a few years ago it still was.

I just dont fill out forms much, but in speaking to people, "christian name" is probably still used more often than, "first name". It was basically the name you are christened with or given soon after birth, as opposed to the bit that described your family .

Most people i know stil have their kids christened. And that includes lots of Non religious people. Its a social occasion.

In fact many australian kids dont know what a "surname" is. That has been replaced by "last name" (often it is not even "family name" anymore.)

Edited May 7, 2010 by Mr Walker

[Sherapy 30,076]

Sheri, it was never "prohibited" - it was simply eliminating the career prospects. You do not want to make a career - you are free to do whatever you like, to go to a church, to baptise your children... All basic freedoms were formally respected in this bloody USSR, but by exercising them one would be placing themselves out of the circle of people, on whom the government was relying. With all outcoming consequences. It was a matter of choice, in some sense of a free choice. The public opinion was for those who can comply or who can openly and LEGALLY dodge the system. Say, Muhammad Ali was greatly respected not for his boxing achievements, but for his conversion to Islam, as he was seen as a smart dodger, who defeated the System and legally escaped being conscripted to Vietnam. The totalitarian systems develop completely different mass mentality! Everyone had to play by the rules, and each opportunity to go around these rules was seen as luck.

Hmmm, interesting.

[Beckys_Mom 4,050]

It springs from a virtual situation - say, my name is Osama or Moishe, and I have to write it into a questionnaire asking for a "Christian name". Then I could feel insulted. But I am not, my name was chosen by my parents from the list of saints, recognised by the Orthodox Church, and I was actually baptised with my name, Anton - despite there was the breach of the church rules, as I was born on December 19 and the Church was supposed to baptise me as "Nicholas" instead, as on this date in Julian calendar is St Nicholas, the Santa (so my "name day" is not my birthday but Julian 31st January, st Anthony, the Gregorian date would be 13 days later). However in USSR these rules were not enacted anyhow, so the parents' choice was always ahead of church regulations. The other thing, if my parents called me, say, Oleg (Hoelg), which in those places is also a popular historical name, then the Church could refuse, as there is no saint with this name (historical Regent Oleg of Kiev was a viking and a pagan). Orthodox church only admits the female form, Olga (Helga) as she was canonised as a saint. Thus, Anton is anyway my rightful Christian name, despite I did not get used to call it "Christian name". But I respect the customs of the other countries, calling it a "Christian name", so I have no problems with this.

Aye but see the thread isn't about who will feel insulted over it known as a christian name or who might have a problem with it MARA... its just asking you all how you all call the 1st name... do you just call it your 1st name or ref to it as christian name? thats it.. all this talk about how one might feel insulted is nothing to do with the idea of the thread...you only need to read the OP to see that!!!!!.

Edited May 7, 2010 by Beckys_Mom

[Doug1029 7,625]

I was wondering if they do the same in IE - The USA.. Europe and even in Austrailia...etc etc.. Would you call your 1st name your christian name?

Though most Americans would refer to it as their "first" name, most would understand what you meant by "Christian" name.

A friend of mine actually had her name changed when she was baptised as an adult.

My name - Douglas - is Gaelic for "dark water" (dubh = dark; glassa = water). It comes from a small lake in Scotland now known as the Douglas Water. The name has nothing to do with Christianity, so calling it a Christian name would not be appropriate.

Though "Christian" in name, the clans have rarely behaved in a "Christian" manner. Of course, MacDuff held its lands "By the Grace of God", that is, by the sword, and our badge shows a Scottish lion holding a sword with the motto: "Deus Juvat" - "God Assists." So maybe we were behaving in a God-approved (if not Chrsitian) manner, after all.

Doug

[MARAB0D 4]

Aye but see the thread isn't about who will feel insulted over it known as a christian name or who might have a problem with it MARA... its just asking you all how you all call the 1st name... do you just call it your 1st name or ref to it as christian name? thats it.. all this talk about how one might feel insulted is nothing to do with the idea of the thread...you only need to read the OP to see that!!!!!.

Ahh, I am sorry, Geri. I see now what you mean - no, I do not call it "Christian name". I think this depends on what we are culturally accustomed to. Say, a Russian name consists of the Name itself, the Patronimic and the Family name. Russians do not have middle names, and Patronimic cannot be confused with a name as it appears in another grammatic form - but those cultures, who do use them, probably need to distinguish sometimes, which one of them is their Christian name, as some records may contain no middle name at all. Say my boss was Patrick Anthony, but he preferred to be called Tony, so the one who never saw his business card would be thinking Anthony was his Christian name.

But now, when my name is spelled in English, I had to reduce the Patronimic to just the name of my father in a direct form (for simplicity), so now I do have a middle name, and certainly can be asked to clarify which one is my Christian name.

Edited May 7, 2010 by MARAB0D