Welcoming a new child into your family is a joyful and life-affirming moment. For families who are non-religious, a humanist naming ceremony offers a unique and personal way to celebrate a child’s arrival. It’s a chance to gather with loved ones, express your hopes for the future, and share the values that will shape your child’s life.
In this blog, we explore five meaningful ideas to include in your naming ceremony and explain what a humanist naming ceremony is.
What Is a Humanist Naming Ceremony?
A humanist naming ceremony is a non-religious celebration that formally welcomes a child into their family and community. It can mark the birth of a baby, the adoption of a child, or the coming together of a blended family. Each ceremony is entirely bespoke, tailored to reflect your family’s values, personalities, and wishes.
Unlike religious christenings, there is no set script. Instead, every element of a humanist naming ceremony is personal and meaningful.
Find out more about naming ceremonies.
What Does a Humanist Ceremonies Naming Celebrant Do?
A Humanist Ceremonies naming celebrant is a highly trained professional who works closely with the family to create a naming ceremony that is heartfelt, inclusive, and unique. Your celebrant will help you shape the structure of the ceremony, write a script that reflects your story, and offer suggestions for readings, promises, and rituals. On the day, they’ll lead the ceremony with warmth, making sure everything flows beautifully.
You can find a naming celebrant near you by using our Find a Celebrant map.
5 Meaningful Ideas for Your Humanist Naming Ceremony
1. Tree Planting
Planting a tree during the ceremony is a timeless way to symbolise new life and growth. As the tree grows, it mirrors your child’s development and becomes a living, lasting part of your family’s story. You might choose a fruit tree or a tree with personal significance. Involving siblings or grandparents in the planting can make the ritual even more meaningful and inclusive.
2. Wishes and Message Books
Encourage your guests to contribute a written message or hope as keepsakes for your child’s future. These can be placed on a wish tree or in a decorative jar, box, or book that the child can look at as they grow older. Some families choose to revisit these messages on milestone birthdays or special occasions, creating an evolving tradition that spans the years.
3. Guideparents or Supporting Adults
In a humanist naming ceremony, families often choose a non-religious alternative to godparents which are often called guideparents or supporting adults. These are trusted individuals – often close friends or relatives, who commit to being part of the child’s life in a meaningful way. During the ceremony, they can be invited to make promises to support the child and their family, contributing their own reflections or readings.
There can be lots of fun names for them – mentors, champions, cheerleaders, sparents, odd parents, fairy godparents, or you can think of something original for your family!
This idea gives modern families the opportunity to involve people who will help raise and guide the child with love, encouragement, and wisdom, without requiring a religious context.
4. Symbolic Naming Rituals
Symbolic acts can powerfully mark the moment a child is named, here are two lovely rituals you may want to include in your naming ceremony. Here are some examples:
Candle Lighting
Each parent, guideparent, or sibling can light a candle to represent their ongoing love and support. A central candle may be lit to symbolise the light the child brings into their lives. This ritual works particularly well in intimate indoor settings.
Sand Blending
Each participant pours a different colour of sand into a single jar or container, creating a unique, layered keepsake that represents the blending of lives and relationships. This visual, creative ritual is especially popular with blended families or families with multiple children.
These rituals can be adapted to reflect cultural heritage, family values, or creative themes that matter to you.
5. Music, Readings, and Storytelling
Choosing music and readings that reflect your values and your hopes for the child adds emotional depth to the ceremony. You might include a favourite lullaby, a children’s story with a moral you value, or a poem written by a family member. Siblings or grandparents might wish to read aloud or share a personal story, helping everyone feel connected to the occasion.
This is also a space to express the values you hope to raise your child with — such as kindness, curiosity, or resilience through words that are personal and uplifting.
Create a Unique Naming Ceremony With a Humanist Naming Celebrant
A humanist naming ceremony is about celebrating new life with sincerity and joy, without religious language or tradition. It’s about sharing love, welcoming a child into your family, and affirming your values.
Your Humanist Ceremonies naming celebrant will work with you to create a ceremony that’s just right for your family. Whether it’s held in your garden, a community hall, or a meaningful outdoor space, they’ll help you turn your ideas into a celebration you’ll always remember.
Ready to plan your child’s humanist naming ceremony?
