Unusual names coming for Baptism

Gone are Elizabeth, Catherine, Michael and Peter. These days, Catholic parishes are welcoming Madisons, Masons, Karlies and Kadens.

"Some parents, traditionally, still name the child after a saint; and others, culturally, name children according to their ethnic background," said Rev. Thomas Connery, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Glenville, where 60 children were baptized last year, many with Irish, Italian and Spanish names.

While many parents in the parish still name their children after relatives, he said, it often becomes the child's middle name, thus reducing the ranks of "Juniors."

Name sources

At Blessed Sacrament Church in Albany, children's names are more likely to reflect ethnic and pop cultural backgrounds than a saint's influence.

"A lot of the names aren't necessarily reflective of the Christian tradition," said Rev. Anthony Childs, assistant pastor. "Especially at Blessed Sacrament, where we have a concentrated African-American population, [selecting a name] reflects strongly on their own cultural tradition."

Over the past few years, he has noted an increase in Spanish, Oriental, Asian and African-American names. He credits a growing awareness of pop culture and media trends as two reasons many parents have preempted saints to draw baby names from trendier sources.

"Every once in a while, you'll see a more traditional name, but that has become the exception, not the rule," he said. "The old-fashioned, white European names are not dying out, but they are no means predominant."

Let me count...

At Our Lady of Mercy parish in Colonie, Rev. John Waldron is counting the ways members of his parish have spelled the Irish name Caitlin. "Everybody has a different way," he laughed.

He also recalls baptizing a Katie -- "not Katherine, just Katie" -- a Moses and two Jades -- one a boy, and the other a girl.

Naming protocols are much different than they were before the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, Father Waldron explained. A Catholic infant's first name usually had to be a saint's name; if it wasn't, the parents and the priest would have to "do some finagling around to claim it was legitimate," he said. Now, "we just take the names that parents give them."

Where's Mike?

The 90-some children baptized last year at St. Mary's Church in Glens Falls included Isaiah, Emilia, Shawn, Aliza, Anthony, Ian, Noah and Gabriella.

"But no Michaels," said Rev. James Mackey, pastor, referencing the name that, until recently, held the honor of the most popular boy's name. Now, monikers like Kaden and Jaden are taking over.

Father Childs points to TV shows and movies as the source of many unusual names.

"Stars -- that's where the names have their popularity right now," he said. "You'll see more Clays" as a result of "American Idol" star Clay Aiken's popularity, and "more Rubens," after Ruben Studdard, another "Idol" favorite.

(Among the 100-plus children baptized at Blessed Sacrament Church in Albany last year were Dominique, Sheleigh, Juan, Celine, Liberty, El-Nad and Clay. The parish also saw its share of Madisons, currently one of the most popular baby names in the United States.)

(2/19/04) [[In-content Ad]]