Did you know that a childs baptismal name can be different than the one on their birth certificate?

[greek_ggirl]

I was so shocked to find out that someone can be baptized with one name and have a different official legal name. In some cases, people will want to give their child a non-Christian/Orthodox name but will still want to baptize their child and give them a baptismal name from a Greek Orthodox Saint. This is quite common in Greece when people have names from ancient Greece, such as Kleopatra.

 

[ellinasgolfer0320]

Yup. My mom's name is different from her baptismal name, and the same goes for my mother- and father-in-law.

 

[seleanor]

So interesting...do you use the baptismal name at all? As a nickname maybe?

 

[ellinasgolfer0320]

No, we don't. We call the name on their birth certificate

 

[k_tsoukalas]

I was so shocked to find out that someone can be baptized with one name and have a different official legal name. In some cases, people will want to give their child a non-Christian/Orthodox name but will still want to baptize their child and give them a baptismal name from a Greek Orthodox Saint. This is quite common in Greece when people have names from ancient Greece, such as Kleopatra.

I was baptized Kaliope, legal birth certificate is Katherine. When you are baptized, you have a chance to take on a different name. Most just keep it the same, some want to do something different. I believe it is the same with ordination. (Am I wrong or right about this? I don't quite remember). When being ordained, you can take a different name, as well.