Taking a Saint's name... a question

[Momzilla]

I understand that at baptism/chrismation, an Orthodox convert takes the name of a saint. I read on an Orthodox info site yesterday an article arguing that a convert should go by his/her Saint name in all walks of life, not just in the church.

My family would completely freak out if I changed my name, which causes me to wonder if any of the converts out there have changed their names upon converting.

 

[Oblio]

Was this perhaps on orthodoxinfo.com ?

I ask this because there are some things on that site that are IMO a bit excessive.

AFAIK, there are many pious Greeks that use their given secular names, and being Greek, IIRC some of those are derived of or related to decidedly non-Christian or mythological entities

 

[Suzannah]

I understand that at baptism/chrismation, an Orthodox convert takes the name of a saint. I read on an Orthodox info site yesterday an article arguing that a convert should go by his/her Saint name in all walks of life, not just in the church.

My family would completely freak out if I changed my name, which causes me to wonder if any of the converts out there have changed their names upon converting.

Hi !!! I read the same article when I decided to convert and freaked out too! LOL!
I came here, asked a similar question, and then asked my priest. He said, "Well, if you really want your daughter to start calling you Columbina instead of 'Mom', it's really up to you !" ROFL! He laughed about it,and said that a name is intended to make us humble, to make us reflect on how far we have to go...not to make us prideful...he said in his opinion, the article was a little extreme. We're not supposed to be wearing neon-signs...I would not worry about this, but I had to tell you I freaked out too....

 

[Momzilla]

Was this perhaps on orthodoxinfo.com ?

Why yes, it was! I thought it was a little extreme, too--just wanted to get others' thoughts.

 

[vanshan]

I know converts who have decided they wanted to go by their saint's name because they wanted to break from their former life and embrace their new identity as Orthodox Christians, breaking from the old man to the new man/woman. This is a pious custom, but it isn't done much in most jurisdications. I personally don't go by my saint's name, except at my parish.

 

[vanshan]

It is a wonderful aid to try and identify with you patron saint and seek their prayers. Celebrating your "name day" (day your saint is commemorated in the Church) is a nice custom, again not done much in the more modern jurisdictions, like my own. At least, I've not heard of it being done.

 

[Suzannah]

It is a wonderful aid to try and identify with you patron saint and seek their prayers. Celebrating your "name day" (day your saint is commemorated in the Church) is a nice custom, again not done much in the more modern jurisdictions, like my own. At least, I've not heard of it being done.

We do this in my church! My church is rather small and follows a more monastic style of services and more traditional (small t) customs. I enjoy it when our Priest calls people up to present small gifts to people on their name days ...I find it very touching and sweet how everyone chips in to buy a gift for that person..then we all sing Many Years, and there is usually a special treat (in line with all fasting rules) especially for that person at our fellowship luncheon.

P.S. the little old Russian lady in my church is a FABULOUS cook! LOL

 

[Orthodox Andrew]

Was this perhaps on orthodoxinfo.com ?

I ask this because there are some things on that site that are IMO a bit excessive.

AFAIK, there are many pious Greeks that use their given secular names, and being Greek, IIRC some of those are derived of or related to decidedly non-Christian or mythological entities

Even most of the Greek myth names are usually also the names of Saints.

 

[NewToLife]

This wasnt an issue for me as I was already named for a saint but I do know a number of others who have taken saints names, mostly they answer to either their previous given name or to their christian name.

 

[xenia]

When I converted, Father J. thought the Holy Spirit should have a say in my new name, so he asked me to pick three saints whose days were near my birthday. I always wanted to be named after St. Xenia of St. Petersburg because her story teaches a lesson that I need to learn. For the other two, I picked a different St. Xenia and someone else... St. Irene, I think. On the day of my chrismation, Father literally put the three names into a hat and my godmother closed her eyes and picked. From the big smile on her face I could see it was "my" Xenia, and so it was.

I would go by "Xenia" all the time if I could but since I'm a middle-aged old lady who has lived in this town for 30 years as a Protestant and who knows a zillion people, it would not work. I always post as "Xenia" on discussion forums and of course, Father calls me by that name when I receive Holy Communion.

Love, Xenia

 

[Matrona]

Going by your saint's name in your secular life is a pious custom, but it is not required. At the communion chalice, I am Matrona. But since my saint's name is a little cumbersome for modern America, in most places I'm still the same old Courtney.

At church, I don't mind being called by either name, and I have to say that at church, my preference is slightly in favor of Matrona, just because it reminds me of my patron saint and my baptism, and from there my decision to embrace the Orthodox faith. But everyone calls me Courtney anyway.

(FTR, the way I pronounce Matrona, there's not really a true rhyme for it that I know of in the English language, but it sounds roughly like "Verona" or "Arizona".)

 

[Eusebios]

I love the pious custom entailed in taking on a Saints name and like others use mine to post to forums. I do find the extreme "Saints Name Only" folks, for lack of a btter description, to be missing the boat on a serious level. In rejecting the name given one by their parents, it seems to me that we are failing to "honor our parents", the first commandment with a blessing.
Jost my 2 cents worth.
His unworthy servant,
Eusebios, in the world Donald.

 

[Umut]

Well, nobody can pronounce my name, so I definitely want to find a Saint I can relate to and take his name... Anything is more pronouncable than "Umut"

It is still my name, and I won't throw it away; but I think I'll get a new name just to be comfortable...

If I meet my future wife; it might scare her away that my name is "Umut"

lol

 

[Michael G]

Taking the name of a saint is a good way to mark your entrance into Orthodoxy, but is not absolutely necessary. If you decide to take the name of a saint, you can still go by your given name in the world and just use that name when approaching the chalice for communion. Luckily for me, Michael is the name of a prominent Archangel, so there was no need for a name change. There are those who insist you have to change your name, but then there are hard liners in everything. A friend once joked about those who insist on painting with egg tempera that "A religion can be made of anything, including eggs." There are cases when this taking a saints name is used fervently, such as when a priest is ordained who does not have the name of a saint. The priest who chrismated me was born Charles, but in the Orthodox church there is no St. Charles, so he was given the name Basil. Also, when a monk is tonsured, he is often given a different saints name. A friend of mine was named Fr. Basil, but when he was tonsured a monk, he was given the name Patrick. And, of course, Bishops take a new name when they are ordained. In my OCA parish, Fr. Michael makes sure he points out who has their name day during the coming week for us to sing "God grant you many years." Just my humble thoughts.
Michael

 

[Momzilla]

In rejecting the name given one by their parents, it seems to me that we are failing to "honor our parents", the first commandment with a blessing.

That was one of the things that crossed my mind. I think my parents would be very hurt if I changed my name. Also, I would miss my name. I didn't like it when I was young because it's difficult to pronounce (hear that, Umut? ), but now it's a part of me.

 

[ufonium2]

My middle name is actually derived from a Serbian saint's name. What's weird is that name has been in my (Irish Protestant) family for generations. I might bring that up to my mom to see if she knows why, but she got so tired of hearing "Why on earth did you name me_______" when I was growing up that she probably won't talk about it

 

[Photini]

I prefer to be called by my Christian name, but answer to both. If I had already had a Christian name to begin with (like Christina or Katherine) then I would have just kept my name the way it was. My secular name is Heather...which is the name of a shrub, not a Christian name. So most people I tell both names, and whatever they want to call me, that's fine. One person at work even started sometimes calling me Photini. I've actually thought about changing my name officially...Photini would be my first name, and make Heather more of like a middle name.