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Glite Dictionary
baptismal name

baptismal name

1 7.2
A name given to someone in a Christian church ceremony when they are a baby
  • noun
  • /ˈbæptɪzml neɪm/
translation icon : nombre bautismal
  • The priest asked me what baptismal name I had chosen for my confirmation ceremony.

Examples

  • In the Belgian Congo, Joseph Mobutu dropped his baptismal name when he took leadership and urged his people to embark on the program of cultural and religious "authenticity."

    Academic text (1996)

  • In addition, each costume was given a baptismal name, assuring its spiritual strength.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Your baptismal name is Johann Hasuvian.

    Imagine That (2009)

  • "Teresa, you know so much," Janice says, not quite liking being upstaged and using Pru's baptismal name as a tiny check to keep her in place.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Typically, a baptismal name was conferred by the priest and based on either saints in the Catholic tradition or the names of godparents standing up for the neophyte (frequently soldiers; later, prominent townspeople).

    Academic text (2016)

  • At her baptism, she was given the baptismal name of Maria, which she has cherished ever since.

  • His baptismal name, Thomas, honors his grandfather, who was a devoted Christian.

Synonyms

first name
vsbaptismal name
178 1.0

A name given at birth used before the family name

is more tied to names from religious naming ceremonies than to any birth name
given name
vsbaptismal name
13 2.0

The name a person has before their family name

is used for names given at church ceremonies rather than any ordinary first name
Christian name
vsbaptismal name
7 3.2

A person's first name given at birth or baptism

is used for names given at religious naming ceremonies rather than general first names

Surface Forms

baptismal name singular
baptismal names plural

Morphology

baptismal + name

The meaning 'the name given at baptism' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'baptismal' (connected with the act of baptizing) with 'name' (an identifier). This follows a regular adjective+noun composition and has clear equivalents across languages and religious contexts, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Baptismal name comes from the church ceremony of baptism, when a baby is given a name by a priest or godparents during the service. So, 'baptismal name' means the name given at baptism and often becomes the person's first name.