baptismal name
noun1
A name given at baptism (christening).
- 1685, Charles Cotton (translator), Essays of Michael, Seigneur de Montaigne, London: T. Basset et al., Volume 1, “Of Names,” pp. 538-539, Will not Posterity say, that our Modern Reformation has been wonderfully exact, in having […] proceeded so far, as to quarrel with the Ancient Baptismal Names of Charles, Lewis, and Francis, to fill the World with Methusalems, Ezekiels, and Malachies, of a more Scriptural sound?
- A custom had generally obtained, of giving a new name, upon adopting a new member into a family. […] In imitation of this common practice, the old christians gave baptismal names to their children, which were intended to point out their heavenly adoption, as their surnames distinguished their temporal alliance.1779, William Gilpin, Lectures on the Catechism of the Church of England, London: R. Blamire, Volume 1, Lecture 1, p. 9:
2 more examples
- “John Walter Ardworth, commonly called Walter; he, like me, preferred to be known only by his second baptismal name. […]”1846, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, chapter 6, in Lucretia, volume 2, London: Saunders and Otley, page 234:
- they had been lovers—if you could give that name to a relationship in which she had never used his baptismal name1940, Graham Greene, The Power and the Glory, London: Heinemann, Part 2, Chapter 1, p. 85:
- Synonyms
- baptismal, Christian name, saint's name
- Hypernyms
- given name, first name