Wiccaning – the Name-Giving Ceremony c2016

Wiccaning – the name-giving ceremony

Wiccaning, or name-giving, is the term used to describe the festivities that attend the birth of a child. Since wicca is essentially a fertility religion, the birth of a child is perceived as a gift from the gods and as a sacred rite in itself. After the birth of the child, when the life of the family has returned to normal, the parents and community celebrate the wiccaning of the child, giving it a name that will protect it during its growth and development. There is no fixed age or format for the name-giving ceremony – it can occur during the baptism, the brit milah (Jewish circumcision ceremony), or any ceremony that is not connected to a religion and is mainly pagan. It must be remembered that wicca is a religion of choice, and although the child receives a name, he/ she is entitled to choose his/ her own spiritual path or religion upon reaching maturity – as well as to change his/ her name!

Source: Day-by-Day Wicca: A complete guide to Wicca from Beliefs and Rituals to Magic and Witchcraft (Astrolog Complete Guides) by Tabatha.Jennings