Naming babies

margarita · Post by **margarita** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 11:21 am

Here in Crete, (and presumably the rest of Greece) the tradition is to name the first son after paternal grandfather, second son after maternal grandfather, first girl after paternal grandmother, second girl after maternal grandmother.

However, the child is not actually named until the baptism, which can be at the age of about 2 or 3. Traditionally the god parents choose the name and the parents do not attend the baptism. They wait at home until the godparents bring the child home and say what name the child has been given.

Said child then has to learn it's new name having been called baby until then. Meanwhile, I presume, a new baby may have arrived, so what that's called I have no idea!!

Of course, the child has been registered as first name 'unknown' and is not usually re-registered when it has a name - a nightmare for the genealogist given that many families in the same village have the same surname.

Regards,

maggie

Post by **joette** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:17 pm

Wow & we thought it was hard researching our ancestors.

Roxy · Post by **Roxy** » Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:14 pm

Maggie,

All the very best of British in your research. I think that you are going to need it!

Roxy