Baptism- Who’s that child named after?

I was thinking about this today, because we had two baptisms and one couple selected Logan for the child’s name. I didn’t recall any Saint having that name and secretly hoped that there is one. I haven’t found one listed on the net.

Anyway this custom starts back with Abram to Abraham, to Jacob/Israel, on through history to Jesus in Luke 1:15, to Saul to Paul. It’s a change in purpose, it’s a new starting point. This is the basis in the Catholic church which started in about the mid 3rd century of taking a first name of a Saint. One of the elect in the Heaven. The concept is the Saint will pray for the child through their life time and seeing how a Saint in heaven is closer to God they will petition for them particularly in their formative years. Let’s face it we all need as much pray as we can get in this life.

To my knowledge the church doesn’t enforce/require the parents to select a Christian name, but I would think that the parents would want one for their child.

I was named Thomas, after my uncle and the doctor who delivered me and the Apostle. I’m just waiting for the church to recognize the first two as Saints, their both ones in my book. Thankfully I dodged a faint worse then death, when my mother almost gave me the name Damian for when I was born.

So what’s in a name you ask? Well quite a bit, might as well select one that God has with Him in heaven.

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