Other Naming Ceremonies

Introduction
British Humanist Association
Private organisations
Contacts

Naming ceremonies are also offered by other organisations and private companies. These private ceremonies are similar to those offered by the register offices (see Civil Naming Ceremony article); indeed some of the organisations also work in partnership with the local authorities to provide their civil naming ceremony service scripts and celebrants.

They all contain the same elements; namely a welcoming, promises made to the child, the inclusion of significant other adults and the formal naming of the child. As these ceremonies are private, the key difference is that they can be held in any location, including your own home.

British Humanist Association

The BHA offer a customisable ceremony which can be lead by family, friends or a BHA-accredited naming celebrant. They publish New Arrivals, a very useful guide to help you create the ceremony with a basic framework, sample scripts and ideas for readings.

The cost for the ceremony guide is £6. If you decide to use a BHA accredited celebrant, then the cost for the ceremony will be between £100-£155.

Private organisations

Some private organisations offer script only options or celebrant led ceremonies. They provide the basic structure of the ceremony and you can select words, poems and readings to make it more personal.

If you want to include some religious content, this is a possibility as the arrangement is entirely private. Parents or families with mixed religious backgrounds can be accommodated in this way.

As an example, a typical script only service costs £55-100. Celebrant fees depend on the organisation but tend to range between £170-£300. There may be an additional charge if the celebration is to be held at home as the celebrant has to visit for Health and Safety reasons.

Contacts

You can buy the BHA guide online at www.humanism.org.uk. Contact BHA on 0207 430 0908 if you want them to provide a celebrant.

Use the Register Office Finder on the General Register Office homepage to find your local register office.

See also the Ceremony section of our Supplier Directory to for other organisations local to you.

Links to related articles