This was originally posted on November 5, 2012
There is a trend rising at the moment for parents who are keen to avoid religious baby names. Just as a religious name may be very important to religious parents, a non-religious name might be just as important to non-religious parents. However, finding a non-religious baby name is easier said than done. Many of our favourite baby names here in the UK have religious connotations, whether we are aware of them or not. For example, Jack, Jacob, John, Ethan, Thomas, Joshua and James are seven of the top ten boys’ names of 2011 in the UK. They are also all names with religious connotations and most of them appear in the Bible. Five of the top ten girls’ names for 2011 in the UK also have religious connotations (Emily, Isabella, Isabelle, Ava, Chloe) while two others, Olive and Lily, derive from objects which are symbolic in the Bible, the lily and olive plants.
Why Avoid a Religious Name?
There are many reasons why parents might choose to avoid names with religious connotations. If they were raised surrounded by strong biblical names they may have become bored with them. Others may wish to get away from the popularity of biblical or religious names. If parents are non-religious but have a very religious family, they may not want their family to get ideas about how they are going to raise their children if they name them with religious names. Some parents could have strong aversions against religion and do not wish to be associated with it. While some people may find avoiding religious names offensive, and others may not believe that a name’s origin should affect the choice to use it or not, all parents have a right to choose a name which is right for them and their beliefs.
To avoid choosing a religious name, parents could look outside the box for name inspiration. We recently featured a blog written on Halloween names, most of these are not religious (although some may be considered pagan) and can provide nice inspiration. Parents could also look to the natural elements of the earth, such as Wind, Rain, Fire and Ice. Flowers can provide nice, non-religious ideas for girls’ names while strong animals like Bear, Tiger, and Lion can often be used as unusual, non-religious boys’ names.
Modern Times
Modern names are also more likely to be non-religious. Names coined in the last decade are often amalgamations of two other names or come from descriptive words, and so are less likely to have strong connections with any religion. Names parents could choose from include Finley, Braxton, Payten, Keslee, and Caytee. Parents could also choose an unusual spelling of an old favourite name to separate it from its religious origin. For example, Hana instead of Hannah, Jaycub instead of Jacob, Tomus instead of Thomas, and Rebbeka instead of Rebecca.
Religion and religious names have become so ingrained into our society that it is actually very hard to find a name which will not have a religious connotation to somebody out there. It is important to find the right name for you and your family, whether that means looking to religion for inspiration, or looking away from it.
