461. Naming Ceremonies

“We have your letter of August 22, 1966 inquiring whether ‘naming ceremonies’ for children should be encouraged as a community activity. In a letter to an individual believer, dated December 20, 1938, the beloved Guardian said:

‘Regarding your question whether there is any special ceremony which the believers should perform when they wish to ‘name’ a baby: The Teachings do not provide for any ceremony whatever on such occasions. We have no ‘baptismal service’ in the Cause, such as the Christians have. There could be no objection, however, for the friends to come together on such happy occasions, provided they do not hold an official public ceremony, and provided also they strictly avoid any uniformity and rigidity in all such practices...’

“We feel that this activity should be left to the discretion of the parents.”

(From a letter of the Universal House of Justice to the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States, September 7, 1966: American Bahá’í, December 1970, p. 10)

462. Spiritual Baptism of Children

“Thou hast asked regarding the naming of children: When thou wishest to name a babe, prepare a meeting therefore; chant the verses and communes, and supplicate and implore the Threshold of Oneness and beg the attainment of guidance for the babe and wish confirmated firmness and constancy; then give the name and enjoy beverage and sweet-meat. This is spiritual baptism.”

(‘Abdu’l-Bahá: Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Vol. I, pp. 149-150)