Dictionary

Christian name en · NOUN

Etymology

From Christian + name.

Meanings

1. A first name formally given to a child at a Christian baptism.
2. (broadly) Any forename.
   • On 8th November Anthony cabled them, ‘Your great-grandson Randal Lewis Casson arrived to-day. Both well,’ and we sent, ‘Congratulations on becoming great-grandparents.’ Anthony and Janneke had kept the proposed Christian names a complete secret, and we were all so touched that they had chosen two which belonged so much to the family. 1972, John Casson, “‘When We Are Old, Are Old’”, in Lewis & Sybil: A Memoir, London: Collins, →ISBN, page 320:
   • This was all overheard by Miss Dashwood; and in the whole of the sentence, in his manner of pronouncing it, and in his addressing her sister by her christian name alone, she instantly saw an intimacy so decided, a meaning so direct, as marked a perfect agreement between them. 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter XII, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume I, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, pages 137–138:
3. (Singapore) An English given name, particularly for ethnic Chinese who usually have a separate Chinese name.
4. (qualifier:chiefly Korea) A baptismal name or confirmation name used in religious contexts, but not part of the legal name.
   • Many of these, however, thoughtfully join their given names with a hyphen, or even write them solid, so that Lee Soo Man may present himself as Soo-Man Lee or Sooman Lee. A Korean who is a Christian will additionally take a Christian name, and so our Mr Lee may present himself as Noah Lee. 2003 January 30, R L Trask, Mind the Gaffe: The Penguin Guide to Common Errors in English, Penguin UK, →ISBN:
   • At the convent he is known as "Andrew." This is Shin's baptismal name. Korean Catholics baptized as infants take on a Christian name which also acts as their confirmation name. 2000, U.S. Catholic Historian:
   • An Chung-gun (baptized Thomas as his Christian name), Korean 'national hero,' who assassinated the Japanese Prime Minister and was a criminal from the Japanese point of view[…] 2011, Manfred Schmeling, Hans-Joachim Backe, From Ritual to Romance and Beyond: Comparative Literature and Comparative Religious Studies : Proceedings of the ICLA Conference at Jacobs University, Bremen, August 6-8, 2008, Königshausen & Neumann, →ISBN, page 46:

Forms

Deriveds

Christian-nameless · Christian-name

Relateds

Sunday name

Synonyms

first name · given name · forename · front name

Translations (28)

mk ќрсно и́ме (first name at Christian baptism) · ja 名前 (first name at Christian baptism) · ja クリスチャンネーム (first name at Christian baptism) · fr nom de baptême (first name at Christian baptism) · gd ainm-baistidh (first name at Christian baptism) · pt nome cristão (first name at Christian baptism) · tr vaftiz adı (first name at Christian baptism) · ca nom de fonts (first name at Christian baptism) · ro nume de botez (first name at Christian baptism) · pt nome de batismo (first name at Christian baptism) · ru и́мя (first name at Christian baptism) · cmn 名字 (first name at Christian baptism) · cs křestní jméno (first name at Christian baptism) · br anv-badez (first name at Christian baptism) · es nombre de pila (first name at Christian baptism) · de Taufname (first name at Christian baptism) · nl doopnaam (first name at Christian baptism) · hu keresztnév (first name at Christian baptism) · de Vorname (first name at Christian baptism) · cmn 教名 (first name at Christian baptism) · fi ristimänimi (first name at Christian baptism) · ga ainm baiste (first name at Christian baptism) · pl imię chrzcielne (first name at Christian baptism) · ja 洗礼名 (first name at Christian baptism) · ru и́мя, да́нное при креще́нии (first name at Christian baptism) · vi tên thánh (first name at Christian baptism) · it nome di battesimo (first name at Christian baptism) · eo baptonomo (first name at Christian baptism)