What to Consider When Planning Your Baby Naming Ceremony

A baby naming is more than just a ceremony; it's a welcome, a blessing, and a moment when a new soul is gently folded into the fabric of family, community, and tradition. Whether your baby is just a few weeks old or already walking, this is your chance to gather your most treasured people, speak your love out loud, formally welcome your child into the covenant of the Jewish people, and give your child a name to use in that community that carries meaning, history, and hope.

Over the years, I’ve led baby naming ceremonies in living rooms and parks, on Zoom and in synagogues, under blue summer skies and colorful autumn leaves. Every one of them is unique because every family is unique, and the best ceremonies are the ones that feel like they could only belong to you.

Here are some of the questions I walk through with families when we begin this sacred planning process.

Who Do You Want to Honor?

This is often where we start. A child’s Hebrew name can honor a loved one who has passed on. Sometimes that means using the exact Hebrew name that belonged to the person you’re honoring, other times people will choose a name with the same first letter or a similar meaning. It’s a way of keeping that person’s spirit alive in your family’s story.

Or maybe a biblical character possessed qualities you’d like your child to aspire to. Classic names that take on the legacy of a foremother, forefather, or other important biblical figure can be very meaningful, too.

These choices let your child know, from their earliest days: You belong to something bigger. You are connected to love that came before you, and love that is here now.

How Will People Join You?

At their core, naming ceremonies are about welcoming the baby officially into the embrace of their people. But there are many ways to conduct them! Baby namings can be small and intimate, or they can fill a room with friends, relatives, and community members. Will everyone gather in person, or will you open the moment to faraway loved ones virtually?

There’s no wrong answer here - only what feels right for your family. I’ve been part of tiny living-room blessings with just parents, grandparents, and a plate of rugelach. I’ve also led hybrid services where the screen filled with smiling faces from across the world.

Think about who you most want present. If they can’t physically be there, consider how we can still make them feel there.

Will There Be Music?

Music has a way of sinking into memory in a way that words sometimes can’t. Do you want blessings for your child sung or accompanied by guitar? Do you want the guests to join in for “Siman Tov u’Mazel Tov”? Or would you prefer the quiet intimacy of spoken words and silence between them?

Sometimes a song is the thread that pulls everyone into the same heartbeat. Sometimes the moment is best held in stillness. We can create either - or both.

Choosing the Hebrew Name

This is where tradition meets your family’s imagination. Some families already know exactly which name they want, while others come to me with a list and a story behind each option.

You’ll want to discuss pronunciation, meaning, and how the Hebrew name will be introduced during the ceremony. Do you want to share the story behind it aloud so your guests leave knowing exactly why this name matters? We’ll go over all of this together!

Objects That Carry History

You can enrich a baby naming with tangible heirlooms: a tallit from a great-grandparent, a kiddush cup from your own wedding, a blanket knit by a beloved aunt. These objects hold layers of family memory and can make the moment feel rooted and timeless.

Sometimes the items are connected to someone who has passed on;  sometimes they belong to someone who will be sitting in the room. Either way, they bring a physical reminder of love into the blessing.

Why Are You Doing This?

This might sound obvious, but when I ask couples about their motivation, their answers vary and are always beautiful and specific.

Some want to introduce their child formally into the Jewish community. Others want to give their baby a connection to family traditions. Some are simply looking for a moment to pause, breathe, and speak out loud the hopes they hold for their child. But the thread is that families generally wish to mark the first step in their child’s Jewish journey, and to do so in community.

Once we know your “why,” we can shape every element to bring that intention to life.

Choosing the Venue & Tone

Will it be in your home, with everyone sitting in a circle? In a park under a tree? At a restaurant with brunch waiting afterward?

Do you want a formal feel, with readings and a clear order of service, or a casual gathering where stories and blessings emerge naturally?

The space you choose can set the tone. A home can feel cozy and personal. Outdoors can feel expansive and free. A public space can feel communal and celebratory. I’ll work with you to make the environment support the feeling you want.

Readings and Blessings

Will friends or family read something during the ceremony? Should those readings be in English, Hebrew, or both?

You might ask a grandparent to read a traditional Hebrew blessing while a friend shares an English poem. Or you could invite guests to share a few words about their hopes for your child’s life. These voices become part of the child’s early story, woven into the blessing of their name.

At the Heart of It All

A baby naming is about more than just the giving of a name. It’s about connection - to tradition, to family, to the future you envision for your child.

When your guests leave, what do you want them to carry in their hearts? The warmth of family gathered close? The joy of music and laughter? The deep sense that your child’s life is already wrapped in love?

These are the questions whose answers we’ll explore together. This moment will only happen once and when we craft it with care. It will echo in your child’s life for years to come, through the name they carry, the covenant they join, and the love that surrounds them from the very start.