Today I attended the naming of one of our babies. It is a tradition to celebrate the arrival of a child into a family by giving a child a special name that often brings together all of the families. In the event that a birth parent selects a name for the child, the adoptive family often works to include that name in the child’s final name. When the birth parents do not select a name, the adoptive family chooses the name. In either event, the naming of the child is one of the most important tasks of the new family.
In the ceremony today, the adoptive family choose the name for the baby. I listened to the explanation of how the name of the child was chosen. The story was beautiful. This child’s names mean “song” and “of the people.” It was explained that the child was named out of recognition that he was not of just one family. This child was of many people, joining of the birth family and the adoptive family. Today was a celebration of the beauty of adoption. How perfect to be a child of love between two families.
When I wrote our agency’s mission statement, I wrote “from one heart to another.” This child is from the loving heart of the people who created him to the loving heart of the people who will love and celebrate him and his life every day. So, “of the people” is so appropriate. He is of the heart of his biological family and his adoptive family.
His second name, “a song”, was also so appropriate. It was explained that each of us in life has a song that expresses who we are. Here, a baby is starting with a song of love, joining together families, and celebrating the world of adoption.