Baby Naming Ceremony for Girls
Expecting a new baby girl? Celebrate the arrival of your beautiful bundle of joy with a baby naming ceremony! Baby naming ceremonies generally occur at the family’s home or in a synagogue, usually within two to three weeks of the child’s birth.
Where to Start?
First, you may want to talk with your spouse, partner, or family members to decide if you want a big party or something more intimate. Do you have family members, such as older children, you want to include in the ceremony? And, of course, you will want to decide on a name. Consider these questions before moving further into the planning process.
Name Your Event
There are various names you can use for your event that keep with Jewish traditions and values. Simchat bat, or “rejoicing in a daughter” or “celebration for a daughter” is widely used for such a ceremony. If you prefer to focus on the covenantal aspects of the tradition, you may want to name it a brit bat, or “daughter’s covenant.” Additional options include zeved habat, or “gift of a daughter,” chag hachnasah la-brit, or “celebration of bringing [her] into the covenant,” and brit b’not yisrael, “covenant of the daughters of Israel.” Or perhaps you prefer something a bit simpler. The choice is yours.
The Ceremony
The birth of a baby girl is a special occasion that we want to share with friends and loved ones. When it comes to the actual ceremony, I offer a traditional yet modern ceremony, with prayers and blessings in Hebrew and English. We can also customize parts of the ceremony for your own unique celebration.
Some celebrations include a light meal following the ceremony, while others invite family and friends to a separate gathering on a different day. Others decide on a more traditional ceremony that includes various prayers (such as from the Book of Psalms) citing a special blessing over wine followed by a hearty, festive meal.
Whatever type of celebration you choose, what’s important is that it expresses joy on the birth of your new baby girl. I have always had a deep love and commitment to Judaism and will perform your ceremony with the utmost care and respect, leaving you and your family with a momentous day of celebration you will forever cherish.