How to explain a Catholic christening name to a non-Catholic

Question

I am working on a profile for a man who was christened by the name of Anthony in the Catholic church, but used a different given name in subsequent records.  What is the appropriate wording to explain that to a non-Catholic (of which I am one.)?

Edited:  The WikiTree ID is below.  I went light on explanation, so if anyone has a suggestion, feel free to let me know.  

Comments

There is a subtle difference between christening and baptism in the Catholic Church. Christening is not a rite, per se, but is a part of the baptismal rite where the Priest asks the parents/god parents “what name do you give this child.” Technically a christening is the giving of a name, and baptism is the rite of initiation into the Church.

I have seen many cases of Catholic baptism where a child is given one name only, also many cases where a child is given two or more names where sometimes only one is used after baptism, and cases where the child’s name includes “de Sagrado Corazon” as part of the name (there is a parish in Jalisco where every child is named this way). In the families I am familiar with “de Sagrado Corazon” is not ever used after baptism.

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I am not sure what date  or country you are working in so the following may not be applicable but a lot of early Catholic Records in England (at least) were in Latin so whilst the baptism name would be Jacobus the REAL name would be either James or Jacob the same for Gulielmus would be William. Also when Catholics are confirmed they often acquire another name My Nana's (Grandmother) was Catherine I know this because I asked her why she didn't have a middle name and she said I have a confirmation name. Also I assume that if they are ordained they can acquire one too Charles Anselm Bolton because though he used Charles Anselm - he was not baptised with the middle name Anselm. 

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Thank you.

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I'm an Anglcan priest (=Episcopalian, if you're American), retired but active. 'Christening ' was originally the anointing element of the rite, part of which was associated with the naming, whereas baptism is the immersion in or pouring over of water. 18th and 19th century RC  baptism records are always in Latin, but then, so was the liturgy.  Jacobus was an official name, but then James was the official name in English, and yet Jim would be the most used form in practice: which was the 'real' name? At my mother's (Anglican) baptism her first name was first written as Margaret, but then corrected to Marguerite; my grandmother was Eleanor,  bur the Vicar wrote Helena, and the family called her Nellie or Nell. A 17th century ancestor was Samuel, but the Vicar recorded him as Shemuel, in accordance with the Hebrew. Such are the pitfalls of using baptism registers!

Answer 1

A christening name depending on date, is/was often in Latin. The name given at christening had to include one saint's name. It is usually part of the legal registered name, as an example my brother's legal name is Michael Anthony.

His names as given on the baptism/christening record is Michaelis Antonius.  

And answering another common question the christening is the naming event during which baptism occurs.

Similar to wedding vs marriage, you invite people to your wedding which is the event during which the marriage occurs. People are not generally invited to participate in your marriage.

What is his full name on the record?

Are you sure it is a christening record, and not a confirmation record?

Just because confirmation names are not part of a legal or official name.

Answer 2

Traditionally a Roman Catholic christened name is the same as the legal / given, or at least the same as the legal middle name, with M Ross's mentioned caveat for Latin-ization of the name in the actual older church records. But the christened name must be an existing saint's name, so if the parents wanted to call the child by a different non-saint name then the middle name could be the christened "saint's" name while the person used their first name for the most part thereafter. Or the person themselves switched names as their own personal preference, despite the laws of God and man.

As M Ross said, confirmation name is a whole different thing, being chosen by the person themselves usually as a teenager or older, and not being part of their "legal" name at all - and seldom used in any case - unless they went to court for a name change later.

Joe Murray

17th degree RC (17 years of Catholic school and the emotional scars to prove it)

Comments

9 years of Catholic school and a grandfather knighted by the pope for services to the Catholic Church.

Answer 3

I have two good answers so far, and they are very helpful.  I'll add a few details in case there any nuances that can be added.. 

I have double-checked and the document in question was a baptism.  "May 24, 1885, I baptized Anthony Burton - son of Alvin Storm and Nancy Ross - born Sept. 8, 1876.  Sponsors were: J. Risacker and Margaret Pollard."  This was at Immaculate Conception in Shelbyville, Shelby, Illinois.  

The name on the baptism document, "Anthony Burton (Berton)" Storm, is also the name that appeared on his civil birth certificate.  The name he used in adulthood was "Hiram Berton Storm." 

Comments

This could therefore be a case of either the parents deciding that they prefered the name Hiram or even like today the individual deciding to change there forename (which as long as its not for fraudalent reasons you can change) legal documents often require deed poll in England (not sure what it is called in other countries)

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That's probably the case.