How many godparents is usual? Post Reply

[new to nappies]

Beginning to think about having our little one christened (non religious) and wondering how many godparents is usual? Some of our friends seem to have asked multiples of people for each of their children and others a single godparent and godmother. Is there any guidelines as to how many one should have? Neither my husband or I have godparents but would like our own to have them. 

[Knightsambl]

Irrespective of the numbers of godparents, I’m not sure I understand the first part of your premise. You’re not religious, but will be christening your kid, and creating godparents, who will have to renounce the devil as part of a church ceremony. How does that work? Are you doing it to get into a CoE primary school or something?

[Stickystick]

There’s no limit either in a secular naming ceremony or a Church of England christening (it’s not entirely clear which you mean).

However it’s something you don’t want to devalue by having a lot of. If you want your child to have a meaningful relationship with their godparents, the godparents need to feel that they are needed and valued. They are going to feel that more if they are one of two or three than one of seven.
From the child’s perspective it also needs to be a manageable number. Think of the thank you letters that they will need to write at Christmas and birthdays etc)!

[SW11 mumma]

Church of England tradition as I know it is

Girls normally have 2 godmothers and 1 godfather
Boys normally have 2 godfathers and 1 godmother

Agree only get them christened if you believe and will go to church. Worth chatting to your local vicar.

If you want a party do a naming ceremony or just have the party!

[Margot28]

Traditionally it's 3. 2 women and 1 man for a daughter and vice versa for a son. Again traditionally for a first child one godparent tends to be a sibling of the parents.

[Scientist]

If you're not religious, why are you considering a christening and the appointment of godparents?

Notwithstanding the above, 3 for each child is fairly traditional, the gender bias of each godparent being towards the sex of the child in the ratio 2:1.