christen

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitivereligion

   To admit a baby or convert into the Christian Church through baptism and give them a name.

   Grammar: Takes an object such as a baby; common pattern is christen someone a name or christen someone after someone.

   Patterns

   • christen a baby
   • christen someone after someone
   • christen someone in church

   The family christened their daughter in the village church.

   He was christened after his grandfather.

2. 2verbtransitiveinformal

   To give a name or title to a person, place, object, or project for the first time, often in a playful way.

   Grammar: Also transitive, but secular and often informal; do not use it for a formal religious service unless baptism is meant.

   Patterns

   • christen something with a name
   • christen a boat
   • christen a new tradition

   They christened the boat Blue Horizon before its first trip.

   My roommate christened our broken heater Old Reliable.

Word forms

Common combinations

christen a baby

They plan to christen the baby in spring.

christen a boat

They will christen the boat with sparkling water.

christen after a relative

The baby was christened after her great-aunt.

christening ceremony

The christening ceremony was small and family-only.

Synonyms and how they differ

baptize

Baptize is the broader religious rite; christening often includes naming and is especially common with babies.

name

Name is the neutral secular choice and fits any first use, not only Christian baptism.

dedicate

Dedicate means setting something apart for a purpose and does not by itself mean giving a name.

Word family

christening noun

The ceremony of baptism or first naming.

Christian adjective

Connected with Christianity; related in history but different in use.

Commonly confused: christen or Christian?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “christen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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