The gods of the gentiles

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

If a man were originally named after one of the gods of the gentiles (i.e. a demon), why would he not take a new, Christian name when he becomes baptized?

If my parents had named me Krishna Ganesh, for example, and I became a Christian, I would surely want to take a Christian name.

My question is not rhetorical.  I'm thinking specifically of the Apollo referenced in the New Testament, but I'm sure there have been others.

[Melkite]

If a man were originally named after one of the gods of the gentiles (i.e. a demon), why would he not take a new, Christian name when he becomes baptized?

If my parents had named me Krishna Ganesh, for example, and I became a Christian, I would surely want to take a Christian name.

My question is not rhetorical.  I'm thinking specifically of the Apollo referenced in the New Testament, but I'm sure there have been others.

Any Christian name had to be used for the first time when a new Christian was baptized.  So what was the name before it was Christianized?  It was either a Hebrew name (or variation thereof) or a pagan name.

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

Any Christian name had to be used for the first time when a new Christian was baptized.

Many Christian names are brand new, like Christopher.

So what was the name before it was Christianized?  It was either a Hebrew name (or variation thereof) or a pagan name.

Hebrew names wouldn't have been associated with pagan "god"s, obviously.

And not all pagans were named after pagan "gods".  Colleen, for example, comes from the Gaelic "Cailinh", which means "girl".

I'm wondering specifically about the people who shared their names with pagan "gods".

[ElizabethH]

If a man were originally named after one of the gods of the gentiles (i.e. a demon), why would he not take a new, Christian name when he becomes baptized?

I think the idea of taking a Christian name was something that developed over centuries as Christianity spread. 

[Melkite]

Hebrew names wouldn't have been associated with pagan "god"s, obviously.

And not all pagans were named after pagan "gods".  Colleen, for example, comes from the Gaelic "Cailinh", which means "girl".

I'm wondering specifically about the people who shared their names with pagan "gods".

I understand.  I'm thinking like St. Brigid or St. Hugh.

But then there are also those named after pagan emperors.  Pope St. Hadrian, St. Cyrus, St. Alexander.

[benedicite]

In the early days of Christianity the Church was not as organized as it is today. There was a lot of informality with respect to names of catechumens and of the baptized. One could say that with all of his apostolic activity, the name Apollo became a sort of exorcism.