Naming
after Saints
Saints and their
Feast Days were very important to the Polish people. Many parents
consulted their pastor and/or the Roman Calendar to name their children.
The parents looked for a saint whose feast day was on or near the birth
or baptismal date of their child. The feast day was unusually not
more than three weeks after the birth or baptism.
Poles did not celebrate their birthdays, as we do now. They celebrated the feast day of the saint for whom they were named or the anniversary of their baptism. Many families in Poland today still observe this tradition.
Note: Keep in mind that many immigrants from Poland may have given their baptismal date or feast day instead of their actual date of birth when providing a birth date for American records.
Naming
after Godparents
Some parents named
their child after one of the godparents. The custom was not as common
and varied by locality. The godfather was called a kmotr or
kumoter,
and the godmother was called a kumoszka.