Other forms: christenings
A christening is the church service where a baby is baptised and given a name. Water from a stone font on the forehead, godparents lined up, a long white gown that has been in the family for three generations, and everyone back to the house afterwards for cake.
The verb is christen, and the same word covers ships: a bottle of champagne swung against the hull is a christening. Informally, christening the new barbecue means using it for the first time. A christening is Christian — the non-religious version is a naming ceremony, and baptism is the technical word for the rite itself. The t in the middle is silent.
1nounchristeningA Christian ceremony at which a baby is baptised and given a name.
“They invited forty people to the christening.”
2nounshipA ceremony at which a ship, a bell or a building is formally named.
“The christening of the new lifeboat drew a crowd to the harbour.”
christening is a religious ceremony.
Christening runs straight back through Middle English cristenynge to Old English cristnung. Under the modern spelling stands Christ: to christen a child was to make it Christian, and the name came as part of that.
Old English
cristnung
Middle English
cristenynge
English, today
christening
From Middle English cristenynge, from Old English cristnung; compare christen + -ing.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Family & People, Babies & Growing Up, Weddings & Celebrations