A naming ceremony invitation needs the parents' names, the words "naming ceremony" with the baby's sex if the family is sharing it, the date and time, the venue, and how to reply. It usually leaves out the baby's name, because in many Nigerian families the name is announced at the ceremony itself. The messages below are written for WhatsApp first, since many naming invitations now go out there, with card versions for Christian, Muslim, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa families.
What to include in a naming ceremony invitation
- Who is inviting: the parents, sometimes with the grandparents named as well.
- The occasion: "the naming ceremony of our baby girl", "our son", or simply "our baby".
- Date and time. Naming ceremonies are often in the morning and short, so the start time matters.
- Venue, with a landmark if it is a family house.
- How to reply, and by when, if there will be food and the numbers matter.
Keep the name back. A guest who already knows the name has no reason to come for the announcement. If the family has already shared it, there is no harm, but many families wait.
When naming ceremonies hold
The day depends on the family and their faith, and the invitation should name the date plainly rather than say "on the eighth day".
- Many Yoruba Christian families name the baby on the eighth day after birth.
- Muslim families commonly hold the naming on the seventh day, in line with the Islamic tradition of the aqiqah.
- Igbo families hold the naming (iba afa) on a date the family chooses, and practice varies from community to community.
Ask the family before you print anything. If you are the planner, the date is theirs to set, not yours.
Sample 1: Christian family (WhatsApp)
With joy and thanksgiving, Tunde and Bisi Adewale invite you to the naming ceremony of our baby girl.
Saturday 7 November 2026, 9am 14 Aina Street, Ojodu Berger, Lagos
Light refreshments after. Please reply YES or NO by Thursday.
Sample 2: Muslim family (WhatsApp)
Assalamu alaikum. Alhamdulillah, Abdulrahman and Khadijah Yusuf invite you to the naming ceremony of our son.
Friday 13 November 2026, 8am Yusuf family house, 3 Sabo Road, Ilorin
Kindly reply by Wednesday so we can plan.
Sample 3: Yoruba family (card)
Ìsọmọlórúkọ Naming ceremony
Mr and Mrs Olumide Bakare joyfully invite you to the naming ceremony of their baby boy
Saturday 21 November 2026 at 10am 22 Akinola Street, Ikeja (opposite the mosque)
RSVP: 0803 000 0000
Sample 4: Igbo family (card)
Iba afa Naming ceremony
Mr and Mrs Kelechi Okeke with joy invite you to the naming ceremony of their daughter
Sunday 29 November 2026, after the 8am Mass Okeke compound, Umuokpara, Umuahia
RSVP: 0805 000 0000
Sample 5: Hausa family (WhatsApp)
Assalamu alaikum. Alhamdulillah, Ibrahim and Fatima Sani invite you to the suna (naming) of our baby girl.
Thursday 19 November 2026, 7:30am Sani family house, Unguwar Rimi, Kaduna
Your presence will be appreciated.
A short version for family groups
Baby's naming ceremony: Saturday 7 November, 9am, 14 Aina Street, Ojodu Berger. Tunde and Bisi. Please come.
This is the one that gets forwarded, so keep the date, time and venue in it and nothing else.
A note on the reply line
If there will be only tea and small chops, a reply line is optional. If the family is feeding a hall, it is not, because the caterer charges per head. Ask for YES or NO by a named day, and send a reminder the day before that day. We wrote about the reply problem in the Nigerian RSVP problem.
When the naming becomes a party
Some naming ceremonies are small and done by noon. Others become a full party with a hall, a DJ and a guest list in the hundreds, and then they need what any big event needs. That means a guest list collected from both sides of the family, invitations and a gate. On Comtev, a planner collects the guest list on WhatsApp, sends invitations with QR access passes in one tap, and door staff scan guests in. See how it works.
FAQs
What do you write on a naming ceremony invitation?
The parents' names, the occasion with the baby's sex if you are sharing it, the date and time, the venue with a landmark, and how and by when to reply. Many families leave the baby's name off the invitation.
How do you announce a naming ceremony on WhatsApp?
Send a short message with the parents' names, "naming ceremony of our baby girl" or "boy", the date, time and venue, and a reply-by day. Keep it short enough to be forwarded in family groups without editing.
On which day is a naming ceremony held in Nigeria?
It depends on the family. Many Yoruba Christian families name on the eighth day, Muslim families commonly on the seventh day, and Igbo families on a date the family chooses. Put the actual date on the invitation.
Should the baby's name be on the invitation?
Usually not. In many Nigerian families the name is announced at the ceremony, and keeping it back is part of the occasion.
How do I write a short naming ceremony invitation message?
"Baby's naming ceremony: Saturday 7 November, 9am, 14 Aina Street, Ojodu Berger. Tunde and Bisi. Please come." Date, time, venue, who is inviting.