# God Parents? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 30, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455 "2003-10-30T15:36:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Squirebob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Squirebob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squirebob)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/1 "2003-10-30T15:36:30Z")
My friend has just had a baby boy, well his girlfriend played a small part in proceedings, anyway it was healthy if a little agrieved about the whole beeing born thing… probably rather cosy in the womb, anyway, my friend would like the baby to have 5 god fathers, is this ok? ps we live in Britain ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/2 "2003-10-30T15:40:18Z")
I think the Don might be offended… ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/3 "2003-10-30T16:04:13Z")
heh… I read the subject as **Gods parents** I thought, now that is a new one. Five godfathers? Sure, why not…but wait shouldn’t the kid have a father first. You said your friend and his girlfriend had a baby, right. Now they are looking for a bunch of godfathers. Is there possibly a $$$ financial reason for this? Oh what the hell, I kinda remember something about a woman having a child and no husband…yet the kid had 3 godfathers. You bet, it sounds like a good idea now. The kid’ll probably need all the help he can get. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/4 "2003-10-30T16:09:56Z")
Godparents are a religious issue, not a legal one. (Although there are probably some countries with carry-over laws from the time when Western Europe had a single religion.) Basically, you can have as many “formal” godparents as the church provides room on the baptismal certificate, but there is nothing to stop anyone from providing their own form of recognition among the family and friends. (How does the lady whose incidental participation made this event possible feel about this?) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/5 "2003-10-30T18:05:55Z")
The only person whose opinion counts is the minister/priest performing the ceremony. Our firstborn had multiple godpatrents, and the minister’s attitude was “the more the merrier.” ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/6 "2003-10-30T18:13:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tomndebb \* > Basically, you can have as many “formal” godparents as the church provides room on the baptismal certificate, but there is nothing to stop anyone from providing their own form of recognition among the family and friends. I don’t agree that this is true in the Roman Catholic tradition. The Code of Canon Law, Can. 873, provides: > [@](#): > > One sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex. - Rick ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/7 "2003-10-30T18:45:00Z")
When my friend’s daughter was baptised in the Episcopal Church (or Anglican/Church of England, at least for a few more days), I was one of two Godfathers who sponsored her (plus my wife was her Godmother). So either the church canons in Anglicanism allow multiple Godparents, or our preist ignored any restriction. Neither would surprise me. As others have said, it is a religious matter, so it will depend on what church the ceremony takes place in. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/8 "2003-10-30T19:01:28Z")
Well, **Bricker** , I think the gist of **tom** ’s post is that the number and identify of godparents is an issue to be discussed with the minister, not the state. Given that the OP has not informed us of the religion in which the child will be baptized (if at all), I don’t think that we can answer more specifically than that. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/9 "2003-10-30T20:30:36Z")
Rick? My parish “provided room for” one male and one female godparent on my kids’ baptismal certificates. Certainly, that document was created with an eye to canon law (as would any similar documents for the Anglican Communion or any other denomination). However, I think a quick glance at the certificate gives one a rough rule of thumb for the denomination. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/10 "2003-10-30T22:07:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bricker \* > \*\*I don’t agree that this is true in the Roman Catholic tradition. > > The Code of Canon Law, Can. 873, provides: > > > [@](#): > > > > One sponsor, male or female, is sufficient; but there may be two, one of each sex. > > - Rick \*\* My brother is a quite religious Roman Catholic. When his fourth son was born, the kid had two godmothers at his church christening (and no godfather), since the family had an excess of female relatives that they wanted to include in the deal and had already used up the best males. I’m sure this must be an option, since my brother takes these sorts of things seriously. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/11 "2003-10-30T23:41:55Z")
My parents are athiests. My brother and I are not baptized (obviously) but we do have godparents. The term in our family is used to let everyone else in the family know who my parents wanted us to go to if something happened to them. My father’s oldest brother and his wife are our designated guardians (or were when we were minors). So, I suppose if there is no ‘documentation’ (or religious law involved) there is no reason not to have as many god parents as you’d like… if you think of it like a best man… tradtionally one, but if you want more, why not? ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/12 "2003-10-31T00:01:21Z")
For the RCC: Once there is one godparent or a godmother & godfather sufficient for the sacramental celebration, one can presumably name as many extra godparents as one wants. But be prepared that only one or two will be officially recorded in the baptismal registry and on the baptismal certificate. Whether all these extra godparents will be able to participate in the baptismal ceremony on a par with the ‘official godparent(s)’ is up to the minister. It’s my recommendation to meet with the minister face to face in advance and get permission. Of course, if parents, godparents, and family and friends all gather round the font at the same time, the point of who’s godparents and who’s not is moot. Of course, doesn’t the status of being a godparent kind of get diluted if there are thirteen other godparents? At some point, naming extra godparents becomes counter-productive. > [@](#): > > **FilmGeek** : The term in our family is used to let everyone else in the family know who my parents wanted us to go to if something happened to them. My father’s oldest brother and his wife are our designated guardians (or were when we were minors). I hope that they indicated this in a will, for it’s a common misperception that the ‘godparents’ will be the ones to raise the children in the death of the parents – not according to the courts if you die intestate. Without a will, the courts will assign the children to whom the courts think they should go, regardless of who has ‘godparent’ status. The courts tend to look to immediate relatives first. ## Peace. What name do you give your child? “Incontentia buttocks.” ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/13 "2003-10-31T00:05:53Z")
They were in the will, **moriah**. I forgot to mention the legal aspects. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Squirebob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Squirebob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squirebob)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/14 "2003-10-31T00:17:59Z")
Thank you for the replies, so basically its up to the religion, and the church involved… I will let my friend know 🙂 P.s The woman who was marginally involved in the event is very happy to have five god fathers… including me woooo 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CakeOrDeath666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@CakeOrDeath666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CakeOrDeath666)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2003, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/god-parents/210455/15 "2003-10-31T02:22:09Z")
My family are Catholic, and me and my sister were both baptised. Fun fun fun. Anyway, my sister has 1 Godmother and 2 Godfathers. I’m pretty sure 5 would be allowed.