If you were elected as the next Pope, what papal name would you choose?

St Malachy was an Irish bishop who died in 1148. He predicted all the future popes, not by name but by some characteristic of theirs. He did however name the last pope in his list who he said will be called Peter. There’s only one more pope left (after the current one) according to the list so the next one will be Peter, the last one:

Previous popes were described thus:

Benedict - The glory of the olive. The Order of Saint Benedict use an olive banch as part of their symbol

John Paul II - De Labore Solis (from the toil of the sun). He was born and was buried on the day of a solar eclipse.

John Paul I - De Medietate Lunae (of the average age of the moon). His papacy lasted only 34 days. About one moon cycle.

Paul VI - Flos Florum (flower of flowers). His personal arms bore three fleur-de-lis

And so it goes on…

Bishop Malachy supposedly described the next 112 Popes after the incumbent Innocent II. Benedict XVI is only the 101st Pope since then (“Crux de Cruce”) so we’re still safe for ten more Popes.

Didn’t someone- I think it was Jack Handy- hope that someday we would have a Pope Shorty?

Anyway, I’d be Popette (that’s what you call a female pope, right?) Felinia.

Think it depends how you count them. If you include a few antipopes then we’re still on track.

Face it, next pope’s the last. No good trying to wiggle out of our destiny.

I like X or Z names, but it would be appropriate to pick a name that is a Catholic Saint to make sure you aren’t accused of making fun of the papacy, so I would be Pope Xystus or Pope Zoticus (I can’t believe, after checking at Catholic Online, how many St. Zoticuses there have been!)

Pope Xystus is much the better of the two names. The name itself, and the X starting it, seem like it could give rise to all kinds of mystical conspiracy theories or biblical predictions or whatnot. It just sounds so mysterious.

ETA: to appease the believers in the prediction of St. Malachy, I’ll choose a compound or double-barrelled name like Jean-Paul I and Jean-Paul II did: Xystus-Pierre (French) aka Xystus Peter (English).

(I wonder why those hyphenated first names have caught on in French but never in English.)

There goes my first idea . . .

I’ll go with Pope Doom instead. And wear an iron mask. I get to yell “YOU DARE DEFY DOOM !” when bishops argue with me.

Gary

Nice, benign, and benevolent Pope Gary.

My emblem would be Spongebob’s pet snail.

Here is my thread on the assassination theory of John Paul I

Pope Hopon

Pope Antioch, then start a munitions factory…

It is called a mitre.

“Pope Hopalong” has a nice ring to it, I think. And if I could find a personal aide de camp named “Cardinal Windy”…

Cheers,

bcg

Pope Fukov.
" Pope Fukov prepares to bless the crowd."

Either Adolf or Bob

I like either Skip or Chip.

I like the name “Papa Cthulhu”.

A female pope is a “popess.”

How about Beaver?

Le Pape I

Something a little less formal… Like Pope Al or Pope Bob

Traditionally…Pope Leo XIV.

But, I really would like to start the Yeticus lineage of popes…or be king and pope with Yeticus Rex.

Yeah, Pope Yeticus Rex I.