How do they choose a new name for the pope?

Answer 1

A person who is elected pope (Bishop of Rome) does not have to change his name, but many have done so. It is his decision, and the new name is normally announced to the cardinals when he accepts election.

Answer 2

A pope does not have to change his name but most do. It is symbolic of Jesus changing the name of Simon to Peter at the time he named him as leader of his Church and the first pope. After Peter, the next pope to change his name was Pope John II in the year 533. He did so because his birth name was Mercurius and he did not think it proper for the pope to be named for a Roman god.

Answer 3

Immediately following his election, the cardinal in charge of the conclave goes up to the candidate and asked if he accepts election as Pope. If he replies in the affirmative, the next question would be, "by what name do you wish to be know?". And the new Holy Father would reply, "Benedict" or "John" or "Paul". So the Holy Father chooses his own name for his own personal reasons.

Answer 4

Popes do not have to take a new name but do it by custom and by choice. It signifies a change in the life of the cardinal to pope and is symbolic of Our Lord changing the name of Simon to Peter when he appointed him as the first pope. After that, the first to change his name was Pope John II (born Mercurius) and was pope from 533 to 535. He did not think it proper for a pope to be named after a pagan Roman God, Mercury.

Answer 5

"They" don't choose a new name for the Pope, when a new Pope is chosen, the Cardinal in charge steps up to his seat and asks him, in Latin, if he accepts election. If he replies in the affirmative, then the Cardinal asks him by what name he would like to be know. If he wants, he may choose a name right then, and that is it.

Answer 6

Popes are not required to change their names. However, most of them do following the lead of St. Peter who had is name changed by Christ from Simon.

Answer 7

They do not have to take a new name but most do out of respect for Simon who had his name changed to Peter by Jesus when he was appointed as the first pope.

Answer 8

The pope does not have to change his name but most do. It recognizes that Our Lord changed Simon's name to Peter when he named him the first leader of his church.

Answer 9

They are not required to change their names. They may keep their given name if they so wish.