The Hidden Meaning And Tradition Behind Papal Names
What’s in a name? That’s a question Catholics often ask after a new pope is elected.
One of his first official acts of a new pope is to choose a name. Deeply symbolic, the name often reflects the pope's values or spiritual inspirations.
Following the closed-door process known as the conclave, Cardinal Robert Prevost — the first U.S.-born pope in history — chose the name Leo XIV as the 267th head of the Catholic Church.
The tradition of adopting a new name is steeped in tradition. In the early centuries of Christianity, many popes changed their names because their original ones were of pagan origin.
The tradition dates back to the sixth century with Pope John II, who changed his birth name Mercurius because it was associated with a Roman god. At the time, he felt such a name was inappropriate for a Christian leader.
Since then, every pope has chosen a name upon ascending to the papacy. The tradition of choosing a papal name — uninterrupted since 1555 — remains one of the most meaningful and symbolic acts of a new pontificate.
The choice is entirely up to the new pontiff. There are no guidelines, but most popes choose names that reflect continuity with predecessors they admire or saints that mean something to their ministry.
For example, Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, chose his name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, known for his devotion to helping the poor. The name aligned with Francis’ pastoral vision and humility, making him the first pope to choose that moniker.
A plaque commemorating the popes buried in St. Peter's Basilica (Wikipedia Commons photo)
Most popular names
There are no rules or canon law governing how the pope chooses his name.
“There are very few rules for the man at the top, so they're allowed to choose what they want,” Joshua McManaway, assistant professor of the practice and program director at Notre Dame's McGrath Institute for Church Life, told The Pillar.
Popes often select names of past popes. For example, John XXIII, Paul VI and John Paul II chose their names as a tribute to a short-lived predecessor.
Over the centuries, certain names have been favored. Here’s a list of the most-used papal names (not including the times they were used by anti-popes) over the centuries:
— John (21 times) – This name is the most popular among popes, likely due to its biblical importance. It was last used by John XXIII (1958–1963).
— Gregory (16 times) – This name honors early popes, especially Gregory I (known as Gregory the Great), who served in the sixth century and is remembered for reforming church liturgy.
— Benedict (15 times) – This name is most often associated with theology and scholarship. The most recent was Benedict XVI (2005–2013), who cited Benedict XV, a pope during World War I known for promoting peace, and St. Benedict of Nursia, founder of Western monasticism.
— Clement (14 times) – This name dates back to Pope Clement I, one of the first bishops of Rome, and became common especially during the Middle Ages.
— Leo (14 times) – Pope Leo I is remembered as one of the most influential early popes, known for confronting Attila the Hun and defining papal authority. Prevost, the newest pope, chose Leo.
— Innocent (13 times) – This name, also popular in the Middle Ages, suggests moral integrity.
There have been 44 names that have been used once.
From 1775 to 1958, out of 11 Popes, seven were named Pius — from Pius VI (1775–1799) to Pius XII (1939–1958). Eugenio Pacelli took the name Pius XII because he was distantly related to Pius IX (1846–1878), but also out of gratitude to Pius X (1903–1914), who was canonized in 1954.
In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani became the first pontiff to take a double name, John Paul I, to honor his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI. In doing so, John Paul I became the first pope in almost 1,100 years (since Lando in 913) to adopt a papal name that had not previously been used.
“John Paul I actually said, ‘I am John Paul the first, there will be another coming after me,’” according to Matt Sewell, host of podcast “Popecast” and author of the newsletters “Popes in a Year” and “Today in Papal History.”
After John Paul I's sudden death just a month later, Cardinal Karol Jozef Wojtyła was elected and, wishing to continue his predecessor's work, became the second pope to take a double name as John Paul II.
It should also be noted that a new pope is also given an Italian name by virtue of his Vatican citizenship and because of his position as Bishop of Rome.
The statue of Saint Peter by Arnolfo di Cambio at the Vatican. (Wikipedia Commons photo)
No Peter rule
By contrast, some names (like Peter, who Catholics consider the first pope) has never been reused. There is no prohibition against choosing the name Peter — but it’s something that’s not done.
Two thousand years later, it remains an unwritten rule.
“I suspect it is humility or perhaps even because one does not want to compare oneself to the one pope we know Christ chose himself,” McManaway said. “That may be a bridge too far!”
Paul, on the other hand, is more acceptable. There have been six popes named Paul: Pope Paul I (757–767), Pope Paul II (1464–1471), Pope Paul III (1534–1549), Pope Paul IV (1555–1559), Pope Paul V (1605–1621) and Pope Paul VI (1963–1978).
As mentioned, there have been two pontiffs named John Paul: John Paul I (1978) and John Paul II (1978–2005).
“Paul is safe,” McManaway said. “You’re allowed to choose Paul.”
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor of Religion Unplugged.