Papal name

A papal name or pontifical name is the regnal name taken by a pope. Both the head of the Catholic Church, usually known as the pope, and the pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria (Coptic pope) choose papal names. As of 8May2025[update], Leo XIV is the Catholic pope, and TawadrosII is the Coptic pope. This article discusses and lists the names of Catholic popes; another article has a list of Coptic Orthodox popes of Alexandria.

While popes in the early centuries retained their birth names after their accession to the papacy, later popes began to adopt a new name upon their accession. This began in the sixth century and became customary in the tenth century. Since 1555, every pope has taken a papal name.

The pontifical name is given in Latin by virtue of the pope's status as bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church. The pope is also given an Italian name by virtue of his Vatican citizenship and because of his position as primate of Italy. However, it is customary when referring to popes to translate the regnal name into all local languages. Thus, for example, the current Catholic pope is Pope Leo in his native English as well as in Latin, Papa Leone in Italian, Papa León in Spanish, Pape Léon in French, and so on.

Title and honorifics

Catholic

The official style of the Catholic pope in English is "His Holiness Pope [papal name]". "Holy Father" is another honorific often used for popes.

The full title, rarely used, of the Catholic pope in English is: "His Holiness [papal name], Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the servants of God".

Coptic

The official title of the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is "Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of all Africa on the Holy See of St. Mark the Apostle, the Successor of St. Mark the Evangelist, Holy Apostle and Martyr, on the Holy Apostolic Throne of the Great City of Alexandria".

Within the Coptic Church, he is considered to be Father of Fathers, Shepherd of Shepherds, and Hierarch of all Hierarchs. Honorary titles attributed to the Hierarch of the Alexandrine Throne also include:

• The Pillar and Defender of the Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church and of the Orthodox Faith
• The Dean of the Great Catechetical School of Theology of Alexandria
• The Ecumenical (Universal) Judge (Arbitrator) of the Holy Apostolic and Catholic (Universal) Church
• The Thirteenth among the Holy Apostles

History

During the first centuries of the church, the bishops of Rome continued to use their baptismal names after their elections. The custom of choosing a new name began in AD 533: Mercurius deemed it inappropriate for a pope to be named after the pagan Roman god Mercury, and adopted the name John II in honor of his predecessor John I, who was venerated as a martyr. In the tenth century, clerics from beyond the Alps, especially Germany and France, acceded to the papacy and replaced their foreign-sounding names with more traditional ones.

The last pope to use his baptismal name was Marcellus II in 1555, a choice that was even then quite exceptional. Names are freely chosen by popes, and not based on any system. Names of immediate or distant predecessors, mentors, saints, or even family members — as was the case with John XXIII — have been adopted.

In 1978, Cardinal Albino Luciani became the first pope to take a double name, John Paul I, to honor his two immediate predecessors, John XXIII and Paul VI. John Paul I was also the first pope since Lando in 913 to adopt a papal name that had not previously been used. In 2013, a new name was introduced: Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio selected the name Francis in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.

Symbolism

In the past, some popes used their birth names; others chose names for various reasons, including the name of the pope who had elevated them to cardinal. From the mid-20th century it became customary to choose a name signaling the aim of their papacy.

The new pontiff's choice of name is now often seen as a signal to the world of whom the new pope will emulate and what policies he will seek to enact. Such was the case with Benedict XVI — it was speculated that he chose the name because he wished to emulate Benedict XV. The same case was for the incumbent Pope Leo XIV, whose reference was Pope Leo XIII and his encyclical Rerum Novarum, recognizing the need for awareness on the new industrial revolution and development of artificial intelligence.

Saint Peter was the first pope; no bishop of Rome has chosen the name Peter II, perhaps out of respect, although there is no prohibition against doing so. Since the 1970s some antipopes, with only a minuscule following, took the name Pope Peter II.

Probably because of the controversial 15th-century antipope known as John XXIII, this name was avoided for over 500 years until the election in 1958 of Cardinal Angelo Roncalli. Immediately upon taking the name of John, it was not known if he would be John XXIII or XXIV; he decided on John XXIII. The number used by an antipope is ignored unless the name has since been used by a legitimate pope; for instance, Benedict X was only deemed to have been an antipope centuries after his death, after the legitimate papacy of Nicola Boccasini as Benedict XI.

Current practice

Immediately after a new pope is elected, and accepts the election, he is asked in Latin "By what name shall you be called?" The new pope chooses the name by which he will be known from that point on. The senior cardinal deacon or cardinal protodeacon then appears on the balcony of Saint Peter's to proclaim the new pope by his birth name, and announce his papal name:

Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam! Eminentissimum ac reverendissimum dominum, dominum [baptismal name], Sanctæ Romanæ Ecclesiæ Cardinalem [surname], qui sibi nomen imposuit [papal name].

I announce to you a great joy: We have a Pope! The Most Eminent and Most Reverend Lord, Lord [baptismal name], Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church [surname], who takes to himself the name [papal name].

Papal names

As of 2025, there have been 81 different papal names. 44 of them have been used only once, of which 43 were during the first millennium of the papacy. The most frequently used papal name is John, with 21 popes having taken this name.

Six papal names — John, Benedict, Boniface, Alexander, Felix, and Martin — have numbering discrepancies, due to record-keeping errors or disputes over whether a particular reigning pontiff was valid.

Notes

Citations

• McClintock, John. 1891. Cyclopaedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature. Harper & Brothers. ()