How Popes Choose their names and what's its Significance

When white smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel and the words "Habemus Papam" (We have a pope) echo across St Peter's Square, the Catholic Church gets its new leader.

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But even before he steps onto the balcony, one crucial decision is already made: his name. Choosing a new name is the pope's first public act. From Francis to Benedict, John Paul to Pius, papal names carry stories of reform and transformation. The pope's chosen name isn't just a preference or a nod to a favourite saint. It is often the first message to the world about who he intends to be, the legacy he honours, and the direction he hopes to steer the Church. For the first 500 years, popes retained their birth names. The practice of adopting a new name began with Pope John II in 533, born Mercurius. He changed his name to avoid the pagan connotations associated with Mercury, the Roman god. The last pope to keep his birth name was Marcellus II in 1555. Over time, adopting a papal name became customary, with most popes choosing names of predecessors or saints they wishe