How to Ask Someone to Be a Godparent

Although the task of being a godparent is a serious one, your proposal doesn’t have to be. Choosing how to ask someone to be a godparent can be an adventure in itself.

We’re going to take you through some fun ways to ask godparents to be a part of your babe's world.

In this article: 📝

What are godparents?

If you feel like you need an understudy in this parenting show, godparents are it.

The old saying that it takes a village to raise a child?

Well, in this village, godparents have a very important role.

Godparents were formally called “sponsors” from the Latin spondere which means “to promise”.

And even in our contemporary world, becoming a godparent means taking an oath to serve as a guide through your child’s life. And that’s a pretty big deal.

So where did this idea come from?

Godparents have a history in the Christian faith.

The idea is that, at a child’s baptism into the church, godparents promise to look after a child’s spiritual growth.

Plus, they also promise to be there if any sort of crisis hits the immediate family.

While this is still the case for many families, the task of the godparent has broadened out a bit beyond this.

Regardless of your religion and culture, having godparents in the mix can mean your little one has someone to turn to in times of trouble, and a mentor that can help them grow and develop as a person.

Think of them more as deputy parents, who will form an important part of your baby’s development.

So now for the all-important question — how do you pop the question?

Don’t fret. We've got some fun ideas for you.

How do you ask someone to be a godparent?

Read to dive in? Here are our favorite godparents' proposal ideas.

1. With love from your baby ❤️ If you’d like to go the humorous route, write a note that says: Help, these people need backup. Please be my godparent.
2. Bubbling over 💬 If your baby has already been born, make a card with their face on it and a speech bubble that says: Will you be my godparent?
3. The fairy tale ending 🧚 Some of the most magical godmothers out there are of the fairy variety. Some fun fairy godmother-themed ideas? Tie a card with the question on it to a toy magic wand, a pair of wings, or a bottle of glitter.
4. Mafia style 🕶️ If you’re finding it hard to say the word “godfather” without the Francis Ford Coppola movie coming to mind, it’s time for a themed invitation. There are so many ways to do this. A Godfather-themed card? A fedora with the question folded up inside? A bow tie, cigar or rose with a note on it?
5. Locket up 🔑 A special locket with a picture of your baby inside it can be the perfect gift to show them just how much you mean to you and your family.
6. Over a game of scrabble 🆒 If you’re the wordy type, invite them over for a game of scrabble. When they arrive, have: Will you be my godparent? written on the board. You can then tell them that you too are astounded that your young baby knew how to spell all those words.
7. Box it 🎁 Create a box of trinkets that hold special significance for your relationship with them. Photos, tickets of places you’ve visited together, a note from the past. And then write on the front something like: You’ve already had so many adventures with my mama. I was hoping you could have some with me. Will you be my godparent?
8. An embarrassing pic from your earlier days 📸 Yep, we’ve all got those lying around. Now they can finally come in useful. On the back, you can write something along the lines of Please, please be my godparent. This mama needs you.
9. Make it edible (or drinkable) 🧁🥂 Cake? Cookies? A bottle of bubbly with a label with the all-important question on it? Why not make this delicious?

And finally, what about the timing of it all?

When do you ask someone to be a godparent?

You can really do this your way.

You can either ask them a few weeks before your baby is born, or once they’ve entered the world.

In the Catholic Church, babies are baptized in the first few weeks of their life.

Other denominations wait until children are a little older, in some cases around five or six years of age.

If you would like your baby to be baptized, check in with your church to see what their tradition is.

That will give you some guidance as to when you should ask the prospective godparents if they want to take on this important job.

And if you don’t need to factor in a baptism, it’s up to you.

You do this in your way, in a way that is meaningful to you.

All the best, mama!