Papal conclave: Eventual new pope's chosen name may signal what's ahead

Once a new pope is voted in, the name he chooses could signal the direction the Catholic Church moves in the coming years.

The announcement "Habemus Papa," or, "We have a pope," will be made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. It will then be followed by the pontiff’s baptismal name in Latin, along with his chosen papal name and meaning.

Should the pope choose to go with Pope Francis II, it could signify continuity with the late pontiff’s pastoral legacy, though Francis himself quipped that whoever succeeds him would be John XXIV, named after the Vatican II-era pope.

In the 20th century, the most popular name for popes was Pius, and if chosen, that could signal that a traditionalist is taking back the throne of St. Peter.

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Pope Francis, right, greets Pope Benedict XVI prior to the start of a meeting with elderly faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sept. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia/File)

"In the deepest recesses of their mind, when they start the conclave, everyone will walk in there with a name in their head," Natalia Imperatori-Lee, chair of religious studies at Manhattan University, told The Associated Press.

For the majority of the Church’s first 1,000 years, popes used their given names, though the first exception was Roman Mercurius in the 6th century, who was named for a pagan god and chose the name John II.

Adopting a name became common practice during the 11th century, a period of German popes who chose the names of early bishops out of a "desire to signify continuity," Rev. Roberto Regoli, a historian at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, told the wire service.

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It was not until the mid-20th century that new popes began to choose names signaling the direction of their papacy, Regoli added.

"Even now, as we are waiting for the new pope, the name with which he will present himself will help us to understand the horizon towards which he wants to proceed," Regoli said.

Names like Urban and Innocent have not been used for centuries, and Imperatori-Lee said he did not think anyone would pick the latter, given the abuse and scandals that have rocked the church.

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"I don’t think that would be the right choice," he said.

The most recent names chosen include Francis, Benedict and John Paul.

The AP said Francis signaled a papacy focused on those who are often seen as outsiders, including the poor, prisoners and the LGBTQ+ community, while promoting peace, brotherhood and care for the environment.

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Benedict, who was elected in 2005, was chosen because he wanted to pay homage to Benedict XV, who led the Catholic Church during World War I and dedicated himself to healing the rifts of war.

John Paul chose his name, signaling a commitment to reforms, including the sidelining of the Latin Mass in favor of local languages and other faiths, most significantly Judaism.

But it is still a new pope’s choice to choose a name never used before.

"This would open a new season and could mean that his program is not in line with any of his predecessors, so an even more personalized program," Regoli said.

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Imperatori-Lee suggested another name that might signal a continuation of Francis’ legacy: Ignatius, for the founder of Francis’ Jesuit order.

"It would be interesting," she said. "We’ve never had one of those."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.