From Latin infans via English, meaning infant or young child; usually used administratively rather than traditionally.
Infant is one of the more spiritually layered names in the Catholic tradition, primarily used in the Philippines and parts of India where devotion to the Christ Child is particularly fervent. The name derives from the Latin infans, meaning 'one who cannot speak' — and by extension, a baby or young child. It is inseparable from the devotional image of the Santo Niño, whose veneration was formalized through the famous Infant of Prague, a wax statue dressed in royal robes that has been a focus of Catholic piety since the 17th century.
In the Philippines, the fiesta of the Santo Niño — particularly in Cebu, where Magellan famously presented an image of the Infant Jesus to Queen Juana in 1521 — is among the most celebrated religious events in the country. The Sinulog festival draws millions of pilgrims annually. Children named Infant carry a deeply personal connection to this devotion; the name is simultaneously a blessing, a prayer, and a statement of faith passed from parent to child.
Outside these devout Catholic contexts, the name Infant is unusual enough to provoke genuine curiosity, which is perhaps part of its quiet power. It reminds those who encounter it that names can be acts of worship — not just identification — and that in naming a child, parents sometimes reach for the most sacred image they know. It is a name that asks to be understood in full cultural context before it can be fully appreciated, and rewards that understanding generously.