New Pope

[tnwpp.com]

Why did the new Pope take another Pope's name as his?

[melv]

Apparently its something that they just do!Its a more religious name!

Nuns also take on a more religious name when they become nuns

[Octavius]

There are many reasons being bounded about:

Named in honour of the spirituality of the Benedictine order.  Benedictine is Latin for 'blessing' and has deep roots in his native Bavaria.  Benedict XVI spends 1 week  year at a Benedictine retreat in Bavaria.

Named in honour of St Benedict (the original) who was born into the tumultuous time at the end of the Roman Empire and is considered the father of western monasticism. He brought a simple plan for order and peace into a period of confusion which gripped the Catholic Church.

Named in honour of Benedict XV, an Italian archbishop, became pope in 1914 and is remembered most for his attempts at peacemaking.  He proposed a peace plan to end World War I in 1917 but was ignored.  The french called him a German pope, and the Germans called him a French pope.

[Octavius]

Sorry that should read 'Benedict' is Latin for 'blessing'

[Peter Pedant]

Change of post (promotion even) change of name. rebirth as a different person type of thing

Kings do it as well, by the way - Edward VIII - not a success was really David, and his brother George VI was albert I think.

[silly moo]

Kings of Gt Britain usually use a name they were baptised with, but not always the one they were known by in the family.

[THECORBYLOON]

Not a lot of folk know (and no doubt fewer care) Queen Victoria's first name was Alexandrina.....

[mattfox]

It's not really "just because he wants to" - it has just become tradition which dates to 533 and the election of Pope John II, whose birth name was Mercurius (this is according to the Catholic Encyclopedia). Mercurius is derived from Mercury, a pagan Roman god. Believing that a successor of St. Peter should not carry a name belonging to a pagan religion, Mercurius chose to change his name upon his election to honor a previous pope.

While some that followed John II chose to retain their original name, it soon became commonplace for new popes to choose a new moniker. The name change also symbolizes the new life that the new pope is entering as the head of the Catholic Church. Typically, the new pope selects the name of his favorite Saint or a former pope whom he admires.

John Paul II chose his name to honor his predecessor, John Paul I, who died just 33 days after being elected pope. John Paul I chose his name to honor predecessors Pope John XXIII and Pope Paul VI