What are the criteria for a pope choosing his name?
The short answer
There are no official criteria. Popes usually honor a predecessor or someone they admire, or signal the direction of their papacy. The only unwritten custom is that no pope takes the name Peter.
Honoring someone
A pope typically chooses a name to honor a predecessor or someone he admires. John Paul II honored Paul VI and John Paul I; John XXIII honored his father.
Signaling a direction
A name can also indicate the course a pope intends, as when Pius XII signaled he would continue the work of Pius XI.
Not "Peter"
There are no restrictions, but by unwritten custom popes do not choose the name Peter. It is considered prudent not to invite comparison with the pope Christ himself chose.
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