Naming premature boy

Hello,
I wanted to ask a question about naming a premature baby. I just gave birth to a boy, but he is three months premature, and so he won't be able to come home from the neonatal intensive care unit for at least two and a half months. I wanted to know what the halacha is for naming an infant in this case. I know you are normally supposed to wait until the Brit, but he won't be ready for a brit for a very long time...
Thanks very much for your help.

Dear questioner,

Thank you for your question.

Mazal tov on the birth of your baby! 

It would be permissible to give your child a name early over the Torah.  The name would enable you to make a prayer for refuah with a proper name.  Couples in this position usually choose a name that expresses their hopes for the baby's healing, such as "Refael" or "Hayyim".  At the brit, you might choose to change the name, adding a name before or after it.

May you and your baby have a refuah sheleimah and may he follow in the footsteps of Moshe Rabbeinu, who, according to the midrash, was born after only six months of pregnancy.

This internet service does not preclude, override or replace the psak of any rabbinical authority. It is the responsibility of the questioner to inform us of any previous consultation or ruling. As even slight variation in circumstances may have Halachic consequences, views expressed concerning one case may not be applied to other, seemingly similar cases.

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