Once the vote of the new pope is obtained, the name he chooses can mark the direction the Catholic Church moves in the years to come.
Announcement “Habemus Papa” or “We Have a Pope” will be made from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. Then the baptism name of the Pope in Latin and the name and meaning of the Pope he chose.
If the Pope chose to go with Pope Francis II, this could mean the pastoral legacy of the late Pope, although Francis himself quipped that anyone who inherited him was John XXIV, named after the Pope of the Vatican II-II era.
In the 20th century, the Pope's most popular name was Asylum, which, if chosen, might indicate that the traditionalists were taking back the throne of St. Peter.
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Right Pope Francis pays homage to Pope Benedict XVI before meeting with seniors in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican on September 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia/File)
"In the deepest depressions they started, everyone would walk there under a name," Natalia Imperatori-Lee, president of religious studies at the University of Manhattan, told the Associated Press.
For most of the 1000 years of the church, the pope used their names, although the first exception was Roman Mercurius of the 6th century, who named him after the pagan god and chose the name John II.
Pastor Roberto Regoli, a historian at the Pope Gregorian University, told Wire Service that adopting names became a common practice in the 11th century, a period of a German pope who chose the name of the early bishops "desire for continuity."
The Cardinals gathered at the Saint. Peter's Cathedral chose the New Pope before the General Mass.
President Ronald Reagan sat in the Vizcaya building with Pope John Paul II on September 10, 1987. (Getty Image)
Regoli added that it was not until the mid-20th century that the new pope began to choose names that indicate their papal direction.
“Even now, as we are waiting for the new pope, the name he puts himself up will help us understand the horizon where he wants to move forward.”
Names like Urban and Innocent have been unused for hundreds of years, Imperatori-Lee said he thought no one would choose the latter given the abuse and scandal that shocked the church.
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Pope Benedict XVI welcomed the crowds to gather in St. Mark's Square in Venice as he crossed the square in an electric cart on May 7, 2011. (Marco Secchi/Getty Images)
"I don't think that's the right choice," he said.
The latest names include Francis, Benedict and John Paul.
Francis said the Pope's focus was on those who were 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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Pope Francis released a pigeon after meeting with other religious leaders in St Nicholas in Bari, Apulia region, southern Italy on July 7, 2018. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP via Getty Images)
Benedict was elected in 2005 and was selected because he wanted to pay tribute to Benedict XV.
John Paul chose his own name, marking a commitment to reform, including the situation of the Latin Mass, while supporting local languages and other beliefs, most importantly Judaism.
However, choosing a name that has never been used before is still the New Pope's choice.
"This will open up a new season, which may mean that his plans are inconsistent with any of his predecessors, and therefore a more personalized plan," Regory said.
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Imperatori-Lee proposed another name that might mark the continuation of Francis' legacy: Ignatius, the founder of the Jesuit Order of Francis.
"It's fun," she said. "We never had one."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.