<P> There are two roles in the Jewish circumcision ceremony that are sometimes translated as godparent . The sandek holds the baby boy while he is circumcised . Among Orthodox Ashkenazi, the kvater (or kvaterin if female) is the person who takes the child from his mother and carries him into the room in which the circumcision is performed . Kvater is etymologically derived from the archaic German Gevatter ("godfather"). </P> <P> Some Chinese communities practise the custom of matching a child with a relative or family friend who becomes the godmother (乾 媽) or godfather (乾 爹). This practice is largely non-religious in nature, but commonly done to strengthen ties or to fulfill the wish of a childless adult to have a "son / daughter". In most circumstances, an auspicious day is selected during which a ceremony takes place, involving the godchild paying his / her respects to his new godfather / godmother in the presence of relatives or friends . </P> <P> Alternatively, as it is already common in Chinese kinship to use kinship terms among people that are not related (e.g. addressing a respected coworker as "brother" or one's father's friend may be referred to as "uncle"), an older friend or family friend with a deep friendship and a sufficient age gap will also informally address the other as his godparent or godchild, a gesture often initiated by the older person . </P>

Where did the idea of godparents come from