King James Bible
"And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father."
The eighth day circumcision follows Jewish law from Genesis 17:12 and Leviticus 12:3, marking the child's formal entry into the covenant community. This timing was considered medically safer and spiritually significant, demonstrating Zechariah and Elizabeth's faithful observance of Torah despite their miraculous circumstances. The community assumes the traditional naming practice where firstborn sons inherit their father's name, especially fitting since Zechariah was a respected priest. This sets up the dramatic moment in the next verse where both parents will insist on the divinely appointed name 'John,' breaking with cultural expectation.