Nyerere's brother, Edward Wanzagi Nyerere, was appointed as their father's successor. Nyerere then decided to be baptised as a Roman Catholic; at his baptism, he took on the name "Julius", although later stated that it was "silly" that Catholics should "take a name other than a tribal name" on baptism
Mchimwene wake wa Nyerere, Edward Wanzagi Nyerere, adasankhidwa kukhala wolowa m'malo mwa abambo awo. Kenako Nyerere anaganiza zobatizidwa kukhala Mkatolika; pa ubatizo wake, anatenga dzina lakuti ‘Julius’, ngakhale kuti pambuyo pake ananena kuti zinali ‘zopusa’ kuti Akatolika ayenera ‘kutenga dzina lina osati dzina lakumtundu' pa ubatizo 