The Rich Treasure of Royal Saints

     This year our children have decided to dress up as Royal Saints for our annual Saint's Day celebration.  So I thought this would be a good time to look through the lists of all Royals to see which names, or variations thereof, might be good inspiration for those parents who might be looking for something classic and traditional or fresh and contemporary.  
     The Church is filled of monarchs who exhibited great virtue, generosity, and piousness.  The list of the men and women who have used their power and wealth to glorify God and extend his Kingdom on earth would be quite a long one indeed.  As such, I have only listed the names that, I think, translate to American sensibilities.


Elizabeth:  There have been at least two royal Elizabeths who the Church calls saints and one was named for the other.  Princess Elizabeth of Hungary was born to King Andrew in 1207.  She was totally devoted to using her wealth to tend to the sick and feed the poor.  She built a hospital at the foot of her castle where she cared for the sick herself.  She was also known to have fed 900 hungry people every day.  Her niece, St. Elizabeth of Portugal took her duties as wife and queen very seriously.  Her constant prayers and sacrifices helped convert her pagan husband.  She dedicated her life to mending the royal family rivalries and potentially dangerous squabbles.  As such, she is know in the Church as Peacemaker.  Isabel is the usual form in Spain and Portugal.


Find Elizabeth and Isabel too popular?  Then try some of her variations; there are plenty.  There's the sleek and beautiful Eliza and the Scottish charm of Elsbeth.  The Italian Elisabetta is soft yet glamorous. Betty might be too retro for modern parents, but Bess might just appealing with her one-syllable simplicity and vintage flair.  The options really are endless.


Margaret:  St. Margaret of Scotland was known for her piety and charity.  She was mother to 3 Kings of Scotland.  She founded several churches and was known to have many religious treasures, especially a relic of the True Cross.  She was revered in Scotland for over 1000 years, making her name one of the most popular names given to Scottish and Irish young girls alike.   


The Irish nickname Megan continues to be one of the most popular girl's names in the U.S.  But there are plenty other Margaret variations and diminutives that any Catholic parent could be happy with.  If Megan isn't Irish enough for you, try Mairead or Marged.  Greta and Rita bring to mind the heyday of Hollywood glamour.  For the French lover, there's Marguerite and Margot.  For those parents that are looking for something spunky and fresh, there's Pearl and Daisy, since Margaret means "pearl" and Marguerite is a variety of lovely a daisy.


Adelaide:  St. Adelaide was princess of the King of Burgundy.  She was full of life, beautiful, determined, and resourceful.  At a young age, she married the King of Italy and became Queen.  Her husband was poisoned by a political rival, making her a widow.  When she refused to marry the son of her husband's murdered, she was imprisoned.  She escaped.  She sought aid by arranging a very good marriage for herself to Otto the King of Germany, heir to the Holy Roman Empire.  She was a model of piety and fortitude, always acknowledging the magnificent graces she received from God.  


Adelaide is fantastically lovely.  For the parents who want to honor St. Adelaide but aren't sure how the name translates, there's always Ada, Adele, Adella, and Adelia.  There's also the spunky Della or the classic Alice.  


Henry:  St. Henry II was often called the "Good King Henry."  He was a German King and Holy Roman Emperor about 1020.  He was incredibly pious and God gifted him with remarkable good sense.  He strengthened the Church in Germany with great love and zeal.  His military prowess and fortitude helped him to defeat the barbarian troops that waited to destroy the Empire and Christianity.  He was both a great emperor and a great saint.


Henry has remained one of the most popular names in the U.S. for a long time.  It reeks of royalty thanks to the long list of British royals, both good and bad.  But if Henry is not your style, there are other variations that might you consider.  Enrico and Arrigo or Harry and Hank.  Another variation worth considering is Emmerich, which could also be used to honor Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich.


The female versions of Henrietta and Harriet are long overdue for a comeback in the U.S and come with the adorable nickname, Hattie.


Edmund:  St. Edmund was King of East Anglia (England) in the year 869.  He was crowned on Christmas Day at the age of 14.  He was known to be a model ruler with incredible piety and faith.   Even though he was young, he was always aware of the dangers the pagan Scandanavians posed to his country.  He fought ardently to keep them at bay but was eventually captured and the country ransacked.  When he was brought before the Danish chief with offers of peace, St. Edmund refused to give his subjects over to pagan influences.  He was subsequently tortured and murdered.


Edmund is much more accessible than the related name Edwin.  There is also the fresh choice of the Irish Eamonn. (pronounced Ay-mon.)  For those parents looking for an attractive one-syllable name, there is the nickname Ned which could stand on its own.


David:  The most notable St. David is, of course, the King David of the Bible, King of Israel, great-grandson of Boaz and Ruth, slayer of Goliath, ancestor of Our Lord.  King David was both a horrible sinner and a repentant man.  He was filled with piety, justice, generosity, and faith.  The Scripture is filled with stories of his life from birth to death.  He was a great ruler, a prophet, a poet, and a musician.  While King David has his roots in Jewish culture, David has been the name of several saints in the Catholic Church, including the Patron of Wales.


There doesn't seem to be any other way to say David other than the traditional.  The surname Davis, though, might make and interesting choice for modern Catholics who were looking to be somewhat contemporary and stylish.


Throughout human history, the Kings and Queens have ruled the world, changed the world, and conquered the world.  The Bible is filled with stories of good rulers and bad rulers.  Our history books have stories of Kings and Queens who accomplished many things and brought nations together.  Our Catholic faith, in many ways, is founded on the zeal and faith of the leaders who have led us, died for us, and saved us from paganism and barbarism.  It seems fitting, then, that our own children bear the names of these Royal Saints that were infused with graces from God to lead us.

Brrr! Cool Saint's Names for Cool Weather

     In October, the weather gets cooler and the leaves begin to fall.  This month also has Feast Days for a saint or two beginning with Br.  In fact, there are many saint's names with the friendly, familiar Br.  Some are old favorites, brought to popularity in the 60s and 70s, but many are exciting and could make fresh new choices for contemporary parents looking for a combination of familiar and cool.


Bruno:  St. Bruno was a quiet and eloquent preacher, philosopher and teacher during the 11th Century. His Feast Day is October 6.  Bruno sounds strong, masculine, yet modern and hip.  It also has that cool "o" at the end.  Unfortunately for the girls, I don't think any of the feminine versions of the name translate very well.


Bridget:  St. Bridget of Sweden was a descendant of the royal family in the 14th Century.  She was kind, generous, and pious and her marriage to her husband produced 8 children, at least one of whom was also a saint.  Over the centuries she became one of the most celebrated saints in that part of the world.  Her Feast Day is October 8.  Bridget is also the English version of the beloved St. Brigid of Ireland.  This name is so popular across the globe that there any number of spellings and variations.  This name is simply, yet spunky, and not overly used.  The French Brigitte and the German Brigitta are both lovely.   There's also the unisex Britt, for those parents who are so inclined.  There is also the related name Bedelia, as long as it's not preceded by Amelia.


Brendan:  St. Brendan the Navigator became renowned in Irish history for his voyages across the sea.  St. Brendan was born in the 6th century, when the Catholics in Ireland were sending missionaries across Europe. Most American parents are probably more familiar with the 90s favorite, Brandon.  Brennan is another variation of the name that flows off the tongue.  The female version, Brenda, is a bit outdated, but Brenna is modern, fun, and still feminine.  It's also the name of one of our daughters.


Breccan, Brannock, Brice, and Brogan:  The names of these Celtic Saints would make interesting replacements for the over-popular and unsaintly crop of Celtic-sounding names like Braxton, Braydon, and Logan that modern parents are attracted to.