A few days ago, my son was busy playing around with his friend Bailey. Ordinarily, I wouldn't have thought much about it, but when Bailey's little brother Oakley joined in, I recognized that the boys mother had gotten in pretty early on in what has become a popular naming style---the Surname-as-firstname Trend. Being a Southerner by birth, I don't mind the practice at all. In fact, using family surnames has been a long Southern (and Protestant) practice. But I don't see why today's Catholic parents couldn't adopt the practice themselves. Generally speaking, though, there aren't a whole lot of saints who actually had surnames, but if you were so inclined, it might be kind of fun and very interesting for modern Catholic parents to scour the Breviary or Butler's Lives of the Saints for consideration. To get you started, here are a few that I have heard recently.
Kolbe I know a precious little girl (not Catholic) who has this name, so she was part of my inspiration. It's worthy of either a boy or girl and obviously honors St. Maximillian Kolbe who lost his life in a concentration camp during WWII. Kolbi could be an alternate spelling.
Story/Storey When I heard this name on the playground last week, I wasn't quite convinced it was such a good idea. But since, I've rolled it over in my head a few times and I think it could work for the right kind of parents, maybe writers or English professors. While it could work for either a boy or girl, I'm leaning a little towards the feminine. Blessed John Story was an English martyr during the Protestant Revolt.
Vianney St. John Vianney is one of my favorite saints and is also the patron of priests. Pronounced with a soft "ah" and not the nasal "aa", I think it could make an interesting choice for girl.
Garnet This is my favorite name of all on this list. I think the jewel names are long overdue for a comeback. And Garnet would fit right in with Opal, Pearl, and Ruby, yet she would be sparkling different. St. Thomas Garnet was a Jesuit priest martyred in England, also around the time of the Protestant Revolt.
Fisher I thought of this one primarily because June 22 was the Feast Day of St. John Fisher who was executed by order of King Henry VIII. Considering the popularity of many of the occupational names, I think Fisher would stand out. It also brings to mind the Apostles, whom Our Lord called "Fishers of Men."
Forest To non-Catholic ears, this manly name might bring to mind the deep woodlands or remind some of the endearing and dutiful Forrest Gump. But it would be a great opportunity to talk about the martyrdom of Blessed John Forest in England when he opposed King Henry VIII.
Becket The most known English martyr under King Henry VIII was St. Thomas Becket. This is one of the favorites in celebrity circles, but not so out there that modern Catholics couldn't consider it for themselves. It's handsome, strong, and traditional. You could also spell it Beckett.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
Three Or More
A friend of mine is soon to give birth to her fourth daughter. This little sweetie, much to my delight and honor, is to be my one and only God-daughter! (Did I mention how honored I am?) While I was reflecting on what that means and what an amazing responsibility that is, I found some inspiration. My friend likes 3 syllable names, probably because they roll off the tongue rather sweetly and they often have pet names that are simple and just as sweet. But while my friend is sifting through all the female saints, I thought to go through the list of male names as well. Below are my favorites from each letter of the alphabet. I think any of these fabulous three-or-more syllable names could give any modern Catholic some great inspiration!
Boys:
Atticus--A literary inspiration and Hollywood favorite. A 4th Century Bishop.
Bartholomew--Quirky, cool, and cutting-edge. One of Our Lord's Apostles.
Cornelius--Irish without all the vowels. A 3rd Century Pope.
Damian--Long past it's horror movie days. Manly, yet gentle. St. Damien of Molokai.
Ezekiel--A cool Biblical name. Call him Zeke, but you could get Ezee, too!
Finnian--Fun, whimsical, and Irish. St. Finnian was the father of Irish monasticism.
Gideon--Another fresh choice for Biblical name leaning parents.
Ignatius--Bold, brave, and decidely Catholic. Even Iggy is fab! St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Jeremiah--A Biblical name to replace Jeremy. Plus, he's on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Leonidas--The loudest "lion" in the pack. Many saints bear this bold, brave name.
Malachy--Traditional and Irish, with long-e on the end. St. Malachy's Papal Prophecy.
Nikolai--International flair makes the old seem new. Russian form of St. Nicholas.
Obadiah--Another Biblical choice with a sci-fi flair. You know, Obi Wan....
Peregrine--Cutting-edge with literary cred. St. Peregrine is patron of cancer patients.
Raphael--Exotic and cool, with a fab nickname. The Archangel that gets overlooked.
Sebastian--Perfect for your little sport. He's the patron saint of atheletes. Call him Sebbi!
Tobias--A definitely Catholic Biblical name with the cowboy/country nickname, Toby.
Vittorio--Italian version with fab "v" and cool "o." Fresh spin for St. Victor.
Xavier--No matter how you say it, this is way cool. St. Francis of Xavier.
Zacharias--Biblical name in place of old fashioned Zachary. St. John the Baptist's father.
Girls:
Adelaide--A personal favorite. Sweet and strong. St. Adelaide was filled with many graces.
Beatrice--Classic but fresh. Try Beatrix for spunk. St. Beatrice de Silva.
Cecilia--Sweet and melodious. Patron saint of musicians. Mary Cecilia is heavenly!
Dorothea--Modern, sleek, romantic, and quaint. St. Dorothy was meek and humble.
Eulalia--Soft and sing-songy with a nautical connection. St. Eulalia is patron of sailors.
Felicity--Means happiness. Seems perfect. St. Felicity was martyred in the 3rd century.
Genevieve--Strong and French with great nicknaming potential. The patron saint of Paris.
Helena--No matter how you say it, she is fab. St. Helena found the True Cross of Our Lord.
Isadora--Perfect replacement for the overused Isabelle/a. St. Isidore the Farmer.
Josephine--Traditional and sweet. Spunky JoJo; sweet Josie. A way to honor St. Joseph.
Lucilla--More complete than Lucy, but still as sweet. Several saints bear this name.
Marguerite--Delicate and French, not frilly. Call her Daisy. Plenty of St. Margarets.
Naomi--A Biblical girl's name for out-side the box parents. Sweet, with the long-e.
Octavia--Romantic and exotic "o" name. St. Octavianus was a North African martyr.
Philomena--Feminine, hip, and definitely Catholic. She's the patron of youth.
Rosalie--Another soft, sweet name. St. Rosalia is patron of Palermo.
Seraphina--Perfect for your little angel. Also a celebrity favorite.
Theodora--Dorothea backwards! This version gets a slight edge. Cute nicknames, too.
Virginia--What's not to love about naming your daughter after the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Zenobia--Exotic with a literary twist. St. Zenobius was Bishop of Florence.
Boys:
Atticus--A literary inspiration and Hollywood favorite. A 4th Century Bishop.
Bartholomew--Quirky, cool, and cutting-edge. One of Our Lord's Apostles.
Cornelius--Irish without all the vowels. A 3rd Century Pope.
Damian--Long past it's horror movie days. Manly, yet gentle. St. Damien of Molokai.
Ezekiel--A cool Biblical name. Call him Zeke, but you could get Ezee, too!
Finnian--Fun, whimsical, and Irish. St. Finnian was the father of Irish monasticism.
Gideon--Another fresh choice for Biblical name leaning parents.
Ignatius--Bold, brave, and decidely Catholic. Even Iggy is fab! St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Jeremiah--A Biblical name to replace Jeremy. Plus, he's on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Leonidas--The loudest "lion" in the pack. Many saints bear this bold, brave name.
Malachy--Traditional and Irish, with long-e on the end. St. Malachy's Papal Prophecy.
Nikolai--International flair makes the old seem new. Russian form of St. Nicholas.
Obadiah--Another Biblical choice with a sci-fi flair. You know, Obi Wan....
Peregrine--Cutting-edge with literary cred. St. Peregrine is patron of cancer patients.
Raphael--Exotic and cool, with a fab nickname. The Archangel that gets overlooked.
Sebastian--Perfect for your little sport. He's the patron saint of atheletes. Call him Sebbi!
Tobias--A definitely Catholic Biblical name with the cowboy/country nickname, Toby.
Vittorio--Italian version with fab "v" and cool "o." Fresh spin for St. Victor.
Xavier--No matter how you say it, this is way cool. St. Francis of Xavier.
Zacharias--Biblical name in place of old fashioned Zachary. St. John the Baptist's father.
Girls:
Adelaide--A personal favorite. Sweet and strong. St. Adelaide was filled with many graces.
Beatrice--Classic but fresh. Try Beatrix for spunk. St. Beatrice de Silva.
Cecilia--Sweet and melodious. Patron saint of musicians. Mary Cecilia is heavenly!
Dorothea--Modern, sleek, romantic, and quaint. St. Dorothy was meek and humble.
Eulalia--Soft and sing-songy with a nautical connection. St. Eulalia is patron of sailors.
Felicity--Means happiness. Seems perfect. St. Felicity was martyred in the 3rd century.
Genevieve--Strong and French with great nicknaming potential. The patron saint of Paris.
Helena--No matter how you say it, she is fab. St. Helena found the True Cross of Our Lord.
Isadora--Perfect replacement for the overused Isabelle/a. St. Isidore the Farmer.
Josephine--Traditional and sweet. Spunky JoJo; sweet Josie. A way to honor St. Joseph.
Lucilla--More complete than Lucy, but still as sweet. Several saints bear this name.
Marguerite--Delicate and French, not frilly. Call her Daisy. Plenty of St. Margarets.
Naomi--A Biblical girl's name for out-side the box parents. Sweet, with the long-e.
Octavia--Romantic and exotic "o" name. St. Octavianus was a North African martyr.
Philomena--Feminine, hip, and definitely Catholic. She's the patron of youth.
Rosalie--Another soft, sweet name. St. Rosalia is patron of Palermo.
Seraphina--Perfect for your little angel. Also a celebrity favorite.
Theodora--Dorothea backwards! This version gets a slight edge. Cute nicknames, too.
Virginia--What's not to love about naming your daughter after the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Zenobia--Exotic with a literary twist. St. Zenobius was Bishop of Florence.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
A Good Name is the Best of All Treasures.
Today is the Feast Day of St. Boniface, patron of Germany. In honor of my German immigrant ancestors, I thought today would be a great day to talk about German names. Our country has a rich German history which I think, unfortunately, gets overlooked. While the overwhelming majority of German immigrants were Lutherans, many German natives were Catholic, just as my ancestors were. Not only did they bring with them Catholic traditions, especially the Christmas tree, but also a host of beautiful names to remind them of their home country and their saints. If you claim German ancestry, perhaps some of these names might be worth considering. While there are many, many German saint names to choose from, these are a few of my favorites that would feel right at home in the 21st Century.
Adelaide St. Adelaide was not only the model of grace and beauty, she was extraordinarily brave and cunning. She was also a Queen with a quit wit and incredible political finesse. The story of her life is quite fascinating and remarkable. And although she rose to highest position a woman could hold in those days, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, she was also the model of humility. Her Feast Day is December 16. While Adelaide is beautiful in her own right, parents might consider Adele, Adela, Adeline, or the lovely Adelia.
Marcellina St. Marcellina, who was born in Germany, was the only sister of St. Ambrose. She elected to live her life as a consecrated virgin. St. Ambrose loved her greatly and she spent her years devoted to acts of piety. Another similar name is Marcella. Both of these names were pretty popular many years ago, and seem just about ready for a revival.
Matilda St. Matilda was also a Queen, yet in a different spirit than her daughter-in-law, Adelaide. Matilda had a gentle and generous spirit, spending her life in acts of piety and great charity. St. Matilda's Feast Day is March 14. Interestingly enough, St. Matilda is the patron of large families. Matilda has such a sweet ring to it, don't you think? She also comes with the perfectly charming nickname Tillie.
Odilia St. Odilia was not a queen, but a nun. She was born blind to noble French parents. Upon her baptism, her sight was miraculously restored and the young girl dedicated her life to Christ and His Church. A convent in Germany bears her name. While Odilia rolls off the tongue rather nicely, Ottilia is also another alternative.
Benno Oh, Benno. This is such a cool name really worth considering. It has that playful "o" at the end and it sounds masculine and strong. At the same time, it carries a long history connected to one of Germany's important saints during the Middle Ages. St. Benno was Bishop of Meissen who reformed his diocese and defended the Pope against King Henry. He lived to the ripe old age of 95.
Leo Here's another "o" to think about as well. Pope St. Leo IX was an extraordinary man. He excelled in everything from science to music. He was an aristocrat, with incredible stature and intelligence and above all he had extraordinary sanctity. He would make and incredibly namesake for any young boy.
Magnus This is one powerful name that would rest well on any modern Catholic boy. Magnus, which of course means "great", was the title given to at least two of Germany's saints. St. Albert the Great and Magnus of Fussen. Little Magnus on the playground would certainly make a statement!
Rupert There isn't much known about St. Rupert. However, I wanted to include this name for those parents who might be looking for something a bit different, yet traditional. Rupert is the German form of Robert and might make an interesting choice for modern parents.
Adelaide St. Adelaide was not only the model of grace and beauty, she was extraordinarily brave and cunning. She was also a Queen with a quit wit and incredible political finesse. The story of her life is quite fascinating and remarkable. And although she rose to highest position a woman could hold in those days, Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, she was also the model of humility. Her Feast Day is December 16. While Adelaide is beautiful in her own right, parents might consider Adele, Adela, Adeline, or the lovely Adelia.
Marcellina St. Marcellina, who was born in Germany, was the only sister of St. Ambrose. She elected to live her life as a consecrated virgin. St. Ambrose loved her greatly and she spent her years devoted to acts of piety. Another similar name is Marcella. Both of these names were pretty popular many years ago, and seem just about ready for a revival.
Matilda St. Matilda was also a Queen, yet in a different spirit than her daughter-in-law, Adelaide. Matilda had a gentle and generous spirit, spending her life in acts of piety and great charity. St. Matilda's Feast Day is March 14. Interestingly enough, St. Matilda is the patron of large families. Matilda has such a sweet ring to it, don't you think? She also comes with the perfectly charming nickname Tillie.
Odilia St. Odilia was not a queen, but a nun. She was born blind to noble French parents. Upon her baptism, her sight was miraculously restored and the young girl dedicated her life to Christ and His Church. A convent in Germany bears her name. While Odilia rolls off the tongue rather nicely, Ottilia is also another alternative.
Benno Oh, Benno. This is such a cool name really worth considering. It has that playful "o" at the end and it sounds masculine and strong. At the same time, it carries a long history connected to one of Germany's important saints during the Middle Ages. St. Benno was Bishop of Meissen who reformed his diocese and defended the Pope against King Henry. He lived to the ripe old age of 95.
Leo Here's another "o" to think about as well. Pope St. Leo IX was an extraordinary man. He excelled in everything from science to music. He was an aristocrat, with incredible stature and intelligence and above all he had extraordinary sanctity. He would make and incredibly namesake for any young boy.
Magnus This is one powerful name that would rest well on any modern Catholic boy. Magnus, which of course means "great", was the title given to at least two of Germany's saints. St. Albert the Great and Magnus of Fussen. Little Magnus on the playground would certainly make a statement!
Rupert There isn't much known about St. Rupert. However, I wanted to include this name for those parents who might be looking for something a bit different, yet traditional. Rupert is the German form of Robert and might make an interesting choice for modern parents.
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