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.
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