Positively Angelic

     October is one of the most beautiful months in the Church's Liturgical Calendar.  There are some really amazing and interesting feast days.  The month is also dedicated to the Rosary.  This seems like a perfect time to begin this blog of baby names for Catholics.  
    October 2  is the Feast of the Holy Guardian Angels.  This is an important feast day because it reminds us how much Our Lord loves us.  He loves us so much that He has assigned each of us an angel all of our own.  And while we don't know the names of all the angels, we do know some.  They are traditionally male names, but there are also feminine variations.  
     While some of these are quite popular, they are still worth considering.  There are also a host of nick-names to go along with them.


Michael:  St. Michael the Archangel is the highest of all the angels.  God has given him many responsibilities and my children love him best of all the angels.  He is our celestial protector, fighting the devils at every turn.  The name, itself, means "Who is like God?"
If Michael is too popular for you, try the Finnish form Mikko.  It's cool, modern, and has that really fun "o" at the end.
Feminine forms: Michelle and Michaela


Gabriel:  St. Gabriel the Archangel is considered the highest of God's messengers.  It was he who appeared to the Blessed Virgin Mary announcing she was to be the Mother of Our Lord.  
The feminine forms, Gabrielle and Gabriella, are quite popular, and there are a whole host of nick-names to choose from.


Raphael:  St. Raphael the Archangel is the patron saint of lovers and happy meetings.  He is a central figure in the Book of Tobias where he heals Tobias' blindness and rescues Tobias' daughter-in-law from the Devil.  Rafe is a cute nick-name, too.
The feminine form Raphaela would make a nice addition to the popular -ella names, too.


Angel:  This name doesn't need any explanation.  It's both celestial and strong.  Perhaps that's why the Spanish speaking world has been using it for awhile.  In the U.S., it's mostly used for girls.  The Italian, Angelo, would make a cool, masculine choice, and has that lovely "o".
The feminine variations of this name make a huge list, with some much more modern than old-fashioned.  Angela was a favorite in the 60s, but the literary Angelica and the lovely Angelina would make beautiful, contemporary choices.  Angelica also brings to mind the beloved Mother Angelica, the founder of EWTN.


All of these celestial names are quite suitable for Catholic children and, in fact, would be constant reminders of the invisible world and the glory of Heaven.