Saint Names

Linked to the early days of feminism via Germaine Greer, this saint's name feels neither French nor German enough.

Oengus is the old Irish form of the name most commonly found in the modern world as Angus, typically Scottish.
In Irish mythology, Oengus is the god of youth, love, and poetry.

Saint Madern, also sometimes referred to as Saint Madron, was a Cornish monk and hermit sanctified in the 6th century. The Cornish village of Madron is named after him.

Michelina Matelli was a wealthy Italian woman who became a nun. She was made Saint Michelina in the 1700s.

Vincenza makes romance of Vincent. Vincenza Gerosa was one of the founders of the Sisters of Charity of Lovere and was later made a saint.

The strong and unusual name of a medieval (male) saint and a contemporary (female) novelist, Benilde Little.

Though often heard in the Hispanic and Italian communities, it hasn't made an impact here, perhaps because of the connection to the character of Faust and his pact with the devil. Variations: FAUSTINA, FAUSTIA, FAUSTIANA

French and Polish form of Rocco

This fairly obscure saint's name was chosen by Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden for one of her twins.

St Quiteria was a 5th century virgin martyr who was killed after refusing to renounce her Christian faith in order to marry. Her name may derive from Kythere ("the red one"), a title of the Phonecian mother-goddess Astarte, perhaps via Greek Kythereia, an epithet of Aphrodite. The French version is Quitterie.

Although the saintly Gratia was male -- Blessed Gratia of Kotor -- this name feels quite female today.

Helier is the patron saint of the Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, and it is for him that St. Helier, Jersey's capital, is named. The name is related to Hilary, Ilario etc, and therefor shares their wonderful meanings.

Saint Roderic was a priest in Spain who was persecuted by the Moors. Another form of this name is Ruderic.

Zosimus is a quirky Z starting name with a long history. It has been the name of several early saints and a pope, as well as the Byzantine author of a history of the Roman Empire, published in the sixth century CE.

St. Arsenius (or Arsenios) the Great was a 5th-century Roman saint remembered for his influence on asceticism.

Columba is an early saint's name that rhumbas to a modern beat. While the original St. Columba is male, the name sounds more appropriate for a girl in the modern world. Leave variations Colm and Callum for the boys.

Rarely heard in modern times, it was used by Norman Mailer for the hero of his book The Deer Park.

Ephrem is a spelling variation of the Biblical Ephraim, most often used for an early saint, Ephrem the Syrian, who was a 4th century theologian. This makes a cool, religiously appropriate choice.