Can my son choose St. Barbara as his confirmation saint?

[alec]

My son will be confirmed in a month and he really wants to choose St. Barbara for his confirmation patron saint. While studying about her we found that she has been removed from the Roman calendar. Did she exist? Should she be chosen as a patron?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

St. Barbara is believed to have been one of the early Christian martyrs. So little indisputable historical fact is known about her that her story is now considered a pious legend. Even so, the name is a well-known Christian name that has since been given to other saints, such as Blessed Marie of the Incarnation (born Barbara Aurillot), so there is no reason the name cannot be taken as a confirmation name. As for the pious legend of St. Barbara, it can still be considered a heroic tale of Christian virtue capable of inspiring a desire for purity of heart and courage to follow one’s Christian convictions.

I would only add in your son’s case that it is not usual for a boy to choose a female name for a confirmation name. While it is allowable, and while many male saints have female names as part of their own name (e.g., St. John Mary Vianney), they usually add it to a male name. Perhaps your son might add the name “Barbara” to a male saint’s name, preferably one that is undoubtedly a historical personage (e.g., “John Barbara”).