Saint names for babies

[CajunsforChrist]

Just curious how many people practice this tradition. I’m not sure if this is just a Catholic tradition, or a Christian tradition, or even a Southern tradition. My husband and I are having a baby in July and we really wanted to incorporate a “Saint Name” in her name. Unfortunately the name we fell in love with doesn’t have that (as far as I know), but her middle name would be Grace and I think that’s a lovely name as well. I tried doing some research to see if there was a Saint Grace but I haven’t found much and I’m not sure how reliable the info I found was. I asked over in apologetics but I know it may be a while before I get an answer. Is it really frowned upon to not include a “Saint Name”?

 

[SonCatcher]

Just curious how many people practice this tradition. I’m not sure if this is just a Catholic tradition, or a Christian tradition, or even a Southern tradition. My husband and I are having a baby in July and we really wanted to incorporate a “Saint Name” in her name. Unfortunately the name we fell in love with doesn’t have that (as far as I know), but her middle name would be Grace and I think that’s a lovely name as well. I tried doing some research to see if there was a Saint Grace but I haven’t found much and I’m not sure how reliable the info I found was. I asked over in apologetics but I know it may be a while before I get an answer. Is it really frowned upon to not include a “Saint Name”?

Grace is a translation of Ann.

Also, it is possible to give a baptismal name that doesn’t match the legal name. Vietnamese Catholics, for example, still give traditional Vietnamese names to their children but will give a saint’s name at baptism.

 

[Little_Mary]

Of course not! I think it’s just personal preference.

My children are named after family members, because that has meaning for me. It just so happens that there are saints with the same name.

Don’t forget that your child will have the opportunity to choose a saint’s name when she is confirmed.

Grace is a beautiful name. If I had another girl, I love “Mary Grace” b/c it reminds me of “Hail Mary, full of grace”.

Congrats on your growing family.

 

[BenedictFTW]

There seems to be a move back towards tradition, which meant that one had to choose a saint’s name for the child at baptism. I was brought up in Ireland and there was a time when the priest would not baptise a child unless the parents had chosen a saint’s name. I look back fondly at those times. The name was very important; it was believed that when you called the child by his/her name, you invoked the saint who would protect the child. A lovely tradition, imo, one which could do well to be revived.

 

[nickiwool]

I believe it’s up to you I don’t think you have to have a saints name although they are lovely. But, really don’t feel pressured. Grace is already biblical in my eyes None of mine have saints names, although my daughters middle name is Mary because that was my adoptive mothers name. Then one of my sons first names is Christian and middle name Elias, we wanted to reverse it in the hospital but it was too late! haha so we call him Elias anyway

-Nicki

 

[nickiwool]

There seems to be a move back towards tradition, which meant that one had to choose a saint’s name for the child at baptism. I was brought up in Ireland and there was a time when the priest would not baptise a child unless the parents had chosen a saint’s name. I look back fondly at those times. The name was very important; it was believed that when you called the child by his/her name, you invoked the saint who would protect the child. A lovely tradition, imo, one which could do well to be revived.

I agree! I think if I had known this long ago I would have done this. Perhaps if I have another child I will. Anyone could name their child as they wish but I really love that tradition of having a saints name

-Nicki

 

[Phemie]

Don’t forget that your child will have the opportunity to choose a saint’s name when she is confirmed.

Depends on where they live.

Choosing a saint’s name for Confirmation seems to be a regional thing. Never even heard of it until I was in my mid 40s. That was well after my brothers and I were confirmed, after I’d been a Confirmation sponsor for my goddaughter and after my own kids had been confirmed.

 

[ryecroft]

Hi -
My dad was born on July 26 - so they chose that name for me (helped that they both really liked it too)- (I’m so glad they didn’t give me the name of Augustine - for my birthday name - August 28th although I do have a wonderful devotion to him - just wouldn’t want to be a girl with that name)-
That being said -
there is a Saint Grace -
She was the wife of St. Probus in Cornwall England and a Church in Wales 'Tressilian is one dedicated.

I also found this online -
For a St. Grace:
saints.sqpn.com/saint-gracia-of-lerida/
Lovely death - had her breasts cut off then was put back in her prison cell to die -how did they come up with these tortures? There must have been some major sociopaths back then!

Anyway, hope this helps!
Rye

 

[DulcisAncilla]

Grace is a translation of Ann.

Grace is a name of Latin origin which found first use as a virtue name among Puritans in the 17th century. Ann is an English variant of the Hebrew name Channah, with the former dating back to the Middle Ages. I can’t find any etymological relation between the two.

OP, have you posed your question to the priest who will be performing your daughter’s baptism? Since the inclusion of a saint’s name is important to you, he may have some suggestions for incorporating one into your daughter’s name (perhaps as a ‘second middle’ or nickname), or even know of an obscure saint whose name is a variant of your baby’s.

I think the most important aspect of bestowing a saint’s name upon a child, is the opportunity to endear such a holy example to a young heart and mind. Benedict FTW gives lovely insight into this idea above! If you end up forgoing a saint’s name for your daughter, you could always select a ‘special’ saint for her to become familiar with, whether the saint who celebrates their feast on the day she was born or baptized, or one whom you invoke during your pregnancy or labor, for example.

 

[SonCatcher]

Grace is a name of Latin origin which found first use as a virtue name among Puritans in the 17th century. Ann is an English variant of the Hebrew name Channah, with the former dating back to the Middle Ages. I can’t find any etymological relation between the two.

I never asserted there was an etymological relation between the two names. I merely wrote that one was a translation of the other. That is: in their original languages, “ann” and “grace” mean the same thing.

Ann is a transliteration of Channah. That is, an assembly of English letters meant to sound similar to the ear as the original name.

Grace is the English form of “gratus” and is an English word that means the same. The translation of “channah” from Hebrew to Latin yields “gratus.” The translation of “channah” to English yields “grace.”

 

[CajunsforChrist]

Hi -
My dad was born on July 26 - so they chose that name for me (helped that they both really liked it too)- (I’m so glad they didn’t give me the name of Augustine - for my birthday name - August 28th although I do have a wonderful devotion to him - just wouldn’t want to be a girl with that name)-
That being said -
there is a Saint Grace -
She was the wife of St. Probus in Cornwall England and a Church in Wales 'Tressilian is one dedicated.

I also found this online -
For a St. Grace:
saints.sqpn.com/saint-gracia-of-lerida/
Lovely death - had her breasts cut off then was put back in her prison cell to die -how did they come up with these tortures? There must have been some major sociopaths back then!

Anyway, hope this helps!
Rye

WOW! Thanks for the info! I agree, they practiced some crazy tortures back then!

 

[CajunsforChrist]

Thanks for all of the replies. I enjoyed reading about what people think of this tradition. Our daughter should be able to choose a saint name for her Confirmation. I believe it’s a pretty common practice where we’re from. My husband and I were both able to do so for.our Confirmations and we were from two differently church parishes. I think I will talk to our priest who will be baptising her. I’m curious as to what he thinks. He’s a good family friend and the same priest who married my husabnd and I. Thanks again for the replies and the info on the name Grace.

 

[CajunsforChrist]

Of course not! I think it’s just personal preference.

My children are named after family members, because that has meaning for me. It just so happens that there are saints with the same name.

Don’t forget that your child will have the opportunity to choose a saint’s name when she is confirmed.

Grace is a beautiful name. If I had another girl, I love “Mary Grace” b/c it reminds me of “Hail Mary, full of grace”.

Congrats on your growing family.

Thanks! I agree, Grace just represents such beauty to me.

 

[JennBob]

Maybe we are fortunate,but the names we loved for all 6 of our children were straight saint names and so are their middle names. We’ve had 4 make Confirmation and they all chose saint names, different than their given names.

 

[sweetpetunia]

Another option, if you feel inclined to pick a well-known saint, is to add on one more name. I know lots of children with two first or two middle names. Sometimes the first name is hyphenated, sometimes the second name is hyphenated, and sometimes there is no hyphen whatsoever, the third name is just assumed to be part of the middle name, e.g. Michael John Paul.

 

[Armor_of_Light]

Yes- we do. I like the tradition, and there are so many saints to choose from…why not?
We made a mistake however with our daughter Mercedes…I thought she was a saint Family names are for middle names for us.

New daughter Adelaide is due in 5 weeks!

 

[Little_Mary]

Depends on where they live.

Choosing a saint’s name for Confirmation seems to be a regional thing. Never even heard of it until I was in my mid 40s. That was well after my brothers and I were confirmed, after I’d been a Confirmation sponsor for my goddaughter and after my own kids had been confirmed.

I did not know this. What is the alternative? If choosing a saint’s name is not an option, is it such that choosing a name at all is not an option?

 

[momcrom]

I love the tradition of using a saint’s name, and have always done so with my own children. If not as their first name, then as the middle name instead. My sons’ middle names are James and Nicholas. My daughter’s first and middle names are both variations of saints names (though they are not well known saints), Rosalie Leila. We actually named her after our great-grandmothers, but I was so pleased to find out they are both saint’s names!

I am expecting our fourth child, and intend on using a saint’s name again.

 

[Phemie]

I did not know this. What is the alternative? If choosing a saint’s name is not an option, is it such that choosing a name at all is not an option?

While it may be required as part of a diocese’s preparation for Confirmation (the Bishop gets to decide what he wants that preparation to be), the Confirmation Rite itself doesn’t call for “choosing” a name and I have yet to see this custom mentioned in any official document. Every Confirmation I’ve attended saw the confirmands being called by the ir baptismal name. Although our old registers of Confirmation included a space to record the Confirmation name, the new one doesn’t.

 

[kristacecilia]

Yes- we do. I like the tradition, and there are so many saints to choose from…why not?
We made a mistake however with our daughter Mercedes…I thought she was a saint Family names are for middle names for us.

New daughter Adelaide is due in 5 weeks!

What? Name stealer! Our new daughter Adelaide Violet is due in 2 weeks.

In response to the OP, we use saints names. We also have a few other naming guides:

• Boys: Each boy’s name is a combination of 1) a male saint we have a particular devotion to, 2) a name that has ties to other male family members, and 3) a male saint that has a strong tie to Our Lady.
• Girls: First names are female saints or blesseds, middle names are the names of flowers that have Marian connotations.

With the quantity of saints names or names with Christian meaning, I can’t imagine not being able to find a name that suits all tastes.