Bizarre saints' names

[missusaytch]

I was looking up saints' names and realized I had to collect some of them to share, especially for those of you always looking for truly unusual and ancient names.

Not all of these are female names but most of them sound feminine to the modern ear. (Except Mucus. I just had to keep that in because... Mucus.)

How usable most of these are would be a matter of debate, but there are a few - Adela, Besinta, Cinnia - that are quite wearable.

Enjoy!

Adela
Alodia
Amata
Anatolia
Anysia
Ardo
Ariadne
Arilda
Ascelina
Asella
Asteria
Attalia
Aurelia
Besinta
Blaesilla
Cannera (Kinnera)
Celestine
Cera
Charitina
Chelidonia
Cilinia
Cinnia
Cissa
Clotilde
Concessa
Crescentia
Cyrilla
Dafrosa
Dalasina
Deicola
Digma
Dulcissima
Ebba
Echa
Edana
Elaeth
Elfleda
Elia
Emerentiana
Encratia
Enda
Epiphania
Eremberta
Erentrude
Etheidreda
Euthalia
Everild
Fara
Fausta
Faustina
Fina
Flavia
Florentina
Foila
Glyceria
Gratia
Gudelia
Hedda
Hedwig
Heredina
Hilaria
Honorata
Hyacinth/Hyacinthe
Ia
Ida
Illuminata
Imelda
Imma
Inez
Ingrid
Innocent
Iphigenia
Iraya
Irene
Irmina
Ita
Jacinta
Januaria
Josefa
Jovita
Julitta
Justa
Kateri
Kea
Kennera
Kennocha
Kinnia
Lamalisse
Landrada
Laurentia
Lea
Lua
Lucillian
Lucina
Mabyn
Macra
Macrina
Marcelina
Marciana
Massa
Materiana
Maxellendis
Medana
Melangell
Melania
Melitina
Mella
Menifrida
Menna
Menodora
Merewenna
Merililaun
Messalina
Mildgytha
Modesta
Monessa
Morwenna
Mucus...?
Murrita
Musa
Namadia
Narzalea
Nemesia
Niceta
Nicola
Nouna
Noyola
Oda
Odilia
Offa
Olha
Oliva
Opportuna
Osanna
Osburga
Osmanna
Paschasia
Pega
Pelagia
Perpetua
Perrine
Perseveranda
Petra
Petronilla
Philomena
Photnia
Pia
Pimponia
Prima
Primael
Primitiva
Prisca
Psura
Pudentian
Pusinna
Quinta
Rais
Reparata
Restituta
Roa
Romana
Romula
Rosalia
Rosula
Rufina
Sabela
Saldia
Salomea
Sancta
Sanctina
Sandila
Sarmata
Satura
Sava
Savin
Sebastiana
Sebbi
Sedna
Severa
Sexburga
Sina
Spisinna
Susina
Syncletica
Tacla
Talida
Tarsilla
Thecla
Theneva
Thephane
Tola
Trea
Triduana
Triphina
Tuda
Turana
Tyria
Ulphia
Vaga
Venusta
Verena
Veridiana
Vestina
Vilana
Vincentia
Vintila
Virila
Visa
Vissia
Wilfrida
Wisdom
Withburga
Wivina
Wulfhilda
Xantippa
Yona
Yostima
Yrieix
Zaina
Zama
Zeina
Zita

[blade]

Fantastic list. It left off beauties like Barsanuphius and Cunegonde. I always wondered if ny children born on these name days were christened with these treasures. And if so, if their moms gritted their teeth each time they called it out.

[jyoti]

I love the list.
Here's one for you: Alphonsa. First Indian saint. Full name: Saint Alphonsa Muttathupadathu

[lea]

Mucus and Sexburga made me laugh! But Ramona and Ingrid aren't too unusual, and Lea isn't very bizarre thank you very much... lol

[nelliedellie]

Tell me you got bored and added Sexburga just to see if anyone was still reading. Sexburga, that's bad. Some of these are quite cool if a bit of a mouthfull. Thanks for sharing.

But Sexburga...

[flick]

Tell me you got bored and added Sexburga just to see if anyone was still reading. Sexburga, that's bad. Some of these are quite cool if a bit of a mouthfull. Thanks for sharing.

But Sexburga...

Unfortunately, I have come across Sexburga on several early census records before - such an unfortunate name lol.


This is a great list, thanks for sharing!

[emmabobemma]

Great list - thank you!
I'm loving Arilda, Crescentia, Dafrosa (I think. Can't tell if it's fabulous, or if it sounds too much like a Daphne-Rosa hybrid) Ebba, Enda, Eremberta, Etheldred/a (an old favorite) Euthalia, Everild, Flavia (though it makes me think of Latin textbooks- Flavia et Cornelia..) Illuminata, Iraya, Ita, Laurentia, Lucillian, Lucina, Mabyn, Merewenna, Monessa, Namadia, Nouna, Perrine, Psura (silent P?!), Quinta, Rosula, Sancta, Ulphia, Veridiana (!!), Vincentia, Wilfrida, Zaina
And YRIEX! What on earth. Bananas. Love it.

[jsavastano]

Love it. Florentine and Aurelia are nice. Clotilde could nn to Chloe. Lucina is nice too.

[stairwaytoastar]

Funny you should post this. I go to a Catholic college and today while waiting for my bus, I came across a plaque dedicated to many of the Sisters who had worked at the school. I was struck by many of the names and had to copy them down to put on Nameberry! Here they are:

Carmela, Cabrini, Lea, Neonilla, Alexine, Magdalena, Gretchen, Chrysostom, Edmunda, Roberta, Fanchon, Leonarda, Antoinetta, Bibiana, Laetitia, Loretto, Regina, Simplicia, Marella, Bernarda, Angelica, Irmina, Levinna, Xaveria, Clotilde, Anacleta, Domitilla, Phyllis, Honora, Catalina, Rosaire, Etheldreda, Wilfredine, Theonilla, Catherita, Josephina, Fidelma, Rosalba, Romuald, Davidica, Blandina, Lucilla, Bernice, Ellenice, Marysia, Athanasia, Zita, Leonilla, Rosenda, Borgia, Huette, Modwena, Philotheus, Ernesta, Consuelo, Celestina, Clementine, Francille, Denisita, Myra, Alicette, Andrene, Alphonsine, Melmarie, Camella, Florice, Felician, Albertina, Macaria, Savina, Marynia, Hildegarde, Clarona, Euphrasia, Charlesetta, Lumena, Mercedes, Carmeline, Marianna, Therezon, Macrina, Thecla, Rosita, Ricarda, Philomene, Louisella

How many do you think are usable?

[livia]

I quite like a lot of these, actually! I think quite a few more could be wearable, like Alodia, Ariadne, Aurelia, Edana, Elia, Fara, Flavia, Ida, Inez, Ingrid, Irene, Kateri, Lea, Marcelina, Marciana, Melania, Nicola, Odilia, Petra, Roa, Romana, Rosalia, Susina, Zaina...and possibly a couple of others. Great list!