Papal Names

Linus

Greek

"flax"

Can Linus lose its metaphorical security blanket and move from the Peanuts page onto the birth certificate? We think it has enough charm and other positive elements going for it for the answer to be…

Lucius

Latin

"light"

Lucius is an old Roman clan name that has lots of religious and literary resonance, yet is still vital today. It was the name of three popes, appears in several Shakespeare plays, and, like all the…

Marcellus

Latin

"young warrior"

This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.

Marinus

Marinus is a masculine name of Latin origin meaning 'of the sea' or 'marine.' This classical name has historical significance, being borne by several early Christian saints and a pope. Popular…

Paschal

Paschal is a masculine name derived from the Hebrew word 'pesach' meaning 'Passover.' It entered European languages through Latin 'paschalis,' referring to Easter or the Paschal feast. Historically…

Pelagius

Pelagius is a masculine name with ancient Greek and Latin roots, derived from "pelagos" meaning "sea" or "ocean." This rare name carries significant historical weight, most notably associated with…

Pius

Latin

"pious"

Pius is the very definition of a religious name, used appropriately enough for several popes. Only a handful of baby boys receive this name every year. Despite the rise of similar ancient Roman names…

Romanus

Latin

"from Rome"

Most parents looking for an ancient Roman name would probably prefer something less generic, like, say, MAGNUS or CLAUDIUS.

Sergius

Latin, a Roman clan name

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