Saint Names for Girls

Melodic and unusual, and she will outgrow any bib jokes.

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.

Hilaria, the ancient Roman form of Hilary also given to joyous festivals, is still used in Spain and Poland, while the intriguing Italian version is Ilaria. A notable current bearer is fitness expert and wife of Alec, Hilaria Baldwin, who was born Hillary.

As Joaquin enters the American mainstream, his sister might just follow.

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

A rare saint name, more commonly transcribed in its French form, Maxellende, Maxellendis is associated with a 7th-century French martyr, who is invoked to cure eye diseases and is considered the patron saint of the visually impaired.

A sleek, more elaborate alternative to Maxine, Maxeline is a rare name of French origin, derived from the saintly name Maxellende. St. Maxellende is the patron saint of the visually impaired and invoked to cure eye diseases.

Domitilla is the name of the wife of the Roman emperor Vespasianus and the mother of the emperors Titus and Domitianus. There is a Santa Domitilla with catacombs in Rome named after her.

A rare saint's name, Maxellende was a 7th-century martyr, associated with the French Catholic church. She is invoked to cure eye diseases and is more generally the patron saint of the visually impaired. Her name itself is a French form of Maxellendis, possibly linked to Maxence and Maximus meaning "greatest". Other forms of the name are Maxelende (borne by Filipino composer Maxelende Ganade) and Maxeline.

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

Honorata is the feminine form of Honoratus, the name of several saints including the patron saint of bakers.

St Quiteria was a second-century virgin martyr who was killed after refusing to renounce her Christian faith in order to marry.

Nympha sounds like it might be a modern invented name in the trendy mythological group, but it is actually an Ancient Greek name mentioned in the Bible. And there is an obscure St. Nympha, one of the patrons of Palermo.

Bernardine is really driving home its Bernard connection, for better or worse. Bernadine is the usual form of this name.

Unfortunately, everyone will hear Crispina, the feminine form of Crispin, as Christina.

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

Justa is an ancient saints' name. Saints Justa and Rufina were martyred sisters who are today the patron saints of Seville in Spain.

Tekakwitha was a 17th-century Mohawk woman, who survived the smallpox epidemic that killed her family. She is known for rejecting pressures from those around her to give up her Catholic beliefs and to marry someone who they approved of instead. She later fled her village and converted to Catholicism.