Saint Names for Boys

Ralph

English from German

"wolf-counsel"

Ralph has two diametrically different images: there's the suave Ralph Fiennes-type Brit (often pronounced Rafe), and then there's the Jackie Gleason blue-collar, bowling blowhard Ralph Kramden bus…

Peregrine

Latin

"traveler, pilgrim"

Peregrine is considered to be an elegantly aristocratic name in England, but has never made it to the U.S., where it has been seen as extravagantly eccentric. In the new naming climate, though, it's…

Pascal

French; English

"of the Passover; Easter"

The French-accented Pascal was historically used for sons born at Easter, and can make an interesting choice for a boy with Gallic roots arriving around that holiday. Pascal has a number of notable…

Neot

Cornish saint's name

St. Neot was a Saxon saint in the Middle Ages, whose name is used for a town in Cornwall, England. Some sources say the little-known name is Hebrew and means "pleasant pasture," but there is really…

Mungo

Scottish nickname

"my pet"

Mungo is one of the most classic Scottish names but perhaps also among the most difficult names to carry. There is a St. Mungo whose proper name was Kentigern; he is the patron saint of Glasgow. It…

Edmund

English

"fortunate protector"

The sophisticated Edmund and its nearly-identical French twin Edmond are coming out of mothballs now that Edward, inspired by Twilight, is once again a hot name. In fact, it's already a fairly…

Mel

English, diminutive of Melvin

"council protector"

Though most Mels are playing pinochle with Murray and Morris, there was a notable Saint Mel. He is one of the earliest Irish saints, a nephew of St. Patrick. He became a priest, then built a great…

Marius

Latin, from a Roman family name related to Mars, the god of war

Marius, frequently heard in Germany and France, is a slightly fusty yet accessible name that has (Les Mis) to Anne Rice. With the rise in interest in such Latin names as Maximus and Atticus, Marius…

Malachy

Irish version of Malachi, Hebrew, or Secundus, Latin

"my messenger; second"

This spelling, which came to the attention of readers of the best-selling Angela's Ashes as the name of author Frank McCourt's father and brother, the latter of whom wrote a bestseller of his own,…

Ansgar

German

"God spear"

Ansgar is an ancient name still used in modern times, especially in Scandinavia. Saint Ansgar is the patron of Scandinavia. The name Ansgar may be related to Oscar, so you can use it to honor an…

Madron

Cornish

"lucky"

An obscure Cornish saint's name that can also be considered a place name — Madron is a Cornish village named for the saint.

Madern

Cornish

"lucky"

Saint Madern, also sometimes referred to as Saint Madron, was a Cornish monk and hermit sanctified in the 6th century. The Cornish village of Madron is named after him.

Anselm

German

"with divine protection"

A somewhat solemn appellation, Anselm is a saint's name, connected to the twelfth century archbishop of Canterbury, and in modern times tied to the German neo-expressionist painter Anselm Kiefer.

Artemas

Greek

"gift of Artemis, goddess of the hunt"

This name has a nice mythological, historical, Three Musketeers-ish ring.

Austell

Cornish place and saint's name

This Cornish place name comes from the name of a Breton saint who came to Cornwall. It could be an interesting alternative to Austin. The spelling has also been recorded as Austol.

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…

Bardo

Short form of Bardolph or Aboriginal

"water"

Bardo has a poetic beginning and upbeat ending, with roots in several diverse cultures. It may be most familiar today via George Saunders' novel Lincoln in the Bardo , which refers to the Tibetan…

Bavo

German

"battle"

Saint Bavo of Ghent was a nobleman who gave away his possessions and roamed Europe doing good works. He is a patron saint of several cities in Belgium and the Netherlands.

Barnabas

Aramaic

"son of consolation"

Barnabas, whose birth name was Joseph, was one of the earliest Christian disciples in Jerusalem, who undertook missionary journeys with Paul the Apostle, His name is a bit Old World compared to the…

Bartholomew

Aramaic

"son of the furrow"

Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish…