Confirmation names are one of the real bonuses of growing up Catholic, a chance for you to choose a name for yourself that's more to your liking than the one your parents gave you.

The catch is that confirmation names have to be saints' names, but you may be surprised to learn that confirmation names for girls include many modern, stylish, and cool names.

Of course, you'll want to choose your confirmation name for reasons that go deeper than an appealing sound. Choosing the right confirmation name is different from naming a baby or a fictional character. Some guidelines:

-- Read the story of the saint whose name you're interested in, to be sure you're proud of the figure you're honoring with your confirmation name.

-- Be sure your new initials don't spell anything embarrassing.

-- Your confirmation name can be as public or as secret as you want it to be. You can use it as a second middle name or substitute it for a middle name that doesn't have any meaning for you. But because it doesn't exist on any official documents, you can keep it to yourself.

-- Choosing a confirmation name can teach you a lot about yourself, your tastes and values. Do you prefer popular names or rare names? Want something well-liked that will be admired by your peers or would you rather pick something unusual that makes you stand out? Do you like elaborate feminine names like Cecilia or prefer more gender-neutral or sleek?

Here, some confirmation names for girls that are worth considering now, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Saints' Names for Girls

Girl Names