Roman Catholic Inspired Names

Demetrius

Greek

"follower of Demeter"

Classical and Shakespearean name that may appeal if you like your names long, flowing and multicultural.

Denis

French from Greek

"god of Nysa"

While Dennis may be more familiar to English speakers, Denis, or sometimes Denys, were the original medieval French forms of the name. Ultimately derived from Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and…

Drexel

German

"to turn"

Drexel is an occupational surname but the original meaning of what a person who "turned" for a living actually did is unclear: It may mean turning the soil or making hay or spinning cloth or creating…

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…

Elmo

Italian from German

"protector"

Elmo, like fellow Sesame Street characters Kermit and Grover, has a hard time being taken seriously. (It isn't easy being red either.) But Elmo also calls to mind the image of St. Elmo's fire--the…

Emmanual

Emmanual is a variant spelling of Emmanuel, a masculine name derived from the Hebrew 'Immanuel,' meaning 'God is with us.' This name carries significant religious importance in Christianity,…

Emmaus

Greek place name from Aramaic

"hot spring"

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus appears to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus after his death, burial and resurrection.

Erasmus

Greek

"beloved, desired"

Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off. The fourth century Saint Erasmus was…

Ernest

English from German

"serious, resolute"

Ernest is one of those sober, so-far-out-they're-beginning-to-be-reconsidered Great Uncle names. Ernest recently received a big style boost when Britain's Princess Eugenie chose it for her second…

Ezekial

Ezekial is an alternative spelling of the biblical name Ezekiel, which derives from Hebrew and means 'God strengthens' or 'strength of God.' This variant maintains the powerful spiritual significance…

Faust

Latin

"fortunate one"

Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.

Fenn

English

"wetland, marsh"

A fen is an English marshland, and Fenn came into use as a habitational surname for a person who dwelt near one. Now, it's a rarely used first name too, a handsome alternative to Finn.

Fenwick

English

"person from the fenland"

Usually pronounced without the W in English, this cool surname name derives from the English place name Fenwick, found in Northumberland, Strathclyde and Yorkshire. The place name in turn denotes a…