Female Catholic Saint Names
- Natalia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"birthday [of the Lord]"Description:
Natalia was derived from the Latin word natalis, meaning "birthday." It refers to the birthday of Jesus Christ, and thus originated as a name for girls born on Christmas Day. Related forms include the French Natalie, Portuguese Natalina, and Russian diminutive Natasha.
- Monica
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"advisor"Description:
This saintly name--she was the mother of St. Augustine--plummeted after the double whammy of Lewinsky and the demise of Friends.
- Juliette
Origin:
French diminutive of Julia, LatinMeaning:
"youthful or sky father"Description:
Juliette, pronounced with the emphasis on the last syllable, adds a little something extra to Juliet. In the past years it has been rising up the chart.
- Victoria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"victory"Description:
Victoria is the Latin word for "victory" and a feminine form of Victor. It is the name of the ancient Roman goddess of victory, the equivalent of the Greek Nike, and also a popular third century saint.
- Juliana
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"youthful or sky father"Description:
Long common in Europe, the elegant and regal Juliana, also spelled with two n's, has invaded these shores, in tandem with the more classic Julia. Together with Julian, the name derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
- Priscilla
Origin:
Latin, diminutive of PriscaMeaning:
"ancient"Description:
Despite her somewhat prissy, puritanical air, Priscilla has managed to stay widely used for well over a century -- it reached as high as Number 127 in 1940 -- appreciated for its delicacy and solid history.
- Teresa
Origin:
SpanishMeaning:
"to harvest"Description:
How do you spell Teresa? Teresa, the simpler phonetic form of this name, was the most popular variation for its early life, when it was used exclusively in Spain and Portugal. Other spellings of Teresa include Theresa, the usual English form, and the French Therese.
- Adelina
Origin:
Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Slavic variation of AdelineMeaning:
"noble, nobility"Description:
Adelina is back in the Top 1000 after an absence of nearly a century, thanks to the meteoric rise of her sister name Adeline -- along with Adelaide, Adele, and Ada.
- Angela
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"angel"Description:
Angela was a Top 10 name from 1965 to 1979, the fifth most popular name for three years, and staying in the double digits until the turn of the 21st century. Today, though, Angelina or Angelica would be more fashionable options.
- Tatiana
Origin:
Russian, from Latin family name Tatius, meaning unknownDescription:
Classic yet spritely, Tatiana has long been familiar and popular in Russia and Eastern Europe, though it wasn't until the 80s that it caught on in the English-speaking world. With short forms Tiana, Tati, and Tanya, it is a versatile choice that has nevertheless seen a decline in use in recent year.
- Valeria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"strength, health"Description:
Valeria -- the original form of the name, used by early Christians --has been experiencing significant popularity in recent years. While Valeria was nearly always on the charts, the name peaked in 2009 at #72, surpassing the longtime Franco-American version Valerie. Today Valeria and Valerie are at about equal rankings, sitting in the 150s.
- Rosalia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"rose"Description:
Elegant and bright with plenty of flair, Rosalia is widely-used in Spain and Italy, where there is a Sicilian Saint Rosalia. The name Rosalia refers back to the annual Roman ceremony of hanging garlands of roses on tombs, which could make it work as a commemorative name, though today it would most likely be used in honor of the uni-named Spanish pop star Rosalía.
- Clare
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bright, clear"Description:
This is the original, more prosaic spelling, but the airier Claire now dominates.
- Emiliana
Origin:
Italian variation of EmilyMeaning:
"rival"Description:
The enormous popularity of Emily and Emma means that parents will be looking further afield for substitutes -- and this is one of the prettiest.
- Lea
Origin:
Variation of Lee or LeahMeaning:
"meadow; weary"Description:
While traditionally pronounced as a homonym for Lee, Glee actress Lea Michele pronounces her name like Leah, and it may also rhyme with Freya. Regardless of your preferred pronunciation, it's interesting to note that Lea has always charted in the US Top 1000, despite coming close to the bottom a few times, making it one of the girl names starting with L that both fits in and stands out.
- Lelia
Origin:
Italian form of Laelia, meaning unknownDescription:
A rare and delicate choice, Lelia is a modern variation of an ancient Roman family name. It came to Britain in the mid-nineteenth century, following the publication of George Sand's popular romantic novel titled Lelia in 1833.
- Isidora
Origin:
Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian variation of Isadora, GreekMeaning:
"gift of Isis"Description:
The Isidora spelling, though equally legitimate, is about 90 percent less common than Isadora.
- Maxima
Origin:
Latin, feminine variation of MaximusDescription:
Max names were one of the hottest trends for boys in the mid-2010s, and are still very popular. The girl versions haven't seen so much love, unfortunately. (Or fortunately, if you love them and want them to stay rare!) Maxima got some attention in 2015 when Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan used it for their daughter, but few parents have copied them.
- Melania
Origin:
Spanish and Greek variation of MelanieMeaning:
"black"Description:
The current wife of Donald Trump, Slovenian model Melania Knauss, brought this pretty version to the fore. Saint Melania was an heiress who freed thousands of enslaved people.
- Belina
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