Looking for a baby girl's name that is old fashioned, but still charming? These adorable Christian and/or Catholic names have stood the test of time and come with incredibly versatile nicknames.
Religious Names for Girls
When parents talk about giving their children religious names or biblical names, they may be thinking about different sets of names. Catholics and Protestants are all Christians, but Catholics have historically given their children biblical or Saint’s names, and Protestants traditionally have used biblical or virtue names. Nowadays, parents have more options and can choose what they like.
For the best old-fashioned girl’s name, look for beauty and meaning.
Saint Abigail
Abigail: St. Abigail (biblical name) was a wife of King David and some consider her a prophet. Meaning of name: Father Rejoices. Nicknames: Abbie, Abba, Gail, Gailey, Gigi, Bibi. Abigail is one of the top-10 names.
Ada, Adela, Adelle
Pronunciations and spellings change over time as names travel to new countries.
- Ada: St. Ada (biblical) was an abbess in Le Mans, France. Meaning: Noble.
- Adele / Adela / Adelle: St. Adele was a medieval European princess who founded a convent. The name Adela was very popular in the 1800s and early 1900s. (Adalia is biblical.) Meaning: Noble. Nicknames: Ada, Addie, Elle, Ellie, Ella, Delle.
Saints Names for Girls
Many religious names like Adriana, Alena, and Alexandra, are from Catholic Saints, but they are not always biblical names (from the bible). Most Saints’ names are cute and old fashioned. Any parent who likes a name (and its nicknames) should add it to his or her list.
- Adriana: Feminine form of St. Adrian. Meaning: Brave. Nicknames: Ana, Adie, Addy, Ada, Adree, Dree.
- Alena: St. Alena (a-LEE-nuh or a-LAY-nuh), of Belgium, was baptized without her parents’ knowledge. After witnessing a miracle, her parents became Christians, too.
- Alexandra: St. Alexandra was the wife of a Roman Emperor (300 A.D.). She tried to help St. George, then became a Christian, and died for her beliefs. Meaning: Defender. Nicknames: Alex, Ally, Alexa, Andie, Andra,Lexa, Lexi, Sasha, Sandra, Sandy, Xandra, Xandie, Xana, Zandra, Zan.
- Alice: St. Alice (born 1204) entered a convent at age 7, by her own choice. She contracted leprosy as a teen and was isolated for life, but she turned her suffering into strength and hope. Meaning: Noble. Nicknames: Allie, Lissy, Lissa, Lacey, CeCe.
Saint Names That Start With A
All names in this article are names of Catholic Saints. Many are also found in the bible.
- Alodia: St. Alodia was born into a mixed-marriage family in Spain. Her mother was Christian and her father was not. Alodia refused to disavow Christianity and was martyred. Meaning: Riches. Nicknames: Allie, DeeDee, Lola. Hip, cute Alodia Gosiengfiao is a famous pop star from the Philippines.
- Anastasia: St. Anastasia-the-Patrician was the daughter of an Egyptian nobleman. She resisted the advances of Emperor Justinian, and fled to the safety of a convent in Alexandria Egypt. When Justinian tried to find her, she escaped to a desert monastery, where she was allowed to dress as a monk and hide. She lived a life of solitude and continuous prayer.
- Anatolia: St. Anatolia of Italy refused marriage so she was locked in a room with a poisonous snake. It never attacked Anatolia. Her guard was inspired to become a Christian and was a martyr with her.
- Angela: St. Angela was orphaned at 10, and taught herself what she could, in a time when only wealthy women and nuns were educated. Angela wanted poor young girls to get an education, but nuns could not leave the cloister. So, Angela found a way around it and helped young girls to have a better life.
Biblical Names for Baby Girls
Ann, Anne, and Anna are variants of the biblical name Hannah, from the Old Testament.
- Anne: St. Anne was the mother of the Virgin Mary and is the patron saint of Brittany and Quebec. Meaning: Grace.
- Ava: St. Ava was a princess born into the Frankish royal family during the 800s. She was cured of blindness by a Saint and became an abbess in Belgium. The etymology of Ava is often considered to be Eve or Eva. Ava is one of the top-10 names.
Whether looking for a popular name or a unique name, biblical names have been around for 2000 years or longer. And, Saints' names have been cool for ages.
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Christina Gregoire - Christina Gregoire writes about divorce, fashion, and baby boomers. Her forte is explaining complex ideas in simple language.
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