Christian female names and their meanings. Orthodox name for a girl

With the birth of a baby, every parent begins to think about what to name their daughter. I want the name to be beautiful, special and with interesting meaning. A considerable number of people believe in the magic of the name and claim that it has a strong influence on the fate and character of the child. Traditionally, parents look for a name for their daughter in the lists of Orthodox names for girls.

How to choose a name for a girl according to its meaning

Each name necessarily has its own meaning. Once upon a time it was born thanks to certain associations that are not obvious to us now.

Any parents wish only the best for their child and approach the choice of a name with responsibility. So let's figure out what the most popular Orthodox names today mean.

Alina – from ancient German, “noble”;
Allah - from ancient Arabic. “letter”, ancient Greek. – “resurrection”, from Gothic – “other”;
Albina – “light”, “white”, “pure”;
Anastasia - “return to life”, “resurrection”, “resurrected”, “reborn”, “immortal”;
Angela – “messenger”;
Anna - from Hebrew. “disposition”, “favor”, “favour”;
Antonina - “extensive”, “acquisition”, “comparison” and “opponent”, from Greek. – “acquiring in return”;
Valentina – “healthy”, “strong”, “to be healthy”;
Valeria – “to be strong, healthy”;
Faith – “belief”, “truth”;
Victoria - “victory”, “winner”;
Vitalia – “vital”;
Galina – “calm”, “serene”;
Daria - “strong”, “conquering”, “possessor”, “possessing wealth”, “winner”;
Dina - from ancient Hebrew. "avenged";
Evgeniya – “noble”;
Catherine – “eternally pure”, “immaculate”;
Elena – “light”, “bright”;
Elizabeth - from Hebrew. sounds like “God is my oath”, “I swear to God”;
Jeanne - “God's mercy”;
Zinaida - Greek. “born of Zeus”, “from the family of Zeus”;
Zoya – means “life”;
Inga - means “protected by Yngvi”;
Inna – “strong water”;
Irina - from ancient Greek. “peace”, “peace”;
Karina – “looking forward”;
Claudia - means “lame”, “lame”;
Christina – “Christian”;
Larisa - from Greek. "gull";
Lydia - derived from the name of one region in Asia Minor - resident of Lydia, Asian, from Lydia;
Love means “love”;
Lyudmila - “dear to people”;
Maya – “progenitor of the universe”;
Margarita – “pearl”, another Indian meaning. – “brave”;
Marina - from lat. "sea";
Mary - Hebrew “resist”, “reject”, “be bitter”; “beloved”, “saint”, “stubborn”, “mistress”, “superiority”;
Nadezhda is from Staroslav. "hope";
Natalia – “native”;
Nelly – “young”, “new”;
Nina – “queen”;
Nonna - from lat. "ninth";
Oksana - from Greek. “stranger”, “foreign”;
Olga – “great”, “princess”;
Polina – “independent”;
Raisa – “light”, “carefree”;
Rimma - from lat. “Roman”, from ancient times. - “apple”, from Greek. – “throwing”, “thrown”;
Svetlana - from the word “bright”;
Seraphim – “burning”, “fiery”;
Sophia - “wisdom”, “wisdom”;
Tamara - from the word “Tamar”, which translated means “palm tree”;
Tatyana - from the word “tatto” - “to establish”, “to determine”;
Emma - from Greek. “affectionate”, “flattering”;
Julia - from lat. “curly”, “July”, “from the Yuli family”;
Yaroslav - ancient Slav. "fierce glory"

Knowing the meaning of names, you can easily name your child in accordance with your wishes and hopes regarding his future and character traits.

Name for daughter according to the Orthodox calendar

After the baptism of Rus', it became customary to baptize newborns, and they were named after saints according to the calendar. To decide on a name, first of all you need to have a calendar with the days on which it is customary to honor saints, in accordance with the year the child was born.

If no saint is recorded on the baby’s birthday, they usually take the name indicated on the next day or in the next 8 days after the birth of the child.

Beautiful Orthodox names for girls in alphabetical order

There are many Orthodox beautiful and euphonious, as well as rarely encountered names. They will very advantageously distinguish the girl from among others and make her different from everyone else, that is, special.

Anastasia – translated as “immortal” or “resurrected”, is very kind and trusting, with a good imagination.
Angelina is a “messenger” or “angel”, it is very difficult to convince her of anything, she is a born commander. School lessons she is not attracted, but she is quite independent and is engaged in self-development.
Asthea is an amorous girl, inclined to become attached to people, a perfectionist in everything and quite demanding.
Animaida is a gifted, talented person.
Varvara means “foreigner” from ancient Greek, she is a born family man, she appreciates the beauty that is in people, she is an idealist.
Veveya is capable of making sacrifices for someone, but often does not notice her mistakes. Loyal to family and loved one.
Gaina is frank, sincere and sensible, a born family man.
Glyceria - sometimes it seems to others that she is aloof, because she is characterized by loneliness. Be careful about spending money.
Dominica is sociable and cheerful, has many friends, as it is easy for her to make new acquaintances, but at the same time she is always faithful only to her “best friend.”
Damara is somewhat slow, which is not always good. Sincere, frank and ready to help at any moment.
Euphrosyne - loves to dominate, often blames herself for problems that are not always her fault, and is prone to self-examination.
Evdokia is sincere, ready to help a friend, and feels responsible for her loved ones.
Julia – has self-esteem, the main desire is to love and be loved.
Kirien is wise, the owner of great inner strength, she is characterized by extraordinary intuition.
Kasinia is a brave and independent girl, very inquisitive as a child.
Lyudina is reliable and feels responsible for the fate of people close to her.
Love is faithful to its loved ones, but can be too lenient towards family and friends.
Melania is a sociable girl, easily makes new acquaintances, and is able to deeply analyze situations. Loves order and cleanliness.
Mariam is reliable, loves to be useful and actively takes part in all areas of activity.
Nonna dominates always and everywhere, is devoted and faithful to her chosen one, and has a strong character.
Pulcheria is an idealist and perfectionist, has excellent intuition. Has the ability to “attract” help to right moment to achieve goals.
Poplia is not particularly sociable, feels the need not to lose composure and always behave with dignity.
Rufina will always come to the rescue, does not tolerate fuss, is sometimes domineering and ruthless, but at the same time kind and knows how to sympathize.
Stefanida is a perfectionist and falls in love easily. Has good health, but this distinction may weaken due to hard work and negative emotions.
Solomiya is outspoken and active in various public and sporting events.
Seraphima is a brave girl; as a child she was characterized by excessive curiosity.
Favsta - has innate talent, is capable of strong love and affection for her chosen one in life.
Theodora is charming and attractive girl, has a great interest in life.
Feofaniya is always busy with something, very active, and constantly in the lead. I'm used to doing, not talking.
Chrysia is a restless person, prone to continuous movement through life. Often loses interest in what does not change, constantly looking for change.
Cecilia - has an innate creativity, in search of constant ways of self-expression, sociable.

As you can see, these rare and beautiful Orthodox names are quite unusual, which is what makes them unique. They are not often heard in everyday life.

You need to choose the right name carefully, combining it with the child’s middle name. This verbal tandem should sound coherent, and not complicated, difficult to pronounce and remember.

Unusual Russian female names

If you want to call a girl something old name, then we have prepared a list of Russian Orthodox female names just for you.

In it you will definitely be able to find the “same” name intended specifically for your child, because the list of Russian names for girls is quite diverse:

Adelina, Agnessa, Aurora, Alexandrina, Alena, Arina, Asya;
Berta, Bogdana;
Verona, Venus, Violetta, Violanta, Valeria, Victoria, Vladlena, Vitalina;
Greta, Galina;
Daryana, Daria, Diana;
Evdokia;
Zara, Zlata, Zarina, Zoryana;
Inna, Ivona, Ilena, Irma;
Ksenia, Clara;
Lyalya, Lada, Lyubava, Lira, Lika, Lesya;
Maya, Mary, Marta, Mila, Milana, Maryana;
Oktyabrina, Olesya;
Praskovya, Polianna;
Ruslana, Regina, Romana, Radmila;
Sima, Snezhana, Svyatoslav;
Ustinya, Ulyana;
Fiza, Feodosia;
Harita, Hilda, Helga;
Edda;
Juno, Juliana;
Yaroslava, Yadviga, Yana, Yasmina, Yanina.

Forgotten and rare Orthodox names for girls

Among the rare Orthodox female names you can find:

Augusta, Agapia, Aglaida, Adelaida, Akulina;
Beatrice;
Vasilida, Vassa, Vincentia, Viviana;
Galatea, Glafira, Gloria;
Denisia, Dosithea, Drosida;
Evmenia, Evfalia, Emelyan;
Zeno;
Isis, Iphigenia, Iolanta, Isidora;
Casimir, Concordia, Cornelia;
Leocadia, Leonia, Libya, Lolla, Longina;
Mavra, Matilda, Matryona, Militsa, Mikhailina;
Neonilla;
Pavlina, Petrina, Pulcheria;
Renata;
Selina, Stepanida;
Thekla, Fedora, Fedosya, Feofaniya;
Harita;
Celestina;
Ennafa, Era;
Junia, Justina.

There are names that not only sound beautiful and are rare, but also have very interesting meanings.

Among them, the following stand out:

Artemis – has the meaning “whole”, “unharmed”, “inviolable”. This name once belonged to goddess of the hunt,
Venus - the name has Latin roots and means “love.”
Vesnyana - definitely suitable for girls, born in spring, as the same name means “spring”.
Hera – literally translated as “lady”.
Dahlia – beautiful name, the girl is named after the flower.
Miya – means “rebellious”;
Palmyra - "palm tree"
Juno – Greek name, given to the goddess of marriage and love.

By naming your daughter one of these rare names, you are not just giving her a beautiful name, but to some extent determining her character and destiny. Approach your choice consciously and responsibly.

Women's names for baptism

Taking a responsible approach to the rite of baptism and choosing a female name for this, many of us turn to worldwide network. Some are looking for the answer in Orthodox calendars, others are consulting with the priest...

We offer our own selection of female names for baptism:

Agafya, Anisia;
Glafira;
Zinaida;
Ilaria;
Larisa, Lydia;
Matron;
Nina;
Paul;
Raisa;
Salome, Sosanna;
Taisiya;
Juliana.

The above names are the rarest known Orthodox variants.

For baptism, many also choose names that are very common today in Slavic countries:

Alexandra, Anna;
Valentina, Valeria, Varvara, Veronica, Vera;
Daria;
Zoya, Zlata;
Ivana, Irina;
Kira, Christina;
Marina, Maria, Melania;
Natalia;
Olga;
Sofia.

This article contains many different names for girls - both rare and very popular, Russian and widespread far beyond the borders of our country, as well as special significance. As already mentioned, the name has a strong influence on the development of the character and fate of the girl, therefore parents have a huge responsibility for the future of the child, even in such a seemingly symbolic moment as choosing a name.

Young mothers expecting their baby take a very long time to choose a name for him. Many are guided fashion trends calling the child beautifully sounding name, which is not on the list of the Orthodox church calendar. Because of this, at baptism the child is given a different name. In this article we will tell you how to name a boy or girl according to the church calendar so that his destiny is happy and successful.

Immediately after baptism Kievan Rus All Orthodox people they were baptized on the eighth day after the birth of the babies according to the same rite (in our time this is usually done on the 40th day after physical birth). On this day, children were given the names of martyrs of the Orthodox Church. People believed that in this way children would be protected by the patron saint from grief and misfortune.

The clergy who performed the baptism ceremony wrote down every day the name of the saint, which they had already assigned to the child.
Thus, over time, the “Saints of Saints” appeared - a book of memory of saints, which is being replenished to this day. Young parents often turn to this publication (you can look through it in church) or table (there are many of them published on the Internet) to choose a name for their newborn.
Unfortunately, choosing a name according to the church calendar is not always a conscious act, the purpose of which is to give the baby a guardian angel.
By naming a child a rare old name, young parents simply want to make their child stand out from the crowd and do not delve into the true essence of the chosen name.

But in ancient times, our ancestors celebrated not the day of physical birth, but the day of “baptism” or name day (the day of veneration of the saint in whose honor the baby was named). Sometimes children were named not by the name of the saint on whose name day they were born, but in honor of other canonized great martyrs, whose name days fell on the next three days after the physical birth of the baby.

Female names according to the church calendar

If you have a daughter, you can choose a very beautiful name for your little princess according to the church calendar. It will not always have an unusual sound, which often causes surprise on the faces of people when they find out what name you gave your girl. Most of the names in the Saints are of Greek or Latin origin, so they sound the same as the worldly names that we are all accustomed to.

In this article, so that you do not have to contact a clergyman for advice and do not look for necessary information on the Internet, we have compiled for you a list of female names according to the church calendar for every day and month of the current year.

Women's name days in January according to the church calendar

A girl born on the first winter month can be called:

Anastasia
Evgenia
Claudia
Augusta
Agrippina
Anfisa
Maria
Agafya
Anna
Varvara
Matrona
Natalia
Anisya
Irina
Fedora
Fedosya
Melania
Emilia
Apollinaria
Tatiana
Eupraxia
Agnia
Elena
Ksenia
Nina

In addition, if your daughter was born on the name day of the saints according to the church calendar, on which everyone orthodox churches hold ceremonial services, then you can call it by the appropriate name in January:

4 January- Day of Remembrance of the Great Martyr Anastasia the Pattern Maker. The saint distributed everything she had at her disposal to those in need. She preached the Christian faith in prisons, ransomed prisoners and treated the sick. For such preaching activities, they first tried to starve Anastasia, then drown her, but she died a different death - she was burned alive at the stake.
The 25th of January- day of remembrance of the holy martyr Tatiana, who in at a young age She became a nun and served Christ all her life.
January 27- Day of Remembrance Equal to the Apostles Nina- enlightener of Georgia, who, according to ancient legend, saw prophetic dreams, through which she communicated with the Most Holy Theotokos.

Women's names in February according to the church calendar

Girls born in February can be named by the following names according to the church calendar:

Feodosia
Innoy
Agnia
Evdokia
Ekaterina
Ksenia
Maria
Olga
Jonah
Pelageya
Anna
Agafya
Alexandra
Vasilisa
Mafoy
Christina
Anastasia
Galina
Evgenia
Fedora
Euphrosyne
Sofia

If your girl is born February 6, then call her Ksenia. On this day, Orthodox churches honor the memory of one of the greatest saints - Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, who deserved her devotion to God and dead husband to be canonized. The saint became a widow at the age of 26. She was immersed in grief - she wore the costume of her late husband and responded only to his name. Every night she went out into the field to pray for her husband and build herself a small church not far from the Smolensk cemetery.

What to name a girl in March according to the church calendar?

Daughters born in March can be called by the following names according to the “Saints”:

Maria
Anna
Elizabeth
Irina
Olga
Praskovya
Anna
Kiroy
Marina
Antonina
Daria
Evdokia
Matrona
Hope
Martha
Iraida
Ekaterina
Ksenia
Anastasia
Claudia
Natalia

If your girl is born March 14th, then the best name for her would be Evdokia or Daria (this is the same name). On this day, churches hold services dedicated to the Venerable Martyr Evdokia. This saint led a sinful life for a long period of her life, but after meeting Elder Herman, she became a nun and began to serve Christ faithfully. She became famous during the persecution of Christians when she resurrected deceased wife the prayer of one of the rulers of that time.

What to name a girl according to the church calendar in April?

If your baby was born in April, you can choose the following names for her:

Daria
Matron
Sofia
Alexandra
Claudia
Maria
Praskovya
Svetlana
Apollinaria
Vasilisa
Taisiya
Anastasia
Varvara
Lydia
Feodosia
Larisa
Zosima
Evdokia
Marfa
Galina
Irina

A girl born 14th of April, it is worth calling Mary in honor of the holy Venerable Mary of Egypt, who lived in the desert for 47 years, eating only roots and repenting of her sinful thoughts.

What to name a girl in May according to the church calendar?

Name your daughter if she was born on the most warm month spring, with such church names:

Tamara
Matrona
Theodora
Alexandra
Elizabeth
Nobody
Glafira
Anastasia
Maria
Anna
Nina
Mavra
Pelageya
Irina
Taisiya
Glyceria
Muse
Evdokia
Euphrosyne
Claudia
Faina
Christina
Julia

If your girl was born on Saints' Name Day Orthodox calendar on which ceremonies are held church services, then you can call them by their respective May names:

May 2– Memorial Day of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow, who predicted the future for people, saving them from troubles and grief.
May 14– Day of veneration of the Georgian Queen Tamara, whose reign was marked by the introduction of the Christian faith throughout the country.

Women's names in June according to the church calendar

If your baby was born in June, then according to the church calendar she should be named by a name from the following list:

Anastasia
Elena
Sophia
Euphrosyne
Maria
Ksenia
Jonah
Fedora
Faina
Feodosia
Christina
By faith
Martha
Sussana
Thekloy
Valeria
Zinaida
Antonina
Anna
Akulina
Alexandra
Pelageya

Women's names in July according to the church calendar

According to the church book, it is better to name girls born in July:

Maria
Innoy
Rimma
Juliania
Agrippina
Theodora
Joanna
Dinara
Angelina
Cosmoy
Alexandra
Anastasia
Martha
Olga
Tatiana
Anna
Varvara
Euphemia
Veronica
Sarah
Alevtina
Valentina
Julia
Margarita
Marina

In the church calendar, the following name days are special days:

July 17th- day of remembrance of Alexandra, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia - wife and daughters Russian Emperor Nicholas II, who were shot in St. Petersburg. One of the listed names can be called a girl born on this day.
July 18- day of remembrance of Elizabeth and Varvara, who had princely roots.
July 24- the day of remembrance of the great ruler of Kievan Rus - Princess Olga, who was baptized under the name Helen. A girl born on this day according to the church calendar can be called both Olga and Elena.

How to name a girl according to the 2017 church calendar in August?

According to the list of names in “Svyatki”, it is best to name a girl born in August:

Anna
Maria
Foca
Christina
Christina
Iraida
Olympics
Praskovya
Anfisa
Anastasia
Antonina
Elena
Irina
Mavra
Seraphim
Agnia
Angelina
Elizabeth
Evdokia
Nonna
Margarita
Sussana
Ksenia
Ulyana

If your daughter was born August 4, then it would be more correct to call her Maria. After all, on this day a big day is celebrated religious holiday veneration of Mary Magdalene, who for a long time led a sinful life, but was able to take the true path and until the end of her days she carried the news of Christ throughout the world.

What to name a girl born in September according to the church calendar?

According to the church calendar, girls who were born in the first autumn month are recommended to be named one of the following names:

Thekla
Marfa
Ariadne
Maria
Natalia
Anfisa
Elizabeth
Ksenia
Rufina
Seraphim
Elena
Iraida
Raisa
Tatiana
Evdokia
Maria
Lyudmila
Alexandra
Love
Irina
Hope
Sophia

In September there are many especially revered saints, after whom you can name your daughters if their date of birth coincides with their name day:

8 September- the day of Saint Natalia, who suffered for her faith in Jesus Christ.
September 14- day of veneration of Saint Elizabeth - mother of John the Baptist.
September 29- the day of remembrance of the holy martyr Lyudmila, who died at the hands of the pagan sister Dragomira.
September 30th- Day of Remembrance of Faith, Hope, Love and Sophia. These were great martyrs who endured great suffering because of their deep faith in Christ.

Women's names according to the 2017 church calendar in October

According to the Orthodox calendar, girls born in October are best called by the following names:

Ariadna
Euphrosyne
Irina
Sofia
Maria
Tatiana
Agnia
Jonah
Praskovya
Foca
Iraida
Akulina
Anna
Apollinaria
By faith
Feodosia
Veronica
Pelageya
Elizabeth
Hope
Taisiya
Eulampia
Zinaida
Golden

What to name a girl according to the church calendar in November?

According to the church calendar, girls born in November can be called:

Matrona
Pelageya
Anna
Elizabeth
Euphrosyne
Capitolina
Neoniloy
Praskovya
Fevronia
Agafya
Anastasia
Maria
Elena
Agrippina
Juliania
Evdokia
Svetlana
Evgenia
Fedora
Alexandra
Jonah
Claudia
Nina
Seraphim
Olga
Stepanida

What to name a girl in December according to the church calendar?

If your daughter was born in December, then according to the “Saints” she can be named:

Anna
Tatiana
Thekloy
Praskovya
Augusta
Anisya
Evgenia
Ekaterina
Antonina
By faith
Margarita
Maria
Matrona
Tamara
Fevronia
Glyceria
Anastasia
Varvara
Kiroy
Julia
Anfisa
Angelina
Eulalia
Jonah
Sussana

In December, Orthodox churches celebrate the name days of the following saints with ceremonial services:

December 7 – Memorial Day of the Great Martyr Catherine, who was distinguished by her impeccable beauty and high intelligence. She was able to convince 50 scientists that they needed to believe in Jesus Christ and for this she was beheaded.
December 17 – Memorial Day of the Great Martyr Barbara, who was beheaded by her own father because she joined the circles of preachers of the Christian faith.

Male names according to the church calendar

There are many more male names in the church calendar than female ones. Among them you can find a very beautiful and proud name of noble origin.

We invite you to use our selection from the Saints, which will help you choose a name for your son.

Male names in January according to the church calendar

According to the Orthodox calendar, boys born in January can be called by the following names:

Boniface
Gregory
Ilya
Timothy
Anton
Daniil
Ivan
Ignatius
Leonty
Nikita
Peter
Procopius
Sergei
Feofan
Dmitry
Fedor
Vasily
David
Makar
Nahum
Nifont
Pavel
Feoktistom
Innocent
Nikolai
Alexander
Efim
Isaac
Konstantin
Leonid
Nicodemus
Stepan
Tikhon
Joseph
We are proud

The church is held solemn services on such days of veneration of saints:

1st of January- the day of the holy martyr Boniface, who suffered for his faith in the Son of God.
January 2- Memorial Day of John of Kronstadt. A boy born on this day can be called Ivan.
January 14- day of remembrance of the ascetic Great Basil.
January 15- the day of veneration of Seraphim of Sarov, who died in prayer before the icon of the Mother of God.
January 30- day of veneration of the father of monasticism, Anthony the Great.

Male names in February according to the church calendar

We present to you a list of Orthodox names, what to name a boy in February according to church calendar :

Anton
Arseny
Gregory
Makar
Peter
Savva
Efim
Zakhar
Lavrentiy
Leo
Maxim
Gabriel
Joseph
Leonty
Timothy
Makar
Jacob
Clement
Gennady
Denis
Vitaly
Anatoly
Boris
Clement
Philip
Arkady
Konstantin
Roman
Tryphon
Yuri

There are several special days in the church calendar when solemn services are held in honor of the veneration of certain saints:

February 3rd– day of memory of Maxim the Greek, who long years conducted under church supervision.
February 7- the day of remembrance of St. Gregory the Theologian, who preached Christianity all his life.
February 27- day of remembrance of Cyril, who preached Christianity in Moravia in the Slavic language.

Male names in March according to the church calendar

If your son was born in March, then choose a name for him from the following list, which offers church calendar:

Daniel
Makar
Nikolay
Paul
Novel
Victor
Kuzma
Arkhip
Maksim
David
Leonty
Sidor
Philip
Yaroslav
Alexei
Anton
Taras
Sergey
Stepan
Nestor
Savva
Michael
Konstantin
Afanasy
Sofron
Trofim
Julian

Several name days are especially revered by the church in March:

5th of March- the day of remembrance of Yaroslav the Wise, famous for his good deeds for the people of Kievan Rus.
March 17- the day of Prince Daniil of Moscow, who accepted the schema before his death.
30th of March- day St. Alexy, who exchanged married life with an unloved service to God.

Male names in April according to the church calendar

According to the church calendar, it is recommended to name boys born in the most blooming month of spring:

Dmitry
Ivan
Innocent
Vasily
Victor
Vissarion
Sevastyan
Georgiy
Zakhar
Tikhon
Stepan
Gabriel
Kondratiem
Hilarion
Foma
Polycarp
Efim
Nikita
Methodius
Prokhorom

What to name a boy according to the church calendar in May?

The Saints provides the following list of names for boys born in May:

Anton
Victor
Felix
Alexander
Basil
Nikolay
Gregory
Lazarus
Dmitriy
Leonty
Sergey
Fedot
Philemon
Valerian
Clement
Nikifor
Maksim
Vitaly

The Church honors several saints with a special liturgical service:

the 6th of May- Day of Remembrance of St. George the Victorious, a courageous and brave warrior. Died martyrdom, was subject to wheeling.
May 24- Day of Remembrance of Cyril and Methodius.

What to name a boy according to the church calendar in June?

If your son was born in June, then according to the church calendar the boy should be called:

Alexander
Anton
Valentin
Victor
Matvey
Pavel
Joseph
Makar
Fedor
Mikhail
Stepan
Ivan
Leonty
Philip
Denis
Julian
Nazar
Ignatius
Taras
Nikon
Moses

Several days according to the Orthodox calendar are especially revered:

June 1st- Day of Remembrance of Dmitry Donskoy, who united the Russian lands.
June 18- the day of veneration of Prince Igor of Chernigov, killed by an angry crowd.

Male names according to the 2017 church calendar in July

Boys born in July should receive the following names according to the church calendar:

Leonty
Nikanor
Varlaam
Paisiy
Andrey
Terenty
Alexander
Jacob
Nikita
Ambrose
Basil
Arkady
Konstantin
Sergey
Hermann
Paul
Leonid

July, 12 in the church calendar special holiday- day of veneration of Paul and Peter. It is recommended to name boys born on this day by the names of these saints.

Men's name days in August according to the church calendar

If your son was born in August, this means that according to the church calendar, one of the following names will suit him:

Gregory
Mitrofan
Novel
Cornelius
Alexei
Vitaly
Makar
Fedor
Basil
Paul
Julian
Nikolay
Konstantin
Denis
Emelyan
Savva

If your son was born August 2, then it is more correct, according to the canons of the church, to call him Elijah, since on this day the Orthodox worship the prophet Elijah.

Male names in September according to the church calendar

Boys born in the first month of autumn should receive the following church names:

Nikolay
Andrey
Feofan
Arseny
Jacob
Paul
Savva
Leonid
Victor
Dmitriy
Julian
Georgiy
Daniel
Nicodemus
Fedot
Seraphim
Lukyan
Sergey
Khariton
Michael

How to name a boy according to the 2017 church calendar in October?

If you gave birth to a boy in October, then when you look at the Saints, you will see the following list of names:

Alexei
Boris
Benjamin
Hilarion
Igor
Sergey
Trofim
Savva
Konstantin
Issac
Makar
Anton
Dmitriy
Afanasy
Philemon
Gregory
Matvey
Tryphon

If a child is born 2 October, then the name Alexander is best suited for him, since on this day Alexander Nevsky is revered by the church. Born October 8 The name Sergei is suitable, because on this day Orthodox Christians commemorate the great wonderworker Sergius of Radonezh.

What to name a boy according to the church calendar in November?

Women who became mothers of sons in November can choose the following name for them according to the church calendar:

Dmitriy
Evsey
Leonty
Hermann
Basil
Paul
Irakli
Anton
Konstantin
Arkady
Maximilian
Seraphim
Emelyan
Elisha
Afanasy
Kuzma
Matvey

If your child was born on the day of the Apostle Philip, November 27, then name him in honor of this saint.

What to name a boy according to the church calendar in December?

Boys born in last month years, it is best to call them by the following names according to the church calendar:

Arkhip
Plato
Valentine
Timofey
Fedor
Joseph
Alexander
Philemon
Mitrofan
Victor
Julian
Nikifor
Daniel
Andrey
Vladimir
Stepan
Hypaty
Tryphon

If your baby is born December 13th, name him Andrey in honor of St. Andrew the First-Called, and if 19 - then Nicholas, since on this day the Orthodox reverence the wonderworker Nicholas.

At the end of this article, I would like to note that in fact, a name should be given to a child with soul and heart. Any mother, as soon as she sees her baby for the first time, will immediately, without a doubt, give him a name that will bring only happiness and joy into his life.

Video: “How to choose a name for a child according to the church calendar?”

At the birth of a baby, every parent wants to give him a name that will not only suit him, but also bring him good luck and happiness.

And happy parents of girls want the name to have a favorable influence on life, to be rare, significant, to suit the girl and emphasize her individuality. But choosing a name is accompanied by thought and debate. Sometimes it is difficult to choose what to name a child, because the abundance of names is amazing, and parents cannot decide for sure.

Therefore, many newborns are named after the Holy Day on which the child was born. People call this the day of the Angel. According to legend, at the birth of a baby, God gives him a guardian angel, whose mission is to protect the baby from troubles and misfortunes.

Note! A name plays an important role in a person's life. It can change fate. Therefore, the choice of name must be justified. It is better to name girls in honor of Saints according to the Orthodox calendar.

Advantages of this choice:

Celebration of Angel's Day and birthday occur on the same day.
A guardian angel with a similar dialect as the girl’s will protect the child’s fate, prevent her from taking the wrong path and guide her in time at the right moment.

Many people do not believe in these beliefs. But parents who did just this note that the baby who bears the name Mesyatseslov grows up happier and more cheerful.

In the Orthodox calendar, the name days of the Saints are celebrated every day. To understand what to name a girl at birth, you should look at the church calendar. Russian Orthodox calendars contain all the dates and adverbs of Saints. Based on the baby’s date of birth, a name is chosen similar to the date on the calendar.

Table: names according to Saints for girls by month in 2017.

Name of the month	Monthwords
January	In January, it is better to name a girl Aglaya, Marina, Anisiya, Polina, Evgenia or Domna. In January the words of the month are: Eve. Ira. Claudia. Vasilisa. Melania. Tanya. Leonidia. You can call her Ulyana, Vika, Nastya, Elena. Also Susanna, Agathia, Emilia or Nina.
February	In February, it is advisable to name the girl Sveta, Agafya, Agnia, Masha, Aksinya, Ksyusha. You can call her Veronica, Inna or Euphrosyne. This month is named after Saint Martha, Ulyana, Rimma, Pavla. Theodora, Zoe, Ani and Marianna.
March	In March, it is better to name newborns Antonina, Nastya, Evdokia, Vasilisa, Iraida, Rita, Marianna, Nika or Regina. Also called Christina, Marina, Alina, Arina or Kira.
April	Newborn girls are called: Akulina. Iroy. Claudia. No one. Lida. Galey. Vasilisa. Matryona. Masha. Praskovyu. Anya. Susanna. Sveta. Larisa. Tamara. Feodosia. Hello. Dasha. Nastya. Eve. Sofia. Alexandra. Nellie. The rare name of the Saint of this month is Ninel.
May	It is better to name the baby Glafira, Faina, Evdokia, Claudia, Pelageya or Susanna. Also called Tamara, Maria, Martha, Elizabeth, Zoya or Alexandra. Rare adverbs: Glykeria, Lukerya.
June	There are many rare adverbs in June: Akulina. Thekla. Marfa. Feodosia. Often girls are named after Antonina, Lera, Lena, Karelia and Kira. And also Nelly, Irina or Ulyana.
July	In July, the name days of Alevtina, Rita, Agrippina, Zhanna and Angelina are celebrated. This month Marina, Yulia, Evdokia and Lena celebrate Angel Day. Girls this month are called Efimiya, Rimma, Sarah, Olya, Inna, Anya, Masha, Galya, Marfa, Valya or Ulyana.
August	In August, Angel Day is celebrated: Evdokia. Anfisa. Anita. Concordia. Magdalene. Milena. Nonna. Seraphim. Valya. Sofia. Kate. Masha. Karina. Christina. Anya.
September	In September there is a name day for: Vassy. Lisa. Rufini. Theodora. People. Hope. Natasha. Vitas. Alina. Sofia. Ani. Love. Faith.
October	In October, Angel Day is: Ariadne. Irenaeus. Zlaty. Eulampia. Marianna. Ustinyi. Alice. Lights. Praskovya. Marianna. Nice. Sofia. Ira. Polyxenia. Iraids. Euphrosyne. Ani. Veronica. Taisii. Zines.
November	In November, it is the day of the angel at Glikeria, Zina, Capitolina, Matryona and Neonila. Also this month, girls are named Praskovya, Claudia, Masha, Nastya, Natasha, Vera, Dasha, Anna, Lisa, Alexandra and Stepanida.
December	In December there is a name day for Augusta, Angelina, Anfisa, Varvara, Zoya, Ekaterina, Ulyana, Lyudmila, Tatyana, Olga and Anya.

How to choose the right name for your baby?

Previously, the name in Rus' was called “adverb”. Since ancient times, this concept has served as a talisman for children. At that time, many people firmly believed that if you call the baby by the dialect of Mesyatslov, then the baby will be happy all his life.

Therefore, the name was chosen from the church calendar based on the date of birth of the baby.

Today, parents name their children as they wish. But there are those who want to live up to tradition and name the baby according to the Saints.

But in the church calendar there are days when name days are celebrated only men's Saints. In such a situation, parents can choose a name not only based on the baby’s date of birth. In Rus', a child was named on the eighth or fortieth day after his birth.

Therefore, if you don’t like the names of Angels on the days the baby is born or they are completely absent, you can choose adverbs based on other dates:

According to ancient tradition It was on the eighth day of the baby’s birth that a celebration was held, where the parents named their heir a name for life. This tradition appeared during the life of Jesus Christ. According to legend, Jesus Christ was named precisely on the eighth day after his birth.
You can name the baby on the day of baptism on the fortieth day after his birth. The rite of baptism is an ancient Orthodox tradition. During the sacrament, the baby is given church name which he will wear in heaven.

Important! But the church says that the baby should be named before the sacrament of baptism.

Whether to follow this rule is an individual choice of the parents themselves. At baptism, the baby is given a different name if none of the church names is liked.

Related Posts
How and who should name a child? There is no consensus on this issue. Let's talk about the Orthodox tradition of naming.

For a believer, the question of a name has always been of great importance. It was believed that through a name, not only character traits, but also destiny are transmitted to a person. The names of such heroes of faith as Isaac, Jacob and Abraham were very common in early Christianity. By giving the baby such a name, the parents wanted to make him involved in the holiness and glory that his original owner had.

In Rus', along with the adoption of Orthodoxy, a tradition arose of giving names in honor of saints. What is the meaning of tradition? From the point of view of Christianity, a person who bears the name of a saint has a close connection with him. The saint, who has proven his faith and devotion to God with his entire life or martyrdom, now from heaven helps a person on his difficult life path, drives away demons, in general, patronizes him.

With the name of the saint, a part of holiness and strength seemed to be transferred to the baby. The name of the saint (church name) for the child was chosen by the parents from the calendar and given by the clergyman at baptism.

The Saints (or church calendar) is a list of saints, distributed by month and date (see below). Each date in such a calendar is a church holiday - the day of remembrance of the corresponding saint (which mainly falls on the day of the saint's death). During centuries-old history Throughout their existence, the calendar was constantly replenished with new names. Now the Church celebrates the memory of some saint almost every day.

Today, as before, Christian families do not name children random names- a child’s name is given mainly in honor of canonized saints. Usually the name is chosen according to the calendar or in honor of a specific saint revered in a given family, emphasizing one’s special attitude towards him. On the day of remembrance of his saint, a person celebrates his name day (See. name day calendar).

The modern church calendar contains more than 1,100 completely different names. A significant part of the names in the calendar are of Slavic, Greek and Hebrew origin; there are names that arose due to the Latin language group. Among them there are many that not only have not lost their vitality, but are also becoming more and more popular. It is safe to say that the church calendar is an inexhaustible source of names with enormous internal energy.

Church calendar (saints) by month

January

Learn about the meaning and characteristics of names

Female names

Most parents, when choosing a name for their daughter, are guided, among other reasons, by its meaning. Let's consider the origin and meaning of today's popular female names.

Name and career

Along with character, the name also determines the profession - in which field a person can most successfully build his career. A name can help or hinder the achievement of goals.

If buying a crib, the first wardrobe for a newborn baby is a pleasant, but transient, temporary concern for young parents, then the most important action of this first period of life is choosing a name for little man. After all, it is given forever.

What's in a name?

The question, once asked by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, especially worries the female ear, which is sensitive to euphonious combinations of syllables. Orthodox name for a girl, something pleasant in its full form may turn out to be the basis for an offensive nickname in an abbreviated version. Not every mature young lady agrees to be Vasya from Vasilisa or Sonya from Sofia. Even in the diminutive version of Vasechka or Vasyon there is a “boyish” beginning that is clearly discerned by society. To add to Sofia’s chagrin, for example, the mockery of her classmates when reading Dostoevsky’s lines about Sonechka Marmeladova can be added.

All this must be taken into account if the family is not firm in the faith. If the Orthodox vision of the world is instilled in children from childhood, all the inconveniences associated with bearing the name given in Holy Baptism are perceived as akin to martyrdom. And yet, a church-going family, when choosing girls’ names according to the Orthodox calendar, must take into account the future future life daughters in the world, not in the monastery. The names of the Persian martyrs, which sound strange to the ears of a European, recommended by excessive zealots “strictly according to the calendar,” are better left for the nuns of the convent.

Are there “hard and fast” selection rules?

Christianity does not impose absolutely any dogma on the naming of babies. Orthodox names for girls by month and date, in other words, according to the calendar, is only one of the possible selection strategies when parents, who have no options of their own, go to the priest for advice.

If in an unchurched family the daughter is named by a pagan name (for example, Diana, Snezhana or Lyubomira), at baptism the consonant, most similar-sounding option is chosen - Daria, Svetlana, Lyudmila. Some designs in the calendar look different than in folk practice (for example, Akilina, not Akulina). Perhaps no prudent priest would insist on a strictly ecclesiastical version (for example, Photinia instead of Svetlana), although the latter, Slavic, non-Greek version is not on the lists.

The sacred right of parents is to name their child in honor of great-grandparents, no matter how far the days of celebration of the corresponding heavenly patrons are from the date of birth of the child. A rare Orthodox name for a girl can become one of the family heirlooms passed down from generation to generation.

We must not forget about the euphonious combination of a name and a patronymic, because the daughter, having matured, will be worthy of a respectful full name by acquaintances, neighbors, and work colleagues.

Foreign analogues of Orthodox calendars

Perhaps many are not aware of the similar meaning of completely different sounding names. So, the Latin Catholic Clarissa, Clara (English Claire), Israeli Liora, Greek Faina, Ukrainian Yasna - means the same as Svetlana. The translation of all these names is the same - “light, shining.”

Thus, by choosing any of the listed options as a “passport” (or having it initially before baptism), you can ask for the church naming of Svetlana (or, if desired, Photinia).

It’s still not worth it to be unconditionally seduced by the heterodox pleasantness of harmonies. Beautiful Orthodox names for girls exist, and in considerable quantities.

Giving a holiday for the baby

Name days are that unique calendar celebration that parents are free to choose and give to their little daughter. It is better if they are located not far from the birthday. The proximity or combination of birth and namesake holidays is justified in all respects. The latter may also coincide with the anniversary of baptism.

Find a suitable Orthodox name for a girl by scrolling through the calendar in the next forty days after the date of birth. It was during this period that from time immemorial it was customary to perform the sacrament of baptism over a newborn.

Some name days are not repeated in the calendar. Thus, January’s Nina and Tatyana, spring’s Tamara, and July’s Olga for a long time had a single celebration date, sometimes (like Tamar – “palm tree”), which overlaps in numbers.

The twentieth century, with the blood of new martyrs and confessors, inscribed numerous new days of memory of holy women into the Russian calendar. In our time, it is much easier to choose familiar, non-exotic names for girls according to the Orthodox calendar than a century ago.

Heavenly patrons

When looking for Orthodox names for girls by month, it would be a good idea to read the Lives of the saints after whom the baby is named. This work can also be done by godparents who intend to become more than nominal mentors in the faith.

To a certain extent, the virtues demonstrated by the heavenly patron determine life path person. An Orthodox name for a girl is not an empty phrase. “One’s own” saint is an example to follow, a reason for reflection, she is also a wise adviser (this can be reflected not only in hagiographic literature, but also in one’s own notes and thoughts left as a legacy, for example, by the new martyrs - Queen Alexandra, her sister Elizabeth, the crown princesses ).

Some names that have become feminine over time were originally masculine. Accordingly, representatives of the stronger sex still remain heavenly patrons. Such are the 2nd century martyrs from Scythia Rimma, Inna and Pinna, who suffered with them ( last name practically not used in Rus'). When choosing girls' names according to the Orthodox calendar, this circumstance also needs to be taken into account.

The monastic practice of naming women analogues of male names with common heavenly patrons - Nikolai, Arsenia, Alexia - can help parents who are seduced by foreign exoticism. For example, Nikolai can be named at baptism to a girl previously named French name Nicole.

"Onomatology" by Father Pavel Florensky

Another guideline of a more secular nature than the calendar and Life, thanks to which an Orthodox name for a girl can be chosen. In our age, when people who call themselves believers do not consider astrological forecasts, fortune telling from the book of changes and tree calendars of the Druids to be empty eccentricities, this amazing research by Florensky is comparable to a truly scientific dissertation.

If parents don't think the best option to choose Orthodox names for girls by month, it is recommended to find a book by Father Paul to see from experience: it is definitely worth reading! The monograph is full of strange, mysterious, but often very plausible statements - predictions of fate. Some of them actually seem to come true. For example, a forecast that in the family of a person named Vladimir Vladimirovich, as a rule, daughters are born, not sons.