Let’s say your favorite saint is Joseph, but you’re having a girl this year. It’s perfectly legit to have a male patron for a baby girl, and there are several ways you can creatively work that into the name.
Use the Actual Name
In the South, we love double names. Here are some examples.
- Mary Paul
- Louisa John
- Jean Michael
- Anna Francis
- Frances Xavier (actual name of a saintly nun)
- Jane Neumann
To make things even easier, some male saints have names that are considered to be unisex and so they work just fine for girls.
- Julian
- Frances
- Gabriel
- Raphael
- Alex
- Adrian
- Angel
- Jamie
- Justus
- Paschal
- Rowan (Ruadhan)
- Seraphim
- Sidney
- Zephyr
Use the Feminine Form
Many masculine names have a feminine equivalent, or can be grammatically structured so. This opens up LOTS of possibilities:
- Paula or Paulina instead of Paul
- Philippa or Philippine instead of Phillip
- Camille or Camila instead of Camillus
- Claudia instead of Claude
- Constantia instead of Constantine
- Cyrilla instead of Cyril
- Francine or Francesca for Francis
- Georgia instead of George
- Geraldine instead of Gerard
- Jan instead of Januarius
- Julie, Juliette or Juliana instead of Julian
- Judy instead of Jude
- Lina instead of Linus
- Martina instead of Martin
- Michel or Michaela instead of Michael
- Augusta or Augustina instead of Augustine
- Christobel instead of Christopher
- Thomasina instead of Thomas
- Flora instead of Florian
- Luisa instead of Louis
- Tina instead of Valentina/Valentine
- Patricia instead of Patrick
- Tonya or Antonia instead of Anthony
- Nicki instead of Nicholas or Dominic
- Petra instead of Peter
- Andi or Drew instead of Andrew
- Dora or Isidora instead of Isidore
- Germaine instead of Germanus
- Henrietta instead of Henry
- Irene instead of Irenaeus
- Joan, Jean, Jane or Johanna instead of John
- Josephine instead of Joseph
- Justine instead of Justin
- Leona instead of Leo
- Marka or Marcia instead of Mark
- Nikola instead of Nikolai
- Nina instead of Ninian
- Pia instead of Pio
- Erin instead of Aaron
- Charlotte instead of Charles
- Robin or Roberta instead of Robert
- Romana instead of Romanus
- Siri instead of Siricius
- Silva instead of Silvanus or Silvarius
- Simone instead of Simon
- Solani instead of Solanus
- Vitalia instead of Vital or Vitalian
We named our daughter Camille after Saint Camillus de Lellis
Use an Association
Here’s another trick. Use a saint’s surname or place of birth for your daughter. An example: Blessed Solanus was a saintly friar and doorkeeper at Saint Bonaventure monastery, but you can use words associated with his name for a girl, like Casey (his last name) or Bonaventura. More ideas:
- Tarsa, for Saint Paul of Tarsus
- Liguori, for Saint Alphonsus Liguori
- Majella, for Saint Gerard Majella
- Quinn, for Saint Thomas Aquinas
- Kolbe, for Saint Maximilian Kolbe
- Becka or Becky, for Saint Thomas a Becket
- Clair for Saint Bernard of Clairveaux
- Baptista for Saint John the Baptist
- Bella for Saint Robert Bellarmine
- Evangeline for Saint John the Evangelist
- Alexandria for Saint Clement of Alexandria
- Columbia for Saint Claude de Colombiere
- Ravenna for Saint Romuald of Ravenna
- Romera for Saint Oscar Romero
- Sally or Lasalle for Saint John Baptiste de la Salle
- Serra for Saint Junipero Serra
- Thea for Saint Joseph of Arimathea
That’s a wrap for today! Let me know if you have more ideas, or a question for me.
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