Adrian m English, Romanian, Polish, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Russian Form of
Hadrianus (see
Hadrian) used in several languages. Several saints and six popes have borne this name, including the only English pope, Adrian IV, and the only Dutch pope, Adrian VI. As an English name, it has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it was not popular until modern times.
Alexander m English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Hungarian, Slovak, Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized), Greek Mythology (Latinized) Latinized form of the Greek name
[1] [2] [3] from Greek alexo) meaning "to defend, help" and aner) meaning "man" (genitive [4] [5] . In Greek mythology this was another name of the hero Paris, and it also belongs to several characters in the New Testament [6] . However, the most famous bearer was Alexander the Great, king of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. Due to his fame, and later medieval tales involving him, use of his name spread throughout Europe.... [more] Benedict m English From the Latin name
Benedictus, which meant
"blessed" [1] [2] , a derivative of
benedico "to speak well of, to commend"
[3] . Saint Benedict was an Italian monk who founded the Benedictines in the 6th century. After his time the name was common among Christians, being used by 16 popes. In England it did not come into use until the 12th century, at which point it became very popular. This name was also borne by the American general Benedict Arnold (1741-1801), who defected to Britain during the American Revolution.
Boniface m French, English (Rare) From the Latin name
Bonifatius [1] , which meant
"good fate" from
bonus "good" and
fatum "fate, destiny"
[2] [3] . This was the name of nine popes and also several saints, including an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon missionary to Germany (originally named
Winfrið) who is now regarded as the patron saint of that country. It came into use in England during the Middle Ages, but became rare after the Protestant Reformation.
Calixtus m Late Roman Variant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Callixtus m Late Roman Variant of
Callistus, the spelling perhaps influenced by Latin
calix "wine cup". This was the name of three popes (also known as Callistus).
Celestine f & m English English form of
Caelestinus. It is more commonly used as a feminine name, from the French feminine form
Célestine.
Clement m English English form of the Roman name
Clemens (or sometimes of its derivative
Clementius), which meant
"merciful, gentle" [1] [2] . This was the name of 14 popes, including Saint Clement I, the third pope, one of the Apostolic Fathers. Another saint by this name was Clement of Alexandria, a 3rd-century theologian and church father who attempted to reconcile Christian and Platonic philosophies. It has been in general use as a given name in Christian Europe (in various spellings) since early times. In England it became rare after the Protestant Reformation, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Cletus m English Short form of
Anacletus. This name is sometimes used to refer to the third pope, Saint Anacletus. It can also function as an Anglicized form of
Kleitos.
Constantine 1 m History From the Latin name
Constantinus, a derivative of
Constans [1] [2] . Constantine the Great (272-337), full name Flavius Valerius Constantinus, was the first Roman emperor to adopt Christianity. He moved the capital of the empire from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople (modern Istanbul).
Cornelius m Ancient Roman [1] , English, Dutch, German, Biblical Roman family name that possibly derives from Latin
cornu meaning
"horn" [2] . In Acts in the New Testament Cornelius is a centurion who is directed by an angel to seek
Peter. After speaking with Peter he converts to Christianity, and he is traditionally deemed the first gentile convert. The name was also borne by a few early saints, including a 3rd-century pope. In England it came into use in the 16th century, partly due to Dutch influence.
Deusdedit m Late Roman Latin name meaning
"God has given". This was the name of two popes (who are also known by the related name
Adeodatus ). This is a Latin translation of
Theodore .
Eugene m English English form of
Eugenius, the Latin form of the Greek name
εὐγενής (eugenes) meaning
"well born" [1] [2] . It is composed of the elements
eu) meaning "good" and
genes) meaning "born"
[3] [4] . This was the name of several saints and four popes.
... [more] Felix m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Romanian, Ancient Roman [1] , Biblical, Biblical Latin From a Roman cognomen meaning
"lucky, successful" in Latin
[2] [3] . It was acquired as an agnomen, or nickname, by the 1st-century BC Roman general Sulla. It also appears in the New Testament belonging to the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint
Paul.
... [more] Francis m & f English, French English form of the Late Latin name
Franciscus meaning
"Frenchman" [1] [2] , ultimately from the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who were named for a type of spear that they used (Proto-Germanic *
frankô )
[3] . This name was borne by the 13th-century Saint Francis of Assisi, who was originally named Giovanni but was given the nickname Francesco by his father, an admirer of the French. Francis went on to renounce his father's wealth and devote his life to the poor, founding the Franciscan order of friars. Later in his life he apparently received the stigmata.
... [more] Gaius m Ancient Roman [1] , Biblical Latin, Biblical Roman praenomen
[2] , or given name, of uncertain meaning. It is possibly derived from Latin
gaudeo "to rejoice" [3] , though it may be of unknown Etruscan origin. This was a very common Roman praenomen, the most famous bearers being Gaius Julius Caesar, the great leader of the Roman Republic, and his adopted son Gaius Octavius (later known as Augustus), the first Roman emperor. This name also appears in the New Testament belonging to a bishop of Ephesus who is regarded as a saint.
Gregory m English English form of Latin
Gregorius, which was from the Late Greek name
γρήγορος (gregoros) meaning
"watchful, alert", itself a derivative of Ancient Greek
[1] [2] . This name was popular among early Christians, being borne by a number of important saints including Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus (3rd century), Saint Gregory the Illuminator (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nyssa (4th century), Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (4th century), and Saint Gregory of Tours (6th century). It was also borne by the 6th-century pope Saint Gregory I the Great, a reformer and Doctor of the Church, as well as 15 subsequent popes.... [more] Hilarius m Ancient Roman [1] Latin name derived from
hilaris meaning
"cheerful". Alternatively, it could be derived from the Greek name
Honorius m Ancient Roman [1]
Latin name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity". This was the name of an emperor of the Western Roman Empire. It was also borne by a few early saints and four popes. Innocent m History (Ecclesiastical), English (African) From the Late Latin name
Innocentius, which was derived from
innocens "innocent". This was the name of several early saints. It was also borne by 13 popes including Innocent III, a politically powerful ruler and organizer of the Fourth Crusade.
... [more] John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Biblical English form of
Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name
יוֹחָנָן (Yoḥanan). It means
"Yahweh is gracious", from the roots
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and
חָנַן (ḥanan) meaning "to be gracious"
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled
Johanan or
Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of
Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by
Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles
Peter and
James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.
... [more] John Paul m English Combination of
John and
Paul. This name was borne by two 20th-century popes, notably the sainted John Paul II (1920-2005).
Julius m Ancient Roman [1] , English, German, Finnish, Lithuanian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech Roman family name that was possibly derived from Greek
[2] . Alternatively, it could be related to the name of the Roman god Jupiter. This was a prominent patrician family of Rome, who claimed descent from the mythological Julus, son of Aeneas. Its most notable member was Gaius Julius Caesar, who gained renown as a military leader for his clever conquest of Gaul. After a civil war he became the dictator of the Roman Republic, but was eventually stabbed to death in the senate.... [more] Leo m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, English, Croatian, Armenian, Ancient Roman [1] Derived from Latin
leo meaning
"lion" [2] , a cognate of
Leon. It was popular among early Christians and has been the name of 14 popes, including Saint Leo the Great who asserted the dominance of the Roman bishops (the popes) over all others in the 5th century. It was also borne by six Byzantine emperors and five Armenian kings. Another famous bearer was the Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), name spelled
... [more] Liberius m Ancient Roman [1] Latin name that was derived from
liber "free". This name was borne by a 2nd-century saint and a 4th-century pope.
Lucius m Ancient Roman [1] , Biblical, English Roman praenomen, or given name, which was derived from Latin
lux "light" [2] [3] . This was the most popular of the praenomina. Two Etruscan kings of early Rome had this name as well as several prominent later Romans, including Lucius Annaeus Seneca (known simply as Seneca), a statesman, philosopher, orator and tragedian. The name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Christian in Antioch. It was also borne by three popes, including the 3rd-century Saint Lucius. Despite this, the name was not regularly used in the Christian world until after the Renaissance.
Marcus m Ancient Roman [1] , Biblical Latin, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish Roman praenomen
[2] , or given name, that was probably derived from the name of the Roman god
Mars [3] . This was among the most popular of the Roman praenomina. Famous bearers include Marcus Tullius Cicero (known simply as Cicero), a 1st-century BC statesman and orator, Marcus Antonius (known as Mark Antony), a 1st-century BC politician, and Marcus Aurelius, a notable 2nd-century emperor. This was also the name of a pope of the 4th century. This spelling has occasionally been used in the English-speaking world, though the traditional English form
Mark has been more common.
Marinus m Ancient Roman [1] , Dutch From the Roman cognomen
Marinus, which derives either from the family name
Marius or from the Latin word
marinus "of the sea". Saint Marinus was a 4th-century stonemason who built a chapel on Monte Titano, in the country that is today known as San Marino.
Mark m English, Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, Dutch, Danish, Armenian, Biblical Form of Latin
Marcus used in several languages
[1] . Saint Mark was the author of the second gospel in the New Testament. Though the author's identity is not certain, some traditions hold him to be the same person as the John Mark who appears in the Book of Acts. He is the patron saint of Venice, where he is supposedly buried. Though in use during the Middle Ages,
Mark was not common in the English-speaking world until the 19th century, when it began to be used alongside the classical form
Marcus.
... [more] Martin m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Finnish From the Roman name
Martinus, which was derived from
Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god
Mars [1] [2] [3] . Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar. He was a favourite saint during the Middle Ages, and his name has become common throughout the Christian world.
... [more] Miltiades m Ancient Greek [1] Derived from Greek
miltos) meaning "red earth" and the patronymic suffix
ides) [2] [3] . This was the name of the general who led the Greek forces to victory against the Persians in the Battle of Marathon.
Paschal m History Variant of
Paschalis (see
Pascal). Paschal or Paschalis was the name of two popes.
Paul m English, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Estonian, Romanian, Biblical From the Roman name
Paulus, which meant
"small" in Latin
[1] [2] . Paul was an important leader of the early Christian church. According to Acts in the New Testament, he was a Jewish Roman citizen who converted to Christianity after the resurrected
Jesus appeared to him. After this he travelled the eastern Mediterranean as a missionary. His original Hebrew name was
Saul. Many of the epistles in the New Testament were authored by him.
... [more] Pelagius m Ancient Greek (Latinized) Latinized form of the Greek name
πέλαγος (pelagos) meaning
"the sea" [1] . This was the name of several saints and two popes. It was also borne by a 4th-century British theologian whose teachings were eventually declared heretical.
Peter m English, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Slovene, Slovak, Biblical Derived from Greek
[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] . This is a translation used in most versions of the New Testament of the name Cephas , meaning "stone" in Aramaic, which was given to the apostle Simon by Jesus (compare Matthew 16:18 and John 1:42). Simon Peter was the most prominent of the apostles during Jesus' ministry and is often considered the first pope.... [more] Pius m Ancient Roman [1] Latin name meaning
"pious, dutiful". This was the cognomen of the 2nd-century Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. It was also borne by twelve popes between the 2nd and 20th centuries, three of whom are considered saints.
Pontian m History From the Roman cognomen
Pontianus, which was itself derived from the family name
Pontius [1] . This name was borne by a 3rd-century pope, also considered a saint.
Sergius m Ancient Roman [1] , Biblical Latin, Biblical Roman patrician family name, possibly meaning
"servant" in Latin but most likely of unknown Etruscan origin. Saint Sergius was a 4th-century Roman officer who was martyred in Syria with his companion Bacchus. They are the patron saints of Christian desert nomads. Another saint by this name (in the Russian form
Sergey) was a 14th-century Russian spiritual leader. The name was also borne by four popes, and it appears briefly in the New Testament belonging to a Roman official.
Severinus m Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen that was a derivative of
Severus. Severinus was the name of many early saints, including a 6th-century Roman philosopher martyred by the Ostrogothic king Theodoric. It was also borne by a pope.
Silvester m Slovak, Slovene, Serbian, German, English, Ancient Roman [1] Latin name meaning
"wooded, wild", derived from
silvestris, a derivative of
silva "wood, forest"
[2] . This was the name of three popes, including Saint Silvester I who supposedly baptized the first Christian Roman emperor,
Constantine the Great. As an English name,
Silvester (or
Sylvester ) has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it became less common after the Protestant Reformation.
Simplicius m Ancient Roman [1] Means
"simpler, plainer" in Latin, a derivative of
simplex "simple, plain". This was the name of a 5th-century pope, as well as a few other early saints and martyrs. It was also borne by the 6th-century philosopher Simplicius of Cilicia.
Soter m Ancient Greek [1] , Greek Mythology Means
"saviour, deliverer" in Greek
[2] . It was sometimes bestowed as an epithet, for both gods (such as
Zeus and
Apollo) and people such as the 3rd-century BC king Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. This name was also borne by a 2nd-century pope, though his name might actually be from the related name
Soterios.
Urban m Swedish, German, Slovene, Slovak, Czech, Polish, Biblical From the Roman cognomen
Urbanus meaning
"city dweller" in Latin, derived from
urbs "city"
[1] [2] . This name is mentioned briefly in one of
Paul's epistles in the New Testament. It was subsequently borne by eight popes, between the 3rd and 17th centuries.
Valentine 1 m English From the Roman cognomen
Valentinus, which was itself a derivative of the cognomen
Valens meaning
"strong, vigorous, healthy" in Latin
[1] [2] [3] [4] . Saint Valentine was a 3rd-century martyr. His feast day was the same as the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which resulted in the association between Valentine's Day and love.
... [more] Victor m English, French, Portuguese, Romanian, Dutch, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Ancient Roman [1] Roman cognomen meaning
"victor, conqueror" in Latin
[1] [2] [3] [4] . It was common among early Christians, and was borne by several early saints and three popes. It was rare as an English name during the Middle Ages, but it was revived in the 19th century. A famous bearer was the French writer Victor Hugo (1802-1885), who authored
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and
Les Misérables.
Vigilius m Late Roman Derived from Latin
vigil meaning
"awake, alert, ready". This was the name of the patron saint of Trent, Italy. The name was also borne by a 6th-century pope.
Zachary m English, Biblical Usual English form of
Zacharias, used in some English versions of the New Testament. This form has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation
[1] . It was borne by American military commander and president Zachary Taylor (1784-1850).