Our ancestors did not have such a problem as choosing a name for a newborn. Today, in some families, this is reaching the point of scandal, since dad wants to name his son Jordan, mom wants to name him Apollo, and grandparents dream of Vanechka. But in former times, everything was decided by the Orthodox church book, which was called “Saints”. Parents came to church, and the priest offered a choice of several names of Christian saints, whose memory was honored on the baby’s birthday. And if now parents want to make a choice in this particular way - how to choose a name for a child according to the calendar?
What are saints?
Saints - Orthodox church calendar. This is a liturgical index book displaying the annual cycle of church holidays and the days of remembrance of saints. It also contains calendar liturgical instructions and prayer chants in honor of God's saints. The Saints (female and male) are also called the Monthly Word.
Orthodox icon for the Sacrament of Baptism
Prototypes of the calendar appeared in early Christianity. Church communities kept their own chronicles, including the days of remembrance of saints (many of them were martyrs). Since the first monthly words were created exclusively for local use, their content varied significantly. In the Middle Ages, the calendar was gradually united for general church use.
At the end of the 10th century, Rus' adopted Christianity and borrowed church books, including Orthodox calendars, from Byzantium. Over time, they began to be supplemented with events and names of saints of our history. This is how the Russian month book was formed.
What names should you not call your child?
When choosing names, you should not always blindly trust the calendar, astrology and all other methods. Think about what it will be like for your son to live with the name you have chosen for him. Will his peers tease him, and generally try to imagine whether the child himself will like it.
You should not name a boy after a relative who had an unfortunate fate. It is believed that this way misfortune can be inherited.
It is not always a good option when the child’s first and last name coincides with the names of famous people. Sometimes this imposes some obligations. For example, parents decided to name their son Dmitry Mendeleev, perhaps they just love chemistry. And they will try to lead the child through life in a way that is not their own.
There are names that have different spellings. For example, Danil and Daniel. Such people may have unpleasant moments with errors when preparing official documents.
Saints for women and men for naming children
In ancient times, people attached special, sacred meaning to names. A person's name was perceived as an imprint of his personality. Thus, in biblical times, children were named according to the characteristics of their birth, future type of activity, and life purpose. For example, the name Moses means “taken out of the water,” and Isaiah means “may God save.”
When naming a child, the pagans sought to attract the blessing of higher powers to him. Therefore, they named their children in honor of various virtues, mythical heroes or deities. For example, Sophia means “wisdom”, Victor means “victor”, and Dmitry means “belonging to Demeter” (goddess of earth and fertility).
In the first centuries of Christianity, people accepted Holy Baptism with their native name - usually pagan. However, already in the III-IV centuries. The tradition of naming the baptized person with a Christian, “sanctified” name has been established in the Church. That is, one that previously belonged to God’s saint (even if it was of pagan origin). The person who takes his name seems to enter into a spiritual connection with this saint. He is perceived as a heavenly patron, a Christian’s prayer book, and an example to follow. Archpriest Andrei Efanov notes:
“Traditionally in Rus' people were named according to the calendar. That is, in the name of one of the saints, whose memory is celebrated on their birthday, on the eighth day (the traditional day of naming), the day of christening, or on one of the following days.”
For convenience, the calendar index of Christian names is divided into male and female calendars. The date of memory of the heavenly patron is called the day of the angel or name day.
We are naming a boy in 2022 according to his zodiac sign
Table: male names for boys by zodiac sign
| Zodiac sign | Suitable names |
| Aries (March 21 – April 20) | Andrey, Arseny, Oleg, Artem, Georgy, Gabriel, Egor, Savely, Nikolay, Yan, Alexander, Yaroslav, August, Rostislav, Alexey, Savely, Yuri |
| Taurus (April 21 – May 21) | Pavel, Timur, Akim, Mikhail, Nikita, Bogdan, Maxim, Daniil, Boris, Fedor, Makar, Matvey, David, Anisim, Egor, Vasily, Ilya. Anton, Borislav, Taras, Peter, Aristarchus |
| Gemini (May 22 – June 21) | Nikita, Innokenty, Mark, Evgeny, Nikolay, Pavel, Felix, Gennady, Heinrich, Gabriel, Sergey, Arkady, Ignat, Konstantin, Georgy, Igor, Klim, Gerasim, Alexey, Makar |
| Cancer (June 22 – July 23) | Timofey, Denis, Vasily, Valentin, Arseny, Demyan, Ilya, Stanislav, Gregory, Dmitry, Efim, Julius, Anisim, Maxim, Joseph, Vyacheslav, Lev, Andrey, Semyon, Vitaly, Mstislav |
| Leo (July 24 – August 23) | Peter, Nikolai, Lev, Avenir, Roman, Rodion, Leonid, Anton, Aron, Rostislav, David, Albert, Arthur, August, Daniil, Ilya, Ruslan, Yan, Alexander, Savely, Mark, Kirill, Ivan, Artem, Robert, Alexey, German, Anatoly |
| Virgo (August 24 – September 23) | Dmitry, Agafon, Adrian, Konstantin, Arkhip, Stepan, Rostislav, Modest, Prokhor, Innokenty, Gleb, Demyan, Stanislav, Sergey, Denis, Gordey, Marat, Grigory, Gerasim, Gennady, Igor, Demid, German, Nikita, Vsevolod, Matvey, Timofey, Klim, Heinrich, Valentin |
| Libra (September 24 – October 23) | Modest, Boleslav, Rostislav, Nikita, Arkady, Mark, Rostislav, Timur, Alexey, Leonid, Platon, Vilen, Prokhor, Philip, Pavel, Vitaly, Innocent, Alfred, Evdokim, Konstantin, Akim, Oleg, Lev, Albert, Anton, Yakov, Demyan, Julius, Ilya, Evgeniy, Miron, Arnold, Mikhail |
| Scorpio (October 24 – November 22) | Afanasy, Eduard, Arseny, Yuri, Rodion, Sergey, Azary, Efim, Yaroslav, Ruslan, Zakhar, Artyom, Rudolf, Taras, Savely, Fedor, Joseph, Averyan, Yakov, Prokhor, Mstislav, Anisim |
| Sagittarius (November 23 – December 21) | Vasily, Illarion, Zakhar, Yaroslav, Yan, Rustam, Vladimir, Peter, Rodion, Irakli, Artem, Felix, Alexander, Stepan, Stanislav, Semyon, Arseny, Maxim, Bulat, Afanasy, Georgy, Miron, Roman, Savely, Joseph, Aristarchus, Vyacheslav, Svyatoslav |
| Capricorn (December 22 – January 20) | Boris, Egor, Rudolf, George Modest, Gleb, Peter, Abram, Rodion, Matvey Ephraim, Arthur, Robert, Ivan, Grigory Bogdan, Kirill, Vadim and Marat, Daniil, Alexander, Ian, Ignat, Dmitry, Denis, Vladlen, Leonid , Nikolay, Oleg |
| Aquarius (January 21 – February 19) | Svyatoslav, Eremey, Albert, Arkady, Valery, Gleb, Plato, Hilarion, Pavel, Ruslan, Evgeny, Vilen, Andrey, Gennady, Yuri, Ernest, Avenir, Gury, Oleg, Vsevolod, Leonid |
| Pisces (February 20 – March 20) | Valery, Afanasy, Daniil, Efim, Vladislav, Vladimir, Vyacheslav, Mikhail, Anton, Yuri, Valentin, Vadim, Alfred, Eduard, Ivan, Roman, Vasily, Bogdan, Eremey, Borislav, Maxim, Rudolf, Timofey, Fedor, Philip |
Saints for women and more: how to name a child correctly
Modern Christians, as a rule, immediately after the birth of a child give him a common Orthodox name, with which he subsequently receives Holy Baptism. Whether or not to name a child according to the calendar is a personal matter for the parents. Naming according to the church calendar is a pious tradition, not a strict rule. In the old days, they most often gave the name of a saint whose memory falls on the day of the naming ceremony, that is, the 8th day after birth. Today, they usually start from the date of birth of the child.
Every day the Church remembers many righteous people, so you can always choose a name from several options. Parents are free to resort to unusual Christian names. However, here it is necessary to exercise prudence and choose a convenient, harmonious option that will not cause unnecessary associations. After all, a name that is too exotic for our days can significantly complicate a child’s life.
Out of reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother Mary, Christians do not give those baptized names in their honor. However, it is allowed to take the names Jesus and Mary in honor of other saints who bore them. Among them, for example, are the Old Testament righteous man Joshua and Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene.
The Church also does not prohibit Christians from giving their children non-Orthodox names. Even those whom the male and female saints do not know. But for the baptism of a child, parents will still need to choose a Christian name for him. It is also used in further church life (participation in the Sacraments, commemorations, etc.). According to the passport, the child will have an original name in everyday life.
Priests note that some parents seek to baptize a child with a middle name and ask the question “how to name a child according to the calendar?” from superstitious motives. Allegedly, a second name, unlike one used in everyday life, will protect the baby from the evil eye and damage. This approach is ignorant and blasphemous. After all, a person is reliably protected from evil forces if he participates in church life and works spiritually on himself. Archpriest Andrei Efanov instructs:
“There is no one stronger than God... From infancy, as soon as Baptism is performed, a person needs to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ in order to abide in God.”
We name the boy according to his month of birth
Table: choosing a name for boys in 2022 by month
| Month | Male names |
| January | Peter, Nikita, Evgeny, Gleb, Vladislav, Mark, Innocent, Lev, Ivan, Stepan, Nikolay, Grigory, Georgy, Vladimir, Fedor, Maxim, David, Arseny, Gabriel, Roman, Alexander, Grigory, Daniil, Ilya, Victor, Yaroslav, Arthur, Evgeniy, Matvey, Vasily, Andrey |
| February | Victor, Valentin, Ivan, Roman, Vitaly, Timofey, Andrey, Ruslan, Alexey, Evgeny, Timur, Nikita, Ivan, Arkady, Lev, Semyon, Sergey, Leonid, Daniil, Igor, Denis, Timofey, Egor, Georgy, Alexander, Mark, Pavel, Peter, Artyom |
| March | Maxim, Peter, Ilya, Taras, Artem, Alexey, Egor, Konstantin, Yaroslav, Matvey, Vladimir, Timofey, Nikita, Daniil, Philip, Mark, Lev, Fedor, Sergey, Arseny, Vladislav, Pavel, Grigory, Igor, Stepan, Pavel, Leonid, Eduard, Philip |
| April | Konstantin, Lev, Eduard, Sergey, David, Nikita, Stepan, Georgy, Savely, Khoma, Anatoly, Mikhail, Taras, Ivan, Mark, Yaroslav, Georgy, Vasily, Vasily, Roman, Denis, Gregory, Pavel, Kirill, Plato, Timur, Yuri, Julius, Makar, Veniamin, Gleb, Miron, Evgeniy |
| May | Konstantin, Nikolay, Mark, Kirill, Mikhail, Pavel, Artemy, Sergey, Vasily, Ivan, Pavel, Nikita, Bogdan, Georgy, Mark, Egor, Roman, Alexey, Fedor, Vladimir, Konstantin, Grigory, Victor, Makar, Peter, Miron, Leonid, Demid, Adam, Vasily |
| June | Ruslan, Igor, Alexey, Ilya, Vladimir, Innokenty, Nikolay, Yaroslav, Semyon, Evgeny, Peter, Ruslan, Vadim, Vasily, Yuri, Oleg, Igor, Dmitry, Vyacheslav, Arthur, Valery, Stanislav, Konstantin, Ivan, Alexey, Sergey, Vladislav, Fedor, Mikhail, Savely, Roman, Lavrenty |
| July | Boris, Arkady, Lev, Nikita, Vyacheslav, Yakov, Zakhar, Tikhon, Victor, Gregory, Georgy, Arseny, Anatoly, Roman, Philip Timofey, Stepan, Fedor, David, Victor, Elisha, Vyacheslav, Anton, Igor, Svyatoslav, Vsevolod , Stanislav, Artem, Vasily, Boris, Ignat, Georgy, Gordey, Rodion, Timofey |
| August | Egor, Ippolit, Nikolay, Gleb, Zakhar, Evgeny, Daniel, Prokhor, Sergey, Anton, Leonid, Maxim, Denis, Yuri, Evgeny, Denis, Ilya, Roman, Gleb, Miron, Nikolay, Leonid, David, Artemy, Yuri, Luka, Amir, Vasily, Igor, Savely, Oleg, Miroslav, Savva, Alexander, Fedor, Svyatoslav |
| September | Anatoly, Yuri, Demid, Arseny, Vitaly, Mark, Victor, Grigory, Artyom, Vadim, Kirill, Vladimir, Artem, Zakhar, Denis, Lev, Roman, Konstantin, Valentin, Stepan, Andrey, Denis, Pavel, Georgy, Zakhar, Georgy, Gennady, Kirill, Roman, Mikhail, Vyacheslav, Pavel, Andrey, Evgeny, Arkady, Yuliy, Nikolay, Philip, Ivan |
| October | Denis, Tikhon, Luka, Kuzma, Konstantin, Semyon, Vladislav, Porfiry, George, Elisha, Mikhail, Alexey, Ignat, Vladislav, Savely, Vladislav, Philip, Ilya, Rodion, Alexander, Lev, Innocent, David, Stepan, Luke, Makar, Svyatoslav, Sergey, Oleg, Ilya, Boris, Demyan, Fedor, Roman, Igor, Vladimir, Anton, Oleg, Andrey, Artyom, Fedor, Leonid |
| November | David, Maxim, Savva, Pavel, Vasily, Miron, Marat, Anton, Leonid, Yan, Victor, Yakov, Nikolay, Damir, Philip, Vladislav, Vasily, Sergey, Mikhail, Artem, Alexander, Gleb, Valery, Luka, Anatoly, Grigory, Eric, Yuri, Ignat, Victor, Peter, Vitaly, Stepan, Bogdan, Leonid, Konstantin, Ivan, Mark, Philip |
| December | Philip, Anton, Semyon, Roman, Oleg, Roman, Nazar, Leo, Robert, Pavel, Nikita, Alexander, Adam, Stepan, Timur, Ignatius, Mikhail, Anatoly, Alexey, Maxim, Kirill, Platon, Ian, Sergey, Igor, Grigory, Tikhon, Andrey, Gennady, Semyon, Evgeniy, Arthur, Marcel, Gleb, Zakhar, Artem, Gordey, Tikhon, Valery, Timofey, Demid |
Angel Day: how to define and celebrate
In the old days, God's saints were figuratively called the angels of their earthly “wards” namesakes. Therefore, name days are often colloquially called the day of an angel. However, Orthodox Christians should not associate holy people with genuine angels - heavenly disembodied spirits who serve the Lord. It happens that a person is baptized in honor of one of them (Archangels Michael, Gabriel, etc.). But, in any case, the heavenly patron (whose name we bear) and the personal guardian angel (whose name we do not know) are two separate sacred personalities.
To determine your name day, you need to find out when the Church celebrates the memory of the saint whose name you bear. One and the same righteous person may have several memorable dates in a year (days of death, glorification, discovery of relics, etc.). Angel's Day is usually considered the first such date following the Christian's birthday. The rest can be perceived as “small name days.” Christians named after the archangels celebrate their name day on November 21 - the day of the Council of the Archangel Michael and other ethereal Heavenly Powers.
On the day of the angel, a Christian should come to the liturgy in the temple, confess and receive communion. We need to prepare in advance for these Church Sacraments. Then you can have a festive meal with family and friends. However, it is necessary to behave godly in order to maintain the grace received. If the name day falls on a fast day, then the treat should be appropriate. During Lent, the celebration of name days that fall on a weekday is moved to the next weekend. On “small name days” it is advisable to at least attend a church service.
The heavenly patron must be remembered not only on name days, but every day in prayers. It is advisable to have his icon, to know the short life of this righteous man, and the main prayers to him. Here is the simplest prayer to the heavenly patron:
“Pray to God for me, holy servant of God (name), as I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for my soul.”
Why do you need to name your child according to the church calendar?
Orthodox believe that by giving a newborn the name of a holy person, they thereby provide the child with his constant support. This saint will become a heavenly patron who will protect his ward from various misfortunes, hardships and difficulties throughout his life.
It will also invisibly lead him to the light, send various signs that will help him get on the right path, and protect him from many mistakes.
