Have You Picked a Name for the Baby?

As a mother of four on earth and two in heaven, one of the first thoughts that went through my head after each positive pregnancy test was, “What shall we name you, little one?”  Before the morning sickness kicked in, I was already considering a number of boy and girl names for my children.  My husband and I would sit together in the living room many nights considering names. We considered possible nicknames, how the names would sound with our last name, family members with the same name, and especially patron saints.  I had a rather skinny book of baby names that listed the origin and meaning of the names.  The secular book was useful, but because choosing a good Christian name was of particular importance to us we needed to supplement our discernment by cross-checking names with books of saints.

A new book by Patrice Fagnant MacArthur, The CatholicBaby Name Book, (Ave Maria Press 2013) would have made my research easier!  This 526-page treasure provides information on “more than 10,000 names.”  Patrice is a personal friend of mine, but even if I didn’t know her, she speaks so intimately to the reader in the Introduction to The Catholic Baby Name Book that I sense the love that went into this project.  She writes, “I had the chance to research thousands of names and to read and write the biographies of more than 3,500 saints! I said yes to the project with no idea how I would ever accomplish the huge task in front of me.”  Patrice describes her research process and then explains how to use the book. 

The book is divided into alphabetical listings of boys’ names and girls’ names.  Each name entry includes cross references to names of the same origin, for example: Elizabeth is cross-referenced with Alizabeth, Eliabeth, Eliza, Helsa,  Lizette, and other variations.  The variations all have line entries that include a notation to see the saint name for the detailed description and biography. Likewise, if a name applies to both genders, the reference indicates which section of the book to check for the entry. The entries tell whether the name is that of a saint or virtue, or if it’s from the Old or New Testament.  When a name is common to multiple saints, their names are listed.  The entries also include the meaning of the name, the language of origin, and whether the name is designated as one of the “Top 100 Names.”

The appendices include “Recently Canonized Saints” (from 1982-2012), “Top 100 Names,” and “Most Popular Names by Decade” in reverse order from the 2000s to the 1960s.  If you’re seeking a unique name or a more traditional name with a distinctive spelling, The Catholic Baby Name Book will take you from Aaren to Zytka.  And in a few years, when your little one asks, “What does my name mean?” or “How did you choose my name?” you can show them the entry for their name in The Catholic Baby Name Book.