Saints' Names for Girls

Feast Day	Name	Meaning	Saint & Patronage
	Abigail Abbie, Abby, Gail, Gale	the Father is happy	Abba is the Hebrew word for "Daddy" and is scripture's endearing term for God the Father. He is our Abba, our Daddy. Your patron is Daddy-God!
(Dec. 4)	Ada	happy	Saint Ada was the abbess of a convent in France and dedicated to keeping herself pure for Jesus. She is noted in France as patroness of religious women.
Dec. 24	Adele Adalie, Adela, Adelaide, Adelina, Adeline, Aline, Della	noble	Saint Adele’s first vocation was as a wife and mother. She served God by taking care of her family, praying, and doing works of mercy. When her husband died, she became a nun and founded a convent. As its first abbess, she ruled with great compassion and holiness.
Jan. 9	Adrienne Adria, Adriana	brave	Saint Adrian of Canterbury was a highly successful missionary in pagan England. He was also a great teacher of Bible study.
Feb. 5	Agatha Agathe, Agathy	good	While Saint Agatha was being tortured for her faith, God interrupted her agonies with an earthquake. She thanked Him for bringing an end to her pain and passed immediately into Heaven as a blessed martyr.
Jan. 21 Mar. 2	Agnes Ines, Inez, Neysa, Nina, Ninete, Rachel	pure	Saint Agnes of Rome was only a teenager when she had to decide between life and dying for Jesus. She had been ordered to sacrifice her virginity to pagan gods, and she sacrificed her life instead. She is the patron saint of engaged couples. Saint Agnes of Prague was very wealthy, and she freely used this gift to help the poor. She financed a hospital, a Franciscan friary and a Poor Clare convent. She never considered herself as above others, and even after she became abbess, she cooked for the sisters and mended the clothes of lepers.
June 20	Alba Albina, Bianca, Blanche	white	Saint Alban was converted by a priest whom he sheltered from persecutions and rescued by changing clothes with him. Patron saint of converts.

Nov. 15	Alberta Albertina	illustrious	Saint Albert the Great was a bishop who introduced Greek and Arabic science to medieval Europe, raising understanding of botany, biology, physics, and other studies of nature. A scientist himself, he wrote many books on these subjects.
Oct. 11	Alessandra Alex, Alexandra, Alexandrina, Alexis, Cassandra, Sandra	people helper	Saint Alexander Sauli became a bishop in a diocese where faith had died. Clergy and laity knew little about scripture and Church teachings. With the help of three friends, he inspired the people to new faith, corrected abuses, rebuilt broken down churches, and founded colleges and seminaries.
(June 15)	Alice Alicia, Alisa, Alison, Alix, Alyce, Elissa, Elsie, Ilsa	noble cheer	Saint Alice entered a Cistercian convent when seven years old. The community was inspired by her humility. However, she contracted leprosy and suffered greatly. Her greatest consolation came from receiving the Holy Eucharist, and she experienced visions and ecstacies.
(June 28)	Alma	loving	Saint Almus was a Cistercian monk in England who became an abbot of a monastary in Scotland.
(Feb. 6)	Amanda	worthy of love	Saint Amand was a great missionary and a father of monasticism in ancient Belgium. Before he was ordained, he went to live in a small monastery, but his father threatened to disinherit him unless he came home. Amand cheerfully replied, "Christ is my only inheritance."
Dec. 7	Ambrosia	immortal	Saint Ambrose of Milan was called "the honey-tongued doctor" because of his gift of preaching and his reputation as an expert on Church doctrine. Words were very important to him and he said, "Let no word escape your lips in vain or be uttered without depth of meaning."
(Dec. 24)	Amelia Emily, Emeline, Emilia, Emiliana, Emma	excelling	Saint Gregory the Great had three aunts who led prayerful religious lives in their father's house, Tarsilla, Saint Emiliana, and Gordiana. They encouraged each another to growth in holiness.

Feb. 20	Amy Amata, Aimee, Amata	loved	When she was young, Saint Amata of Assisi rejected God and rebelled against morality. Eventually her aunt, Saint Clare of Assisi, converted her and brought the girl into her religious order.
(Dec. 25)	Anastasia Stacey, Stasia	who will rise again	Saint Anastasia's father was a pagan nobleman, but her mother was Christian and secretly raised her in Christian beliefs and ways of holiness. Anastasia's husband was also pagan, and after he discovered she was a Christian, he stopped loving her and became a cruel tyrant, confining her to the house and treating her like a slave. Anastasia rejoiced that she could suffer for the love of Jesus Christ.
Nov. 30	Andrea	manly	Saint Andrew was the first Apostle. He enthusiastically led other people to God, starting with his brother, Saint Peter.
Jan. 27	Angela Angel, Angelica, Angelina, Angelique, Angelita	angel	During a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Saint Angela Merici experienced a major devastation; she became blind. Yet she insisted on continuing the pilgrimage with devotion and enthusiasm. God eventually restored Angela’s sight.
July 26 Feb. 27	Ann Anne, Anita, Anna, Annabel, Annabella, Annette, Hannah, Nan, Nancy, Nanette	grace	Saint Ann was the mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus. Saint Anne Line converted to Catholicism at a time when people were arrested for this. She fearlessly helped others survive the persecutions, and her home became a rallying point for Catholics. Fully aware of the possible cost to her life, she hid a priest and held Mass in her home, but was arrested and hanged for it.
June 13 Oct. 24	Antonia Antoinette, Antonina, Tanya, Toni, Tonia	priceless	Saint Anthony of Padua was always a ready helper in time of need. Living as a hermit, he left his cave only to attend Mass and sweep the nearby monastery. When he filled in for a scheduled speaker who failed to keep his commitment, his reputation as a great preacher spread widely. Patron saint for finding lost articles. Saint Anthony Claret was convinced that the Church should use the power of the printed word to evangelize the world.

Nov. 4	Arlene Arlette, Carol, Carey, Carla, Carole, Caroline, Carolyn, Charlene, Charlotte, Cheryl (fem. of Charles)	strong	Saint Charles Borromeo served as a bishop in a diocese that was plagued by superstitions and other faulty religious practices, but he resolved the problems by issuing wise rulings, instituting them with kindness, and setting an example through his own holy life. He learned from having a severe speech impediment that "we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily."
June 23	Audrey	noble maiden	Saint Audrey (also known as Etheldreda) used to enjoy showing off her wealth by wearing lavish jewelry. After her conversion, she lived an austere life, and when she developed an enormous and unsightly tumor on her neck, she gratefully accepted it as a penance for all the necklaces she had worn when she'd been so full of pride.
	Barbara	stranger	Saint Barbara's abusive kept her jealously locked up in a lonely tower which he built for her. In her solitude, she found God. She prayed a lot and studied the Christian faith, and she cleverly found a way to secretly receive instruction and Baptism from a priest.
(Sept. 1)	Beatrice Beatrix, Beatriz	happiness	Saint Beatrice da Silva Meneses was the daughter of a Count and the sister of Saint Amedeus. In Portugal, Beatrice is known as Brites. She entered religious life and founded the Congregation of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Feb. 18	Bernadette Bernardine	bold as a bear	God sent the Blessed Mother to Saint Bernadette of Lourdes to show the world that He is real. Mary asked the girl to dig in the dry ground for a spring of healing water. Bernadette dug on faith and uncovered the spring.
July 12	Bernice Veronica, Vera	victory bringer	Saint Veronica served Jesus on His way to Calvary by wiping His beloved face with a towel on which His sacred image then appeared. She protected this treasure, and whenever people touched it, they were miraculously healed.

(May 15)	Bertha Berta, Bertilla	strong one	Saint Bertha owned extensive properties. She married a pagan, but when he was killed in battle, she devoted herself to raising her son Rupert in the Christian faith. She founded several hospices for the poor, and after a pilgrimage to Rome, they gave away their possessions and became hermits.
June 20	Bianca Alba, Blanche	white	Saint Alban was converted by a priest whom he sheltered from persecutions and rescued by changing clothes with him. Patron saint of converts.
(May 16)	Brenda	sword	Saint Brendan and a crew of other Irish monks voyaged across the Atlantic to America in a ship made of oxhides -- 400 years before the Vikings and almost 1000 years before Columbus!
July 23 Feb. 1	Bridget Brigid, Bride, Brigit, Brigitta, Brigette	strength	Saint Bridget of Sweden first served Jesus as a wife and mother, taking good care of her family, helping her Church, and getting involved in her community. After becoming a widow, she began to receive revelations about His passion and suffering. Just before Saint Brigid of Ireland was born, her Christian mother was sold to a Druid landowner. Even though she grew up oppressed as a slave, she found great joy in loving You. As the patron saint of babies
Sept. 29	Briel Gabriela, Gabriella, Gabrielle	God's strength	God had given us archangels to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth. Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News; he can help us hear God's voice and to teach us the truth.
July 14	Camille Camelia, Camilla	temple servant	Saint Camillus de Lellis repented from a wild-spent youth and gambling addiction to serve God, and although he was incurably diseased, he took care of others who were sick. He founded the Congregation of the Servants of the Sick, believing that the suffering people were living images of Jesus.
(Aug. 1)	Cara Charity	love	See Saint Charity.

(July 16)	Carmel Carmella, Carmelita	orchard	Mount Carmel is where Elijah proved that God is greater than pagans gods. Nearby in Nazareth, Our Lady lived in piety and contemplation. Later, the Carmelites became a religious order devoted to contemplative prayer under her protection, and when its general, Saint Simon Stock, prayed for her help, she appeared to him and showed him a scapular for his order to wear. She said: "It is the sign of salvation, a safeguard in dangers, a pledge of peace and of the covenant."
Nov. 4	Carol Arlene, Arlette, Carey, Carla, Carole, Caroline, Carolyn, Charlene, Charlotte, Cheryl (feminine for Charles)	strong	Saint Charles Borromeo served as a bishop in a diocese that was plagued by superstitions and other faulty religious practices, but he resolved the problems by issuing wise rulings, instituting them with kindness, and setting an example through his own holy life. He learned from having a severe speech impediment that "we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily."
Oct. 11	Cassandra Sandra, Alessandra, Alex, Alexandra, Alexis	people helper	Saint Alexander Sauli became a bishop in a diocese where faith had died. Clergy and laity knew little about scripture and Church teachings. With the help of three friends, he inspired the people to new faith, corrected abuses, rebuilt broken down churches, and founded colleges and seminaries.

Nov. 25 April 29 Mar. 24	Catherine Catalina, Caterina, Karen, Kate, Kateri, Katherine, Kathleen, Kathryn, Katrina, Kay, Kit, Kitty, Trina	pure	Jesus gave Saint Catherine Labouré a vision of the Blessed Mother revealing an image that was to be made into the Miraculous Medal. He commissioned her to spread its devotion. It included the prayer: "O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee." He promised that those who wear it as a sign of devotion will receive the graces needed for holy living. Saint Catherine of Siena took her faith out into the world to make a difference for the Kingdom of God. She served as a spiritual guide to many, she affected politics, and she convinced the pope to return the Church’s leadership to Rome. By word and deed, she taught that Christians should influence the world with their spiritual values. Saint Catherine of Sweden, with her mother Saint Bridget, organized pilgrimages to Jerusalem and other places to stimulate people’s spiritual growth. In between pilgrimages, they spent their time in prayer and meditation, ministering to the poor and instructing them in religion.
Nov. 22	Cecilia Cecile, Cecily, Cicely,  Ceil, Shiela	dim sighted	Saint Cecilia’s parents wed her to a pagan nobleman. Eager to convert her new husband, she told him about the angel that always escorted her. He wanted to see the angel, too, so he asked for his soul to be purified by baptism. The next time Saint Cecilia prayed, her husband saw the angel place a crown on both of their heads.
Nov. 13	Cesca Frances, Francesca, Franchette, Francine	free	When Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini was a child, she pretended she was a missionary to China as she sailed paper boats on a stream. Although God eventually sent her west to America instead of East to the Orient, her childhood games shaped her desire to serve Him.
(Aug. 18)	Chantale	song	Saint Jane Frances de Chantal's husband was killed in a hunting accident. She could not forgive the man who shot him, but she worked on it. At first she just greeted him on the street. Eventually, she invited him to her house. Finally, she forgave him so completely that she even became godmother to his child. This experience opened her heart to  God and she sought God in prayer and a deepening spiritual life. Her commitment impressed Saint Francis de Sales, the bishop who became her director and best friend.
	Charity Cara	love	According to legend, there was a Roman widow, Saint Wisdom (or Sofia), who had three daughters, Saint Faith, Saint Hope, and Saint Charity, and they all suffered for Jesus. Faith, age 12, miraculously survived being scourged and thrown into boiling pitch, and was finally beheaded; Hope, age 10, and Charity, age 9, were unharmed when tossed into a furnace, so they also were beheaded; their mother suffered while praying over the bodies of her children.
Nov. 4	Cheryl Charlotte, Charlene, (feminine for Charles)	strong	Saint Charles Borromeo served as a bishop in a diocese that was plagued by superstitions and other faulty religious practices, but he resolved the problems by issuing wise rulings, instituting them with kindness, and setting an example through his own holy life. He learned from having a severe speech impediment that "we are all weak, but if we want help, the Lord God has given us the means to find it easily."
	Christine Christian, Christiana, Kirsten, Kristin, Nina, Tina	anointed, belonging to Christ	Jesus Christ is your patron! With this name and a heart that is devoted to Christ, you have the whole body of Christ -- the Communion of Saints -- as your prayer partners.
Aug. 11 Aug. 17	Clare Claire, Clara, Clairette, Claretta, Clarice, Clarissa, Clarita	illustrious	Saint Clare lived a very mystical and spiritually powerful life. In her dying days, when she was unable to attend Mass, God brought the Mass to her by displaying it like a movie on her wall. Thus she is now the patron saint of television. Saint Clare of the Cross continually reflected upon Your Passion. So devoted was she to this that when she died, a cross was discovered emblazoned in the skin above her heart.
(June 6)	Claudia Claudette, Claudine	lame	Saint Claud was a holy priest who served as a Benedictine Abbot and later a bishop, though he preferred not to have such status. In the 12th century (400 years later), his body was discovered to be incorrupt. His burial place became a favorite place for pilgrimages, and miraculous cures occurred there.
Nov. 23	Clementine Clemence, Clementina	merciful	Saint Clement knew the Apostles personally before they were martyred. As pope, he challenged his people to follow their examples. He said, "We ought to put aside vain and useless concerns and should consider what is good, pleasing and acceptable in the sight of Him who made us."
Mar. 6	Colette Coleen, Colleen	people's victory	When Saint Colette was born, her parents were nearly sixty years old and she became an orphan at seventeen. She is the patron of all those who have experienced the death of one or more of their parents, especially the little children.
(Nov. 23)	Columbine Columbina, Columba, Columbia, Columbina	dove	Saint Columban moved from place to place preaching the Gospel, forming a community who accompanied him, and being a witness of humility and love through his own life. He often took time out to be alone with God in the forrest, and the animals obeyed his voice.
(Dec. 8)	Conception Concepcion, Concepta	honoring Mary's immaculate conception	From the moment of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s conception, Jesus gave her the benefit of His future death on the cross. He granted her the fullness of grace and a life free of the stain of original sin. He sanctified her womb so that she could carry His divine presence within her body.
(Mar. 11)	Constance Constanza, Consantia	firm	Saint Constantine was a king, and when his wife died, he ceded his throne to their son, then became a monk. He performed menial tasks at the monastery, while preparing for the priesthood. After he was ordained, he became a missionary.
Sept. 16	Cornelia Cora	horn	Saint Cornelius was pope during terrible persecutions, and he anguished over the sufferings of his people. Saint Cyprian was his friend and said to him, "Let us relieve burdens and afflictions by mutual love."
(Feb. 16)	Daniela Danielle, Danette	the Lord is judge	Saint Daniel and four companions were Egyptians who visited Christians condemned to do hard labor in the mines during persecutions, to comfort them. They were arrested for this, tortured and beheaded.
	Deborah Debra, Debora	bee	In the Old Testament book of Judges, Debbora was a prophetess and judge endowed by God with prophetic gifts. Full of wisdom, she guided the divided Israelites and delivered them from the oppression of the Chanaanites.
Dec. 24	Della Adele, Adalie, Adela, Adelaide, Adelina, Adeline, Aline	noble	Saint Adele’s first vocation was as a wife and mother. She served God by taking care of her family, praying, and doing works of mercy. When her husband died, she became a nun and founded a convent. As its first abbess, she ruled with great compassion and holiness.
(Oct. 9)	Denise	God of Nyassa	Saint Denis (also called Dionysius) was the first bishop of Paris and the Apostle of France.
(Sept. 15)	Dolores Dolor, Dolorita, Lola, Lolita	sorrows	The Blessed Mother’s passionate love for her Son Jesus caused her to suffer when she watched His enemies inflict their tortures upon Him and slowly kill Him. She offered up the piercing of her heart as if her life were an altar, sacrificing her beloved Son for the salvation of the world. Through it all, she did not feel sorry for herself nor did she complain, because she accepted her pain for our sakes, in passionate love for us.
Aug. 8 Mar. 10	Dominica Dominga, Dominique	I belong to the Lord	Saint Dominic de Guzman, founder of the Dominican Order, worked hard against heresies. When people refused to accept the truth, he grew discouraged, but the Blessed Mother appeared and asked him to pray the Rosary daily and to teach it to others. Through the Rosary, the heresies were conquered. Saint Dominic Savio was one of the children touched by Saint John Bosco’s ministry. An altar boy at age five, he started on the road to the priesthood at age twelve but died at fifteen. Yet, he accomplished much good in his short life because of his piety. His birthplace and childhood home are now retreat houses for youth.
(Apr. 17)	Donna Donata, Dona, Donatilla	God-given	Saint Donan (or Donnan) traveled far as a missionary. One day, Donan was celebrating Mass when intruders broke in to kill the monks. He convinced them to wait until they finished Mass, then he led his fellow monks to the refectory so "that the place where God had been worshipped in spiritual joy might not be polluted with their blood."
April 22 Nov. 9	Doris Dorothy, Dora, Doreen (femine of Theodore)	God's gift	Saint Theodore of Sykeon was a monk and a bishop who worked amazing miracles, including healings. He put an end to a plague of insects by praying, confidently putting the matter into God's hands. Saint Theodore Tyro was a young soldier in the Roman army when he converted to Christianity. Though he was ordered to fight enemies of the empire, he believed that the devil was the only true enemy. Soon, he was killed for being a Christian, thus winning the battle against the demons who wanted to keep him out of Heaven.

(Oct. 11)	Edith Eadie, Eda, Edythe	happiness	Saint Edith Stein was the youngest in a large Jewish family. After converting to Catholicism, she eventually joined the Carmelite Order and was sent to a convent in Holland. She lived a life of dedication, consecration, prayer, fasting, and penance until she was arrested by the Nazis. With her sister Rose, she was sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz where died in the gas chambers.
Oct. 12	Edwina Edna	prosperous friend	Saint Edwin was a pagan king who listened to a Christian preacher publicly explain the Gospel. He accepted salvation, renounced his worship of the gods, and commanded his high priest to destroy their altars and temples.
Aug. 18	Eleanor Helen, Helena, Eleanor, Leanore, Lenore, Lenora, Lee, Leora, Nell, Nellie, Nelly	light	The great emperor Constantine gave his mother, Saint Helena, the authority to promote Christianity by building churches throughout the empire and on the holy sites in Israel. She is the patron saint of difficult marriages and divorced people because her husband divorced her for someone with better political connections.
(June 15)	Elissa Alice, Alicia, Alisa, Alison, Alix, Alyce, Elsie, Ilsa	noble cheer	Saint Alice entered a Cistercian convent when seven years old. The community was inspired by her humility. However, she contracted leprosy and suffered greatly. Her greatest consolation came from receiving the Holy Eucharist, and she experienced visions and ecstacies.
Jan. 4 July 4 Nov. 17	Elizabeth	God has sworn	Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton was a mother and an educator, and devoted her life to children. Saint Elizabeth of Portugal was married to a king, and her spiritual life was often interrupted by politics and family arguments. She regained her inner peace by spending time in prayer and doing works of charity. Saint Elizabeth of Hungary was a princess who married a prince. Concerned for the poor, she donated to them her portion of the prince’s income and then sold her luxurious possessions to give them more. After her husband died, she renounced worldly wealth, built a hospice for the weak and sickly, and invited the most wretched to dine with her.

(Dec. 24)	Emily Amelia, Emeline, Emilia, Emiliana, Emma	excelling	Saint Gregory the Great had three aunts who led prayerful religious lives in their father's house, Tarsilla, Saint Emiliana, and Gordiana. They encouraged each another to growth in holiness.
(May 18)	Erica Erika	ever-ruler	Saint Eric was a king of Sweden who codified Swedish law under Gospel principles. He used his power and authority to spread the Gospel through his kingdom.
(Dec. 24)	Erma Irmina, Irmine, Irma	strong	Saint Irmina was betrothed to a count, but a jealous suitor lured her fiancée to his death over a cliff. Irmina became a nun at a monastery and helped Saint Willibrord in his missionary work.
(Nov. 7)	Ernestine	serious	Saint Ernest was the abbot of a Benedictine Abbey in Germany. He went on the Crusades, preached in Arabia and Persia, and was captured by the Moors. He was tortured to death in Mecca.
	Esther Edissa, Stella, Estelle, Estella, Estrella, Esther	star	Saint Esther was an Old Testament Jewess who became, by marriage to Xerxes, Queen of Persia. She prevented the king from massacring all the Jews in the kingdom.
(June 2)	Eugenia Gina, Eugenie	well born	Saint Eugene I was a priest who had served in several different positions in the Church and became pope. He was widely known for his charity and holiness.
(Dec. 24)	Evelyn Eva, Eveline, Eve, Evita	life	Eve was the first woman, the wife of Adam. Adam called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living. She is the patron of tailors.
(Aug. 1)	Faith Fay, Fidelia	faith	According to legend, there was a Roman widow, Saint Wisdom (or Sofia), who had three daughters, Saint Faith, Saint Hope, and Saint Charity, and they all suffered for Jesus. Faith, age 12, miraculously survived being scourged and thrown into boiling pitch, and was finally beheaded; Hope, age 10, and Charity, age 9, were unharmed when tossed into a furnace, so they also were beheaded; their mother suffered while praying over the bodies of her children.

Mar. 7	Felicity Felicia, Felice, Felicita	happy	Saint Felicity is the of expectant moms, young mothers, women wanting to become pregnant, and children who die prematurely.
Oct. 5	Flora Florence	flowering	Saint Flora of Beaulieu did not like her cloistered life in the convent. She felt tempted to return home to her family, but she stayed in the order and eventually You rewarded her with the gifts of visions and prophecies.
Nov. 13	Frances Cesca, Fanny, Francesca, Franchette, Francine, Francoise, Frannie	free	When Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini was a child, she pretended she was a missionary to China as she sailed paper boats on a stream. Although God eventually sent her west to America instead of East to the Orient, her childhood games shaped her desire to serve Him.
Sept. 29	Gabriela Gabriella, Gabrielle, Briel	God's strength	God had given us archangels to assist us during our pilgrimage on earth. Saint Gabriel is a messenger of the Good News; he can help us hear God's voice and to teach us the truth.
	Gail Abigail, Abbie, Abby, Gale	the Father is happy	Abba is the Hebrew word for "Daddy" and is scripture's endearing term for God the Father. He is our Abba, our Daddy. Your patron is Daddy-God!
(April 11)	Gemma	jewel	Saint Gemma Galgani developed a love for prayer at a very early age. Throughout her life, God favored her with mystical experiences, special graces and the stigmata. She was oftened ridiculed because many did not understand these gifts. Gemma accepted this suffering as a reparation, remembering that Jesus had been misunderstood and ridiculed.
Jan. 3	Genevieve Ginette, Yolanda, Blanche	white wave	Saint Genevieve was a small child when she decided to devote her life to God. She allowed nothing to interfere. She had an enthusiastic and single-minded heart for Christ.
April 23	Georgia Georgette, Georgianna, Georgana	farmer	Saint George was nicknamed the "Victory Bringer" because he relied on God's power to defeat evil wherever he went. Starting as a soldier in the army, he converted and became a soldier for Christ. Laying down the world’s armor by giving his wealth to the poor, he forever after carried the shield of faith and won many victories for those who sought God's help.
Oct. 3	Geraldine Geralda, Geralyn	spear ruler	Saint Gerard of Brogne joined a monastery in order to find a quiet, peaceful place to spend his time in prayer, although he willingly left his solitude to help others become stronger in their faith. He believed that if people realized the joy that came from praying, they would pray more often.
(June 15)	Germaine	kin	Saint Germaine Cousin was a severely abused and neglected child. She turned to God, who taught her how to forgive her family and grow in holiness. She entrusted the sheep she tended to God's care while she went to daily Mass, and they were never attacked by wolves. One day when the rains flooded the river, a villager saw the water part so she could get to Mass. She died from her mistreatments at age 22; forty years later her body was exhumed and found incorrupted.
Nov. 16	Gertrude Gerda, Trudy	spear strength	Saint Gertrude was a very gifted student and loved every subject except religion. When she studied philosophy, it began to twist her mind and lead her away from the Faith, so Jesus visited her in a vision and called her back. From then on she studied Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers.
(June 2)	Gina Eugenia, Eugenie	well born	Saint Eugene I was a priest who had served in several different positions in the Church and became pope. He was widely known for his charity and holiness.
	Gloria	glory	Gloria is the song of the angels, as they praise the God of Glory. We remember their song of joy at the birth of Jesus.
(Nov. 16)	Grace	grace	Grace is a supernatural gift of God to intellectual creatures (humans, angels) for their eternal salvation. Saint Gratia worked a trade of the sea until, at age thirty, he happened into a church and was deeply moved by a sermon from an Augustinian friar. He joined that order and as a lay-brother. A mysterious light was seen above his cell, and his intercessions resulted in miracles.

July 20 Jan. 19	Gretchen Greta, Margaret, Madge, Maggie, Maisie, Marge, Margery, Margo, Margot, Marina, Margarita, Marguerite, Marjorie, Pearl, Pegeen, Peggy	pearl	Saint Margaret of Antioch’s father was a pagan priest. Her escape from his false beliefs was depicted in a story of being swallowed by a dragon representing paganism, and then escaping from its belly as if being born anew. Because of this tale, she has become the patron saint of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. Saint Marguerite Bourgeous gave away her inheritance to family members and departed for Canada, where she founded the Congregation of Notre Dame. She helped people survive when food was scarce, opened a vocational school, and taught young people how to run a home and farm.
July 13	Harriet Henrietta, Henriette, Hally, Harietta, Harriette	home ruler	Saint Henry II was one of the best rulers of the Christian Roman Empire. He reformed the Church, assisted the growth of new monasteries, and oversaw the building of many beautiful churches. Because he believed that the Creed was essential to understanding our faith, he convinced the Pope to institute its use every Sunday and major feast day.
Aug. 18	Helen Helena, Eleanor, Leanore, Lenore, Lenora, Lee, Leora, Nell, Nellie, Nelly	light	The great emperor Constantine gave his mother, Saint Helena, the authority to promote Christianity by building churches throughout the empire and on the holy sites in Israel. She is the patron saint of difficult marriages and divorced people because her husband divorced her for someone with better political connections.
(Nov. 17)	Hilda Hildegarde	battle maiden	Saint Hilda lived the wealthy life of nobility until age 33 when she decided to join the monastery where her sister was a nun. Eventually, she became abbess of a double monastery. She was well known for her spiritual wisdom, and her monasteries excelled in their learning and nuns.

(Aug. 1)	Hope	hope	According to legend, there was a Roman widow, Saint Wisdom (or Sofia), who had three daughters, Saint Faith, Saint Hope, and Saint Charity, and they all suffered for Jesus. Faith, age 12, miraculously survived being scourged and thrown into boiling pitch, and was finally beheaded; Hope, age 10, and Charity, age 9, were unharmed when tossed into a furnace, so they also were beheaded; their mother suffered while praying over the bodies of her children.
(Sept. 4)	Ida	happy	Saint Ida grew up in Charlemagne's court and was married to Lord Egbert by arrangement of the emperor. Her son became a monk. She was widowed very young, so she is the patron of widows and brides. She founded a church and a nunnery.
July 31 Oct. 17	Ignatia	fiery	Saint Ignatius of Loyola was wounded in battle and had to spend months in recovery. He wanted to pass the time reading adventure books about knights, but all he could find were biographies on the saints. Reading these, he felt challenged to do what the saints had done. Saint Ignatius of Antioch was taken to Rome under military guard after he was condemned to die in the Roman amphitheater. On the way, he wrote inspiring letters to Christian communities. Nothing would stop him from carrying out his ministry of preaching the Gospel.
(Dec. 8)	Immaculata	spotless	From the moment of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s immaculate conception, Jesus gave her the benefit of His future death on the cross. He granted her the fullness of grace and a life free of the stain of original sin. He sanctified her womb so that she could carry His divine presence within her body.
(April 3)	Irene Irena, Renata, Renee	peace	Saint Irene was caught with texts of the Scriptures when this was punishable by death. When she refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, she was sent to a house of prostitution. There, when she was unmolested after being exposed naked and chained, she was put to death.
(Dec. 24)	Irma Irmina, Irmine, Erma	strong	Saint Irmina was betrothed to a count, but a jealous suitor lured her fiancée to his death over a cliff. Irmina became a nun at a monastery and helped Saint Willibrord in his missionary work.

Feb. 26	Isabel		Saint Isabel of France was the daughter of a king, but this did not make her haughty. Since early childhood, she had an extraordinary desire for piety, modesty, and other virtues. She persisted in remaining solely dedicated to God, despite the opinions and advice of others.
Feb. 4 Mar. 29	Jane Janet, Janice, Jean, Jeanette, Jeanine, Jeanne, Jessica, JoAnn, Joanna, Joanne, Johanna, June (fem. of John)	God has mercy	Saint Jane of Valois was born with deformities and she suffered from illnesses throughout her life. Yet she refused to give into discouragement, and at a very young age she became devoted to the Blessed Mother. Later, she helped found a religious order whose chief rule was to imitate the virtues of Mary as revealed in the Bible. Saint Jeanne Marie de Maille is the patron for abuse victims.
(Oct. 12)	Jennifer (fem. of Wilfrid)	firm peace	Saint Wilfrid worked hard as a bishop and founded many monasteries of the Benedictine Order. During the time he was forced into exile, he evangelized the heathen around him. Through his ministry, he had limitless courage and remained firm in his convictions despite problems with civil and ecclesiastical authorities.
Feb. 4	Jessica (fem. of John)	God has mercy	See Saint Jane above.
Feb. 12	Jill Julia, Juliana, Julie, Juliet, Juliette	downy	Saint Julian spent his life caring for the poor as a sacrifice for inadvertently killing his parents. He is the patron saint of circus workers, innkeepers, travelers, and murderers.
Mar. 19 Sept. 18	Josephine Josefa, Josepha, Josette, Josianne	increase	God chose Saint Joseph to care for Mary and Jesus because his holiness and love for Him was great, his compassion for others was outstanding, and his desire to protect and provide for his family was honorable. Saint Joseph of Cupertino endured much rejection—his mother disapproved of him and the religious orders he tried to join refused him—but rather than succumbing to self-pity, he turned to God for acceptance. He became a priest who worked miracles and conversed intimately with Christ in ecstasies.