Orthodox names for boys denoting health. How to name a boy: a rare and beautiful name according to Orthodox calendar. Useful video: how to choose a name according to the church calendar

In Orthodox Christianity, there is a tradition according to which it is customary to name newborns in honor of a saint or saint, whose memory is celebrated on the day the baby was born. Alternatively, an Orthodox name for a boy can be chosen consonant with him if the parents named the baby with a name that is not mentioned in the calendar. In this case, the priest can help with the choice before baptism.

Traditions of Choice

Choosing a name for a child is a serious and responsible matter. In many families, this issue is resolved in their own way, there may be certain traditions.

So, for example, the first-born are often called in honor of their grandfather or father. Some have their own family lists of "allowed" and "forbidden" names for any reason. Someone adheres to the church calendar.

When choosing a name, future parents should pay attention to:

It should be remembered that the child will carry his name all his life.. Therefore, you need to choose one that he will also be pleased to hear. To think about all the options, you should try to put yourself in the place of the child. It is important to pay attention to the pronunciation of the boy's name and his patronymic. They should sound harmonious and be easy to pronounce.

Orthodox names for boys

Recently, more and more people are turning to their origins. In Russia, more and more parents choose Orthodox names for boys.

In 2017, Alexander, Maxim, Mikhail, Ivan, Daniil, Dmitry, Matvey were popular. Most likely, their popularity will not decrease in 2018. All of them are found in the calendar of Orthodox names for boys.

The decision on how to name a son is taken by many fathers and mothers during pregnancy. Having learned the approximate date of birth, they can use the church calendar of names by date of birth and choose the appropriate one by date of birth.

Options for those born in winter

For "winter" boys, there are many options:

Spring and summer names

In spring and summer, the church celebrates the memory of many saints and saints. True, some of the names sound very unusual for modern people, so parents should think about whether to call their son like this:

Choice for autumn birthdays

Among the autumn names there are many popular and only gaining popularity:

• October 19 - Holy Apostle Thomas. He was one of the apostles of Christ, a craftsman. Name: Thomas, Tamas, Tom.
• October 31 - Holy Apostle Luke. He was one of the disciples of Christ, had the profession of a doctor, but also an artist. Name: Luke.
• November 8 - Holy Martyr Demetrius. He has been appointed patron of pastors. Name: Dimitri.
• November 21 - Saints Michael and Gabriel, the most important angels who announced the birth of Christ and John the Baptist. Name: Michael.
• December 13 - Saint Andrew. It was the brother of Peter, considered the protector of sailors and fishermen. Name: Andrey.
• December 19 - St. Nicholas. He performed miracles and children love to celebrate the day in his honor. Name: Nikolay.

Russians church names for boys for months, you can find out from a priest in any temple, and also consult with him to make the best decision. The church list will be much longer. Take, for example, the names for boys in November according to the holy calendar. It will consist of over 30 names, with at least one saint's name for each day. Both rare and more frequently encountered names will be presented.

A son was born - heir, protector, father's hope and mother's support. Happy parents have to solve an important task: what to name the baby? Often this issue is resolved in advance. But sometimes there are disputes and even quarrels about this. Everyone understands that the name given to the child will remain with him for life. It is believed that it determines fate, so it is highly undesirable to call a person differently.

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Criterias of choice

What are parents usually guided by when choosing a name for a newborn?

• beautiful sound;
• this is the name of a relative (grandfather, dad, uncle);
• the name of a man significant for the family (say, a doctor who saved the lives of a mother and a newborn);
• Orthodox tradition (names for a boy by months and dates);
• favorite soccer player public figure, the hero of the film, the singer, the world famous person.

Before choosing a son's name adults need to consider several factors:

The baptism of Russia contributed to the fact that children began to be named in honor of the saints who became famous for their deeds. Parents were convinced that through the name a spiritual connection would arise and Orthodox great martyr will become the patron of their baby, give him some of his amazing qualities.

Day Angel- the date with which the name of a person in the holy calendar corresponds. Sometimes it coincides with a birthday, sometimes it doesn't. The same name in the church calendar can occur several times. Several Orthodox saints fall on the same day. One name can celebrate Angel Day several times a year. For example, Athanasius can be born both in January and in November.

How to choose the right name according to the holy calendar? The Orthodox Church prescribes to call the boy a name corresponding to his birthday or baptism. If for some reason a number of names do not fit, you can look at the eighth or fortieth day from the date the baby was born.

Names by months: Orthodox calendar

It's about the undeserved forgotten names , which today you can only read in historical or ecclesiastical literature describing the deeds of Orthodox saints. And here they are, forgotten, but still harmonious and beautiful, slowly float into our everyday life.

And although many parents still call their babies traditionally, there are more and more children with retro names.

There are many forgotten names in the calendar. Some are found in the middle names of older people. Even now you can hear: Nikanorovich, Antipovich, Prokofievich or Afanasyevich. But such as Vlas, Silouan or Thaddeus, have long gone out of use. And yet, many old names have the right to life.

January

There are among the many birthdays of January beautiful name Seraphim(from the Hebrew "fiery angel"). Angel Day - 15.01.

In Orthodoxy, these angels are closest to God. They are called upon to ignite in the hearts of people a spark of faith and love for the Almighty.

Seraphim are very active and cheerful people. Erudite, who are easily given new knowledge. But sometimes they are frivolous.

Sweet derivatives: Sima, Fima, Simulya.

Other rare January birthdays: Timothy, Evtikhy, Ignat, Nifont, Theogen, Leonty, Siluan, Prokl.

February

A boy born in February is well called Vladimir, Zakhar, Fedor. The familiar sound of these names will not bring inconvenience to the child in kindergarten or school.

Fans of antiquity can consider the following options: Arseny, Ippolit, Innokenty, Vsevolod.

More and more popular lately old name Mark. The prevalence is predicted to continue to increase.

Mark is Latin for "hammer". The Church connects him with the personality of the holy preacher, disciple of Peter and author of the Gospel.

Boy Mark- a noisy child, a prankster and an entertainer, and all because he is used to being the center of attention. In adulthood, he is very circumspect: “he won’t go uphill, it’s better to go around the mountain.” Able to negotiate and persuade.

Affectionately, Mark is called Marik or Markush.

February boys can still be called Fedor, Januarius, Lawrence, Makar, Clement, Seraphim, Pallady.

March

The first spring month is the time for the name day of Ilya, Mikhail, Leo, Vasily, Bogdan, Athanasius, Vladimir.

Pancratius of Tauromenia, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, died a martyr in the name of Orthodox ideas.

Pankraty has a strong character. He is quick-tempered and sharp, often conflicts, but is capable of sacrifice and disinterestedness in the name of an idea. He despises conservatism, often criticizes the existing order.

He is affectionately called Pankrasha, Panya.

Other (unused) names: Jeremiah, Isaiah, Pimen, Titus, Nil, Nicander.

April

With regards to the April name day, it is worth revealing the secret of the name Lazarus(from the Hebrew "God helped"). Celebrated April 7th.

The church associates this name with the personality of Lazar of Serbia, who died at the hands of infidels in 1389. The prince was known as an enlightener, bringing the ideas of Christianity to his people.

The most striking feature of Lazarus is pride. He is very proud and cautious. “Trust no one,” this man lives by this principle. He is capable of sacrificing allies in order to achieve a common goal. Lazarus are long-lived, and with age they do not lose their clarity of mind.

Affectionate nicknames: Dawn, Lazarka.

Other birthdays in April: Nikita, Yakov, Vladimir, Benjamin, Savva, Sevastyan, Gavrila.

May

May 5 marks the day of the angel Clement(from Latin "merciful").

In Orthodoxy, Clement of Ancyra is known, who for more than 20 years suffered torment for the faith of Christ, and at the end of his life was executed.

The name predetermines Clement such features as balance and calm disposition. The man is very kind, both people and animals are drawn to him. He leads a healthy lifestyle and often associates his activities with sports and coaching.

Other variations of the name: Klim, Klimushka, Klimusha.

Also in May, the day of the angel at Isaac, Vsevolod, Plato, Leonty, Filimon, Taras, Kasyan.

June

June guys can be named after Timothy, Hippolytus, Nikita, George, Luke.

Orthodox venerate Hilarion the Great, famous for establishing monasteries in the Palestinian desert.

Illarion's temper is light. He is modest and unpretentious, too impressionable when it comes to other people's troubles, although he always keeps his own. There may be a bit of stubbornness and ambition in the character.

Affectionate nicknames: Larik, Laryusha, Laryushka.

July

Methodius, Vasily, Nikolai, Julian, Gennady, Gabriel, Semyon, Martin, Philip - this is how you can call the boys who were born in July.

July 3rd name day Gleb(word Scandinavian origin meaning "beloved of the gods").

In Orthodoxy, the name is associated with the personality of Prince Gleb (brothers Boris and Gleb, who were martyred).

The man named Gleb has a strong character. He is confident and focused. Differs in lack of vanity, reliability and economy. Gleb can be stubborn and slow, and lack a sense of humor.

Variants of the name: Glebushka, Glebka.

August

Those boys who were born in August can be called Tikhon, Ivan, Kuzma, Efim, Trofim, Nikolai, Makar, Rodion, Moses, Prokhor, Pakhom, Seraphim, Semyon.

The prophet Elisha, as the Orthodox Church teaches, carried the word to the Israelites about the true God all his life.

The person bearing this name is smart and energetic. And although he has a very finely developed intuition, he is a good analyst. Elisha is also charming, noble, capable of strong, lofty feelings. He is sometimes selfish and ambitious.

Name options: Leseyka, Yelesya, Eliseyka, Lesya.

September

The first autumn month, among others, has such birthdays: Fedor, Victor, Karl, Joseph, Samuel, Isaac, Ignat.

The church honors Euthymius of Thessalonica, who at an early age renounced worldly life, devoted all his deeds to strengthening the ideas of Christianity.

The boy who received this name growing creative personality. He is a dreamer, emotional and artistic. The man Yefim loves to cook and appreciates his family and home very much, he is often suspicious and jealous.

Affectionate nicknames: Fima, Efimka, Efimchik, Efima.

October

October babies can be called Benjamin, Valentine, Matvey, Konstantin, Herman, Hypatius, Dionysius, Joseph.

Name a baby born on October 10 Aristarchus. The name comes from Greek and translates as "leader of the best."

The Orthodox venerate the Great Martyr Aristarchus - a like-minded person. He was a bishop, died in Rome, remaining true to Christian postulates.

Aristarchus - a man of courage and direct, intolerant of slyness, a good leader. For friends, he will throw himself into fire and water, knows how to defend his opinion, can be an active participant and organizer of all kinds of rallies, marches and strikes. He reacts sharply to injustice, is ready to eradicate evil.

Aristarchus is affectionately called Stasha, Aristya, and briefly - Rice.

November

This gloomy autumn month, as it were, compensates for the ugliness of everyday life for its sons, rewarding them with bright, “sunny” character traits. Children of November are easily carried away dreamers, very kind, sympathetic and amorous.

It is with such a gentle and easy character that November bestows Stepan. Moreover, the day of the angel is celebrated on November 10 and 12. Stepan is translated from Greek as "wreath".

Usually small steps- playful and noisy children. Very inquisitive, they are prone to injury. At school - fidgets and jokers, funny copy others. Adult Stepans are skillful manipulators. They can easily impose their opinion, lead, sincere and generous in love and friendship.

You can affectionately call Stepushka, Stepanchik, Stepasha, Stepa.

December

In December, the name days of Varlaam, Proclus, Filaret, Paramon, Athanasius, Gennady, Nil, Galaktion, Cyril, Thaddeus are celebrated.

The Great Martyr Plato, a Christian preacher, refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, for which he was tortured and beheaded.

Little Plato is interested among adults. He is very inquisitive and developed beyond his years, and absorbs knowledge like a sponge.

Adult Plato does not like to work on orders, he is very independent. He is a workaholic, but often argues with his superiors, so he rarely reaches heights in his career. Sometimes it can be manipulated if only the "carrot" method is used. Plato is a kind, generous and hospitable host.

“What do you call a yacht…”

The last sheet of the calendar is turned over. Many names flashed before my eyes - beautiful, ancient, time-tested. And it doesn’t matter at all whether it’s sunny May outside the window or rainy November. No bad weather and no bad names. What matters is how a person perceives everything.

What does a name mean for a child:

• a way of self-identification (to the question: “Who are you?” the child will most likely answer: “I am Dima”;
• connection with family and homeland;
• identification in society;
• affects character.

And if dad and mom have already chosen an unusual name for their son, everything must be done so that the child, and in the future an adult man, does not hesitate to pronounce it. Tell about famous namesakes, tell about the wonderful qualities that are inherent in the name, emphasize its uniqueness. And may your child be happy!

Greetings, dear readers! There is an opinion: as you name a child, such will be his life. Today there is a tradition to give children rare foreign or old Russian names. Kindergartens and schools are filled with Seraphim, Ostap, Vladislav, etc. By the way, children are generally calm about such "fictions" of the parents of their comrades, because to meet rare name in a children's company is no longer a "rarity". I suggest you consider the names for boys, rare and beautiful, which will help you correctly name your heir.

• Before choosing a name for a boy, pay attention to its meaning. It happens that the option seems acceptable, sonorous, but its meaning does not prepare the child for the most better fate or it is not at all clear what it hints at. For example, Kondrat means "square". Would you like to name your baby that?
• Another criterion is that it should be consonant with the patronymic. Imagine that your little one will grow up and take a leadership position. What will his subordinates call him? Initials should be pronounced easily, without tension. If the middle name is long and difficult to pronounce, choose a short, melodic name, for example, Ilya Igorevich. But Konstantin Igorevich will not sound very pleasant, but it is difficult to pronounce at all.
• Take care that children do not laugh at the baby when he goes to kindergarten or school. True, today many children with unusual names, and it is difficult for adults to imagine how a word can be changed. And yet be prepared to give the baby the most "harmless".

If the parents are believers, they can give the boy a name according to the Orthodox calendar. Every day in it is dedicated to certain saints, whose names are given to newborns.

Orthodox by months 2018

Church names are again held in high esteem today. In 2017, Seraphim, Savva, Fadei, Luka and other boys with obsolete names were registered in the registry offices. For adherents Orthodox faith we offer names for boys, rare and beautiful, Orthodox by months of 2018:

• January. If your child was born this month, he has a strong and tough character. Such boys can be called Ignat (peaceful), Makar (happy), Adam (man), Emelyan (calm).
• February. February babies are tender and sensitive. At the same time, they are patient and hardworking. Boys can be called Nikanor (winner), Daniel ( God's judgment), Savva (elder), Cyril (master).
• March. People born this month have an optimistic disposition, a good sense of humor. They will suit such options as Eugene (noble), Alexander (defender), Timothy (one who honors God), Fedor (gift of God).
• April. April babies are dynamic and very much like the wind. They are constantly in need of change. Such children can be called George (farmer), Nikita (victorious), Maxim (great), Lazarus (help from God).
• May. May boys behave freely in the company, they are optimistic, they can take responsibility. They are called Makar (happy), Kuzma (arranging the world), Gleb (God's favorite), Denis (god of vitality).

• June. June boys enjoy authority among the elders, easily gain sympathy from the opposite sex. The following options are suitable for them: Elisha (saved by God), Mstislav (avenger), Severin (strict), Timothy (one who honors God).
• July. July guys are organized and confident, they make decisions quickly. The following options will suit them: Leonty (lion), Emelyan (affectionate), Herman (German), Kuzma (organizer).
• August. These boys are especially trusted and can be good companions. They are principled and rarely violate their principles. Name your son Davyd (beloved), Leonid (looks like a lion), Lawrence (crowned with laurels), Yermolai (broadcasting to the people).
• September . Boys born this month often become the "life of the company." They are trusting and not prone to conflict. For them, the names Samuel (the one whom God hears), Bogdan ( given by God), Theodosius (given by God), Zakhar (memory of God).
• October. These boys are reckless and never get bored, although they bring all their affairs to the end. Call them Konstantin (permanent), Vladislav (possessing fame), Andrei (male), Oleg (sacred).
• November. These people spend money easily and seem out of this world. They feel awkward in a strange company and make few friends in a lifetime. Such boys can be called Dmitry (fertile), Rodion (rosehip), Matvey (divine man), Grigory (peppy).
• December . December children seem indifferent, mysterious, but inside they are very emotional. Suitable Stepan (wreath), Plato (with broad shoulders), Gury (lion cub).

Russians and their meaning

Modern Russian variants of names came to us from antiquity or were adopted from other peoples. They are rare and very beautiful, so they may well serve as the basis for your choice:

• Augustine - summer;
• Alexey - defender;
• Anatoly - eastern;
• Antoine is a derivative of Anton;
• Arseny - courageous;
• Bronislav - defender;
• Velimir - the ruler of the world;
• Vitaly - vital;
• Damir - peace-loving;
• May is a warm heart;
• Florin - blooming.

Muslim modern

We offer several Muslim names, among which you can find a beautiful and unusual name:

• Murat - desired;
• Geray - worthy;
• Aydar - lunar;
• Arthur is powerful;
• Bashar is a man;
• Danil is a gift from God;
• Zafar is the winner;
• Ildar is the leader.

Tatar modern

Tatar names are often associated with events that determined the fate of an entire people. All members of the Tatar family take part in the choice:

• Ahmad - the one who is praised;
• Timur - iron;
• Narbek - light;
• Irek - strong-willed;
• Eldar - ruler;
• Bakir - studying;
• Ainur - lunar;
• Irkin is generous.

Slavic

People are gradually returning to their history and are interested in the Slavic names that were popular with our ancestors. Their meanings are clear and easy to read:

• Dobrynya - kind;
• Ladomir - good world;
• Jaromir - an ardent world;
• Peaceful - loving peace;
• Milorad - rejoicing in the world;
• Bazhen - desired;
• Myron is peaceful.

Vintage

Ancient names may have different origins, but this does not negate their euphony:

• Arius - brave, from the kind of Aryans;
• Malachi is a messenger from God;
• Philemon - beloved;
• Svyatoslav - bright glory;
• Peter is a stone;
• Osip - multiplied;
• Naum - consolation;
• Love - beloved;
• Cyril is the lord.

Kazakh

In male Kazakh names, male virtues are emphasized:

• Aydar - strong;
• Rashit - brave;
• Samat - permanent;
• Kairat - active;
• Talip is a scientist;
• Ulan is brave.

Arabic

A strong name can change the fate of a child and give him energy, so the Arabs are very careful about his choice:

• Abdullah is God's servant;
• Akram - generous;
• Alim is a scientist;
• Aman - healthy;
• Wazir - Minister;
• Diliyar - sincere;
• Zafar is the winner;
• Iskander is the winner;
• Kamran - mighty;
• Musgud is happy.

Turkish

Turkish names have Arabic, Turkic and Persian roots:

• Mustafa - the chosen one;
• Balaban is a daredevil;
• Ugar - lucky;
• Baskurt is a warrior;
• Kerem - magnanimous;
• Ahmet is nice.

Islamic

These are Muslim names, among which there are very beautiful in sound and meaning:

• Latif - open;
• Muslim - Muslim;
• Nazar - far-sighted;
• Ramil - magical;
• Rahman - merciful;
• Rifat - noble;
• Tair - flying.

German

Germanic names sometimes seem rough-sounding, but among them you can find really beautiful options that emphasize masculinity:

• Albert - noble brilliance;
• Armin - army;
• Arthur - from King Arthur;
• Benedict - blessed;
• Werther is a worthy warrior;
• Wolf - wolf;
• Gottfried - the world of God;
• Colman is a dove.

caucasian

Since he lives in the Caucasus a large number of nationalities, in the list of Caucasian names there are also borrowed from other languages:

• Rustam - brave;
• Azat - independent;
• Kydyr - powerful;
• Amir - ruler;
• Baisal - confident;
• Karim is generous.

Chechen

Since the Chechens are Muslims, many Turkic and Arabic ones can be found in the list of their names:

• Bulat - steel;
• Rahim - merciful;
• Murad - one who strives;
• Ikram - respectful;
• Zakiy - pure;
• Qays - impregnable;
• Pasha is the ruler.

American

Americans prefer biblical names or they call the boy after his father or grandfather, adding the prefix "younger":

• Quentin is the fifth;
• Earl - famous;
• Phil is a horse lover;
• Marlon is a warrior;
• Albee - sunny;
• Tom is a twin;
• Ben - living in the south.

English

Among the popular English names you can find those who came from the Arab world, French or Greek:

• Casey - vigilant;
• Louis is a warrior;
• Miki - similar to God;
• Bertie - bright;
• Matthew is a gift from God;
• James is a conqueror;
• Vic is victorious.

French

The French version of the name is usually very euphonious and not without masculinity:

• Adolf is a wolf;
• Armand - bold;
• Bernard - bear bass
• Valerie - the power of a foreigner;
• Gustave - meditating;
• Joseph - multiplying;
• Didier - desired;
• Jerome is a saint;
• Camille is on duty at the temple.

Yes, the list is impressive. I hope you were able to choose a name for your son in this variety of rare and beautiful names. And you can get acquainted with the list of female names.

If the article was useful to you, leave your comments. See you again!

The name as a guiding star accompanies a person all his life. Therefore, parents pay great attention to choosing a name in Russian for their baby.

After all, whether it will contribute to happiness and success or cause controversy depends on how it is combined with the influence of the planets and constellations, consonant with the surname and patronymic. Below is full list holy church names in Russian for boys in alphabetical order with an interpretation of their meaning, which will help parents make a choice.

Is it worth naming the baby according to the holy calendar or the church calendar of Christian names and why?

Russia has orthodox calendar or the holy calendar, which lists all the names for each day of the year, indicating heavenly patron.

It is believed that if they give the name of that saint whose memorial day falls on the baby's birthday, then he becomes the patron or guardian angel of the child, helps and protects him in life. For this reason, parents, choosing a beautiful Russian male or woman's name for for the baby, they turn specifically to the saints.

A complete list of how to name boys alphabetically according to the saints, their meanings

• Adam- land, man (Heb.). A person with this name is characterized by high moral principles, determination, nobility, gratitude, incredible willpower. They can withdraw into themselves, not very sociable.
• Alexander protector of the people (Greek). The signs of the name are willpower, nobility, courage, sociability, excellent leadership qualities. Looking for support in themselves. Inconstancy of character.
• Alexy protector (Greek) Reliability and tenderness, integrity of character, respect for family values ​​- these traits predetermine the name. Wounded selfishness.
• Anatoly- Eastern (Greek). High intelligence, sociability, balance, health and sexuality. They can do unpredictable and inexplicable things.
• Valery- cheerful, strong (lat.). A sense of humor, curiosity, activity, optimism are the main features. Egocentrism, inconstancy in friendship.
• Basil- royal (Greek). Breadth of outlook, lightness, love for the earth and animals. Exceptional intelligence and strength of mind. Some passivity and suspicion.
• Benjamin- the son of the most beloved of wives (Heb.). Softness and non-conflict character. A penchant for collecting. They may seek solace in alcohol.
• Victor- winner (lat.). Confidence, justice, thoroughness. High intelligence and efficiency make it possible to achieve success in any field. High impulsiveness and ardor. In case of non-realization, they are addicted to alcohol.
• Vitaly- vital (lat.). Great taste for life, sociability. Amorousness.
• Vladimir- owning the world (glor.). The name itself gives the power of love and recognition. The breadth of the soul, great capacity for work, nobility. Risk taking, adventurism.
• Vladislav- (glory.). Dignity, firmness, tact. Tendency to splurge, pomposity.
• Vsevolod- possessing everything (glory.). Talent, sociability, sociability. They can keep resentment, selfishness for a long time.
• Vyacheslav- great glory (glory.). Gentleness, devotion, sociability, high diligence, a very developed sense of justice. Short temper.
• Gennady noble (Greek) Calmness, balance, perseverance, thoroughness and accuracy, nobility.
• George farmer (Greek) Purposefulness, responsibility, commitment to family values. Outstanding mind and courage. Propensity for arrogance.
• Hermann- consanguineous (lat.). High intuition, communication skills. Tendency to fictional stories about himself, short temper.
• Gleb- tall, big (glorious). Courage, originality, thoroughness. They make great leaders. They can give the impression of an outwardly gloomy person.
• Gregory- awake (Greek). Vitality, sociability, perseverance, intelligence. The name protects from external negativity. Fervor can determine a difficult fate.
• Dmitry- God of fertility (Greek). Persistence, ingenuity, sociability, good nature. They can easily get discouraged by failures.
• Evgeniy noble (Greek) Passion, reliability, purposefulness, tolerance. Possible psychopathic.
• Efimy- benevolent (Greek). Extreme diligence, a huge supply of vitality. Very high sensitivity.
• Zachary- the memory of the Lord (Heb.). Concentration, hospitality, diligence, love for people. They may become depressed.
• Jacob- second born (Heb.). Courage, determination, speed, sociability.
• Ignatius- unknown (lat.). Great abilities allow you to achieve success in any profession. Prone to violence, cunning.
• Igor- protector of God (glor.). Perseverance, conscientiousness, sociability. They may overestimate themselves.
• Or me- the fortress of the Lord (Heb.). Restraint, balance, attentiveness to others, purposefulness.

  People with this name very often achieve significant success in their careers.

• Innocent- innocent (lat.). Modesty, wealth of spiritual life. Vulnerability.
• John- the grace of God (Heb.). Sensitivity, purposefulness. The name reveals the breadth of nature. Tightness.
• Joseph- multiplied (Heb.). Hardness, purposefulness, success. Closeness.
• Hippolyte- (Greek). Hardness, mobility. Resentment, lack of flexibility.
• Ismail- hears God (Heb.). Giftedness, brightness.
• Julius- Juliev (Greek). Ambition, balance, activity.
• Kirill- the sun (pers.). Curiosity, success. The name enhances loyalty to the family.
• Konstantin- solid, permanent (Vb.). Responsibility, integrity, sense of humor. Prone to fickleness.
• Lawrence- laurel (lat.). Leadership, communication. Stubbornness.
• a lion- benevolence, gentleness. Stealth.
• Leonid- like a lion (Greek). Kindness, sociability, efficiency.
• Leonty- lion (Greek). Intelligence, good leaders. Arrogance.
• Macarius blessed (Greek) Sociability, diligence, not conflict. Variability of character.
• Maksim- the greatest (lat.). Self-sufficiency, restraint, intuition, easily establishes contacts with any people.
• Mark- dry, fading (lat.). Sobriety, practicality, unpretentiousness. Shows self-centeredness.
• Michael- like GOD (Heb.). Irregularity, success. The name enhances the volitional qualities of a person.
• Modest modest (lat.) Activity, willpower, sexuality, endurance. An inferiority complex may develop.
• Mstislav- defender of glory (glor.). Inner energy, rich imagination. self-love.
• Naum consolation (Heb.). Calmness, complaisance. Excessive resentment.
• Nikita winner (Greek) Leadership, creativity, ingenuity. Not constancy in affections.
• Nicholas- conquering people (Greek). Kindness, tenderness, diligence, reliability. Tendency to do unexpected things.
• Oleg- holy (glorious). The soul of the company, activity, determination. Merciless towards offenders.
• Paul- small (lat.). Kindness, compassion, hard work. Jealousy.
• Peter stone (Greek) Kindness, truthfulness, intuition. High vulnerability.
• Plato wide (Greek). High intelligence, efficiency, self-sufficiency. self-love.
• Rodion- heroic (Greek). Independence, sociability, endurance. Ambition.
• Novel- Roman (lat.). Reasonableness, willpower, efficiency, wonderful mind. Closure.
• Savva wine (Heb.) Integrity, spirituality, uncompromisingness. Craving for loneliness.
• Seraphim- fiery (Heb.). Communication skills, ambition, justice.
• Sergius- highly revered (lat.). Honesty, communication, openness. Tendency to idealize.
• Stephen- crown (Greek). Great leader and optimist. Not vindictive. Amorous.
• Tarasy- exciting (Greek). Willpower, non-standard thinking, vigor. Takes a long time to make a decision.
• Timothy worshiping God (Greek) The ability to deep feelings, independence, mobility. Emotional instability.
• Felix happy (lat.) Intelligence, independence, communication skills. Snobbery.
• Theodore- God's gift (Greek). Good nature, poise, quickness, reliability. You need to develop a sense of humor.
• Phillip- loving horses (old). Purposefulness, justice, constancy. Excessive flare.
• Filaret- loving virtues (Greek). Demanding, purposefulness, amorousness.
• Khariton- blessed (Greek). Reliability, morality, authority.
• Yuri- farmer (glor.). Originality, firmness, good nature, intuition.

Choosing a name according to the calendar, you can impose the energy and character of the name on the zodiac properties of the nature of the newborn, so that they are consonant and do not contradict each other. Then the Guardian Angel will help the person, and the stars will shine brighter.

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Most often, the day of memory of a saint is the day of his earthly death, i.e. the transition to eternity, meeting with God, to commune with Whom the ascetic aspired.

How to determine the name day

In the church calendar, there are several days of commemoration of the same saint, and many saints also bear the same name. Therefore, it is necessary to find in the church calendar the day of memory of the saint named with you, the closest after the day of your birth. These will be your name days, and the saint whose memory is remembered on this day will be your heavenly patron. If he has other days of memory, then for you these dates will become “small name days”.

If we want to name the child strictly according to church tradition, then this will be the name of a saint whose memory is celebrated on the 8th day after the birth of the child. Cm.

When determining the name day, the date of the canonization of the saint does not matter, because it only fixes a fait accompli. In addition, as a rule, it takes place dozens of years after the transition of the saint to heavenly abodes.

The name received by a person at baptism not only remains unchanged throughout his life (the only exception is the case of becoming a monk), but is also preserved after death, passes with him into eternity. In prayers for the dead, he also remembers their names given in baptism.

Name day and Angel Day

Sometimes name days are called Angel Day. This name name recalls that in the old days, heavenly patrons were sometimes called the Angels of their earthly namesakes; it is incorrect, however, to confuse saints with angels. Name day is the day of remembrance of the saint whose name the person is named, and Angel Day is the day of baptism, when a person is assigned by God. Each baptized has his own Guardian Angel, but we do not know his name.

Honoring and emulating one's patron saint

O prayer help Saints, the monk wrote: “Saints, in the Holy Spirit they see our life and our deeds. They know our sorrows and hear our ardent prayers... The Saints do not forget us and pray for us... They also see the suffering of people on earth. The Lord gave them such great grace that they embrace the whole world with love. They see and know how we are exhausted from sorrows, how our souls have dried up, how despondency has bound them, and, without ceasing, they intercede for us before God.

The veneration of the saint consists not only in praying to him, but also in imitation of his feat, his faith. “Let your life be by your name,” said the monk. After all, the saint whose name a person bears is not just his patron and prayer book, he is also a role model.

But how can we imitate our saint, how can we at least follow his example in some way? For this you need:

• First, to know about his life and exploits. Without this, we cannot sincerely love our saint.
• Secondly, you need to turn to them with prayer more often, know the troparion to him and always remember that we have a protector and helper in heaven.
• Thirdly, of course, we should always think about how we could follow the example of our saint in this or that case.

By the nature of Christian exploits, saints are traditionally divided into faces (ranks): prophets, apostles, saints, martyrs, confessors, reverend, righteous, holy fools, faithful, etc. (see).
The person who bears the name confessor or martyr, it is quite possible to fearlessly confess their faith, act like a Christian always and in everything, without looking back at dangers or inconveniences, in everything to please, first of all, God, and not people, regardless of ridicule, threats and even oppression.
Those who are named after saints may try to imitate them, denouncing errors and vices, spreading the light of Orthodoxy, helping their neighbors find the way to salvation both by word and by their own example.
Reverend(i.e. monks) can be imitated in detachment, independence from worldly pleasures, keeping the purity of thoughts, feelings and actions.
Imitate holy fool- means, first of all, to humble yourself, to cultivate selflessness in yourself, not to be carried away by the acquisition of earthly riches. The continuation should be the education of will and patience, the ability to endure the difficulties of life, the struggle with pride and vanity. You also need the habit of meekly enduring all insults, but at the same time not being shy about exposing obvious vices, telling the truth to everyone who needs admonition.

Names after angels

Also, a person can be named after (Michael, Gabriel, etc.). People named after the archangels celebrate their name day on November 21 (November 8 according to the old style), on the day of the Celebration of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael of God and other incorporeal Heavenly Forces.

If the name is not in the calendar

If the name that you were called is not in the calendar, then at baptism the name that is closest in sound is chosen. For example, Dina - Evdokia, Lilia - Leah, Angelica - Angelina, Jeanne - John, Milan - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. Passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, before the adoption of Orthodoxy, bore the name Alice. Some names in the church tradition have a different sound, for example, Svetlana is Photinia (from the Greek photos - light), and Victoria is Nika, both names in Latin and Greek mean "victory".
Only the names given in baptism are written in.

How to celebrate name day

Orthodox Christians visit the temple on their name days and, having prepared in advance, the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
The days of "small name days" are not so solemn for the birthday man, but it is advisable to visit the temple on this day.
After communion, you need to keep yourself from all fuss, so as not to lose the festive joy. In the evening, you can invite loved ones to a meal. It should be remembered that if the name day falls on a fast day, then the festive treat should be fast. AT great post name days that occur on a weekday are transferred to the next Saturday or Sunday.
Cm. Natalya Sukhinina

What to give for a birthday

In celebration of the memory of the patron saint, the best gift would be something that contributes to his spiritual growth: an icon, a vessel for, beautiful candles for prayer, books, audio and video discs of spiritual content.

Prayer to your saint

About the saint, in whose honor we receive a name, we must remember not only on the name day. In the daily morning and evening there is a prayer to the saint, we can also turn to him at any time and in any need. The simplest prayer to the saint:
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.
You also need to know your saint.

In addition to the icons of the Savior - the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Virgin, it is desirable to have your own saint. It may happen that you bear some rare name, and the icon of your heavenly patron will be difficult to find. In this case, you can buy an icon of All Saints, which symbolically depicts all the saints glorified by the Orthodox Church.
Some .

Patristic sayings about birthdays

“We began to choose names not according to God. By God, this is how it should be. Choose a name according to the holy calendar: either on what day the child will be born, or on which it is baptized, or in the interval and three days after baptism. Here the matter will be without any human considerations, but as God wills, for birthdays are in the hands of God.
saint

The history and symbolism of the celebration of name days

Like many others religious traditions, the celebration of name days in Soviet times was in oblivion, moreover, in the 20-30s of the twentieth century it was subjected to official persecution. True, it turned out to be difficult to eradicate age-old folk habits: they still congratulate the birthday man on his birthday, and if the hero of the occasion is very young, they sing a song: “as on ... name day we baked a loaf”. Meanwhile, name day is a special holiday that could be called a day of spiritual birth, since it is associated primarily with the sacrament of Baptism and with the names that our heavenly patrons of the same name bear.

The tradition of celebrating name days has been known in Russia since the 17th century. Usually, on the eve of the holiday, the family of the birthday boy brewed beer, baked birthday cakes, pies and loaves. On the day of the holiday itself, the birthday man with his family went to church for mass, ordered a prayer service for health, put candles and kissed the icon with the face of his heavenly patron. In the afternoon, birthday cakes were distributed to friends and relatives, and often the filling and size of the cake had a special meaning, determined by the nature of the relationship between the birthday man and his relatives. In the evening there was a festive dinner.

The tsar's name-days (Tezoname Day), which were considered a public holiday, were celebrated especially splendidly. On this day, the boyars and courtiers came to the royal court in order to bring gifts and take part in a festive feast, at which they sang for many years. Sometimes the king personally handed out pies. Huge birthday cakes were distributed to the people. Later, other traditions appeared: military parades, fireworks, illuminations, shields with imperial monograms.

After the revolution, a serious and systematic ideological struggle began with name days: the rite of baptism was recognized as counter-revolutionary, and they tried to replace it with “Oktyabrins” and “Stars”. A ritual was elaborated in detail, in which the newborn was congratulated in strict sequence by October, a pioneer, a Komsomol member, a communist, “honorary parents”, sometimes the baby was symbolically enrolled in a trade union, and so on. The fight against "survivals" reached ridiculous extremes: for example, in the 1920s, censorship banned K. Chukovsky's "Fly-Tsokotukha" for "propaganda of name days."

Traditionally, name days are attributed to that day of memory of the named (named) saint, which immediately follows the birthday, although there is also a tradition of celebrating name days on the day of memory of the most famous saint of the same name, for example, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Apostle Peter, St. Alexander Nevsky, etc. e. In the past, name days were considered a more important holiday than the day of “corporal” birth, in addition, in many cases these holidays practically coincided, because traditionally the child was baptized on the eighth day after birth: the eighth day is a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven , to which the baptized person joins, while the number seven is an ancient symbolic number denoting the created earthly world. Baptismal names were chosen according to church calendar(saints). According to the old custom, the choice of name was limited to the names of saints whose memory was celebrated on the day of baptism. Later (especially in urban society) they abandoned this strict custom and began to choose names, guided by personal taste and other considerations - in honor of relatives, for example.
Name days turn us to one of our incarnations - to a personal name.

Perhaps to the ancient motto "Know thyself" one should add: "Know thy name." Of course, the name primarily serves to distinguish people. In the past, a name could be a social sign, indicating a place in society - now, perhaps, only monastic (monastic) names stand out sharply from the Russian nomenclature. But there is also a mystical meaning of the name, almost forgotten now.
In ancient times, people attached much more importance to the name than now. The name was considered a significant part of a person. The content of the name is related to inner meaning man, it seemed to be invested inside him. The name controlled fate (" good name — good sign"). A well-chosen name became a source of strength and prosperity. Naming was considered a high act of creation, guessing the human essence, invoking grace.
In primitive society, the name was treated as a part of the body, like eyes, teeth, etc. The unity of the soul and the name seemed undoubted, moreover, it was sometimes believed that as many names as there are so many souls, therefore, in some tribes, before to kill the enemy, it was supposed to find out his name in order to use it in his native tribe. Often the names were hidden in order not to give weapons to the enemy. Harm and trouble were expected from bad treatment with a name. In some tribes it was strictly forbidden to pronounce (taboos) the name of the leader. In others, it was customary to assign new names to the elders, giving them new strength. It was believed that the sick child was given strength by the name of the father, who was shouted into the ear or even called him by the name of the father (mother), believing that part vital energy parents will help to overcome the disease. If the child cried especially much, then the name was chosen incorrectly. For a long time, the tradition of naming “deceptive”, false names was preserved among different nationalities: the true name was not pronounced in the hope that death and evil spirits maybe they won't find the baby. There was another version of protective names - unattractive, ugly, frightening names (for example, Nekras, Nelyuba and even Dead), which averted adversity and misfortune.

AT Ancient Egypt personal name was carefully guarded. The Egyptians had a "small" name, known to all, and a "big" one, which was considered true: it was kept secret and was pronounced only during important ceremonies. The names of the pharaohs enjoyed special reverence - in the texts they were distinguished by a special cartouche. With great respect, the Egyptians treated the names of the dead - improper handling of them caused irreparable harm to otherworldly existence. The name and its bearer were one whole: characteristic Egyptian myth, according to which the god Ra hid his name, but the goddess Isis managed to find out by opening his chest - the name literally turned out to be inside the body!

From time immemorial, the change of the name corresponded to the change of the human essence. New names were given to teenagers at initiation, i.e., upon joining adult members of the community. In China, there are still children's "milk" names, which are abandoned with maturity. In ancient Greece, the newly minted priests, renouncing the old names, carved them on metal plates and drowned them in the sea. Echoes of these ideas can be seen in Christian tradition naming monastic names, when the one who has taken the tonsure leaves the world and his worldly name.

Many peoples taboo names pagan gods and spirits. It was especially dangerous to call evil spirits (“cursing”): in this way it was possible to call out “evil force”. The ancient Jews did not dare to call the Name of God: Yahweh (in Old Testament is the "unspeakable Name", the sacred tetragram, which can be translated as "I am who I am." According to the Bible, the act of naming often becomes God's work: the Lord gave names to Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Ishmael, Solomon, renamed Jacob to Israel. Special Religious Gift Jewish people manifested itself in many names, which are called theophoric - they contain God's "indescribable Name": thus, through his personal name, a person contacted God.

Christianity, as the highest religious experience of mankind, takes personal names with all seriousness. The name of a person reflects the sacrament of a unique, precious personality, it implies personal communication with God. At the sacrament of Baptism Christian church taking into your bosom new soul, connects it through a personal name with the name of God. As he wrote about Sergei Bulgakov, “human naming and name-incarnation exist in the image and likeness of the divine incarnation and naming… every person is an incarnate word, a realized name, for the Lord himself is the incarnate Name and Word.”

The purpose of Christians is holiness. Naming the baby with the name of a canonized saint, the Church tries to direct him on the true path: after all, this name has already been “realized” in life as a saint. wearer holy name always keeps in himself the uplifting image of his heavenly patron, “helper”, “prayer book”. On the other hand, the community of names unites Christians into one body of the Church, into one "chosen people."

Reverence for the names of the Savior and the Mother of God has long been expressed in the fact that in Orthodox tradition it is not customary to give names in memory of the Virgin and Christ. Former name The Mother of God was distinguished even by a different accent - Mary, while other holy women had the name Maria (Marya). The rare monastic (schema) name Jesus was assigned in memory not of Jesus Christ, but of the righteous Joshua.

The Russian Christian name book has evolved over the centuries. The first extensive layer of Russian names arose in the pre-Christian era. The reasons for the emergence of a particular name could be very different: in addition to religious motives, the circumstances of birth, appearance, character, etc. played a role. Later, after the Baptism of Russia, these names, sometimes difficult to distinguish from nicknames, coexisted with Christian calendar names ( up to the 17th century). Even priests sometimes had nicknames. It happened that one person could have as many as three personal names: a “nickname” name and two baptismal names (one is explicit, the other is hidden, known only to the confessor). When the Christian nomenclature completely supplanted the pre-Christian "nickname" names, they did not leave us for good, moving into another class of names - into surnames (for example, Nekrasov, Zhdanov, Naydenov). Some pre-Christian names of canonized Russian saints subsequently became calendar ones (eg Yaroslav, Vyacheslav, Vladimir).
With the adoption of Christianity, Russia was enriched with the names of all human civilization: with the Byzantine calendar, Greek, Jewish, Roman and other names came to us. Sometimes under Christian name images of more ancient religions and cultures were hidden. Over time, these names became Russified, so much so that the Hebrew names themselves became Russian - Ivan and Marya. At the same time, one should keep in mind the lofty thought of Fr. Pavel Florensky: "There are no Jewish, Greek, Latin, or Russian names - there are only universal human names, the common property of mankind."

The post-revolutionary history of Russian names evolved dramatically: a mass campaign of "de-Christianization" of the name-word was carried out. The revolutionary obscurantism of some sections of society, combined with a tough state policy, was aimed at reorganizing, and therefore at renaming the world. Along with the renaming of the country, its cities and streets, people were renamed. “Red calendars” were compiled, new, “revolutionary” names were invented, many of which now sound just like curiosities (for example, Malentro, i.e. Marx, Lenin, Trotsky; Dazdraperma, i.e. Long live May Day, etc. .). The process of revolutionary name-creation, characteristic of ideological revolutions in general (it was known in France at the end of the 18th century, and in republican Spain, and in the countries of the former "socialist camp"), did not last long in Soviet Russia, about a decade (20-30s ). Soon these names became the property of history - here it is appropriate to recall another thought about. Pavel Florensky: “you can’t think of names”, in the sense that they are “the most stable fact of culture and the most important of its foundations”.

The change in the Russian personal name went along the line of borrowing from other cultures - Western European (for example, Albert, Victoria, Jeanne) and common Slavic Christian names (for example, Stanislav, Bronislava), names from Greek and Roman mythology and history (for example, Aurelius, Aphrodite , Venus), etc. Over time, Russian society again returned to calendar names, but "de-Christianization" and a break in tradition led to an extraordinary impoverishment of the modern name-book, which now consists of only a few dozen names (the general property of "mass cultures" also played its role - the desire for averaging, standardization ).

Hieromonk Macarius (Markish):
From ancient times it has been customary to give a newly received member of the Church the name of a saint. Thus, a special, new connection arises between earth and Heaven, between a person living in this world and one of those who worthily passed his life path whose holiness the Church has witnessed and glorified with her conciliar mind. Therefore, every Orthodox must keep in mind the saint after whom he is named, know the basic facts of his life, and, if possible, remember at least some elements of the divine service in his honor.
But the same name, especially from the common ones (Peter, Nikolai, Maria, Elena), was worn by many saints of different times and peoples; therefore, we have to find out in honor of which particular saint who wore given name, the baby will be named. This can be done using the detailed church calendar, which contains an alphabetical list of saints revered by our Church with the dates of the celebration of their memory. The choice is made taking into account the date of birth or baptism of the child, the circumstances of the life of the feat of the saints, family traditions, and your personal sympathies.
In addition, many well-known saints have several days of remembrance during the year: it can be the day of death, the day of finding or transferring relics, the day of glorification - canonization. You have to choose which of these days will become a holiday (name day, name day) of your child. It is often referred to as Angel Day. Indeed, we ask the Lord to give the newly baptized his Guardian Angel; but this Angel must by no means be confused with the saint after whom the child is named.
Sometimes when giving a name there are some difficulties. There are many Orthodox saints known in history, but not included in our calendars. Among them are saints Western Europe who lived and glorified even before the fall of Rome from Orthodoxy (until 1054 the Roman Church was not torn off from Orthodoxy, and we also recognize the saints revered in it by that time as saints), whose names have gained popularity with us in recent decades (Victoria, Eduard and others), but are sometimes listed as "non-Orthodox". There are also reverse situations when the usual Slavic name does not belong to any of the Orthodox saints (for example, Stanislav). Finally, there are often formal misunderstandings associated with the spelling of the name (Elena - Alena, Ksenia - Oksana, John - Ivan) or its sound on different languages(in Slavic - Svetlana and Zlata, in Greek - Photinia and Chris).
If necessary, the child can be given a baptismal name that is different from the one recorded on the birth certificate, choosing it, for example, by consonance (Stanislav - Stakhiy, Karolina - Kaleria, Elina - Elena). There is nothing flawed in this: among the Serbs, for example, almost everyone has one name in everyday life and another in baptism. Note that in the Russian Church, unlike some other Orthodox Churches, everyone's favorite name Maria is never given in honor of Holy Mother of God, but only in honor of other saints who bore this name. You should also know that since 2000, our Church has been counting as saints many of our countrymen and fellow citizens - new martyrs and confessors