Catholic Boy Names, from Traditional to Modern

Are you looking for a Catholic boy name with a biblical pedigree or saintly credentials? Classic Catholic names for boys include James, William, Henry, Alexander and John. Newly discovered, or rediscovered, Catholic baby boy names include Oliver (as in Saint Oliver), Silas (from the New Testament), and Lucas (the Latin version of Luke).

Whether you're after a traditional name or looking for something with a modern sensibility, we've got you covered with this A-to-Z list of Catholic boy names (if you're having a baby girl, check out our list of Catholic girl names):

• Achim. This name appears as an ancestor of Joseph in Matthew's genealogy of Jesus.
• Aeneas. In the Bible, this name belongs to a cripple healed by Peter in the name of Jesus.
• Albert. On this list because of St. Albert, the patron of scientists and philosophers.
• Alexander. The name of numerous saints, a handful of popes, and several biblical figures (though not all of them were good guys).
• Aloysius. Aloysius de Gonzaga was a 16th century Italian aristocrat who became a member of the Society of Jesus. He was declared a saint in 1726. As a baby name, Aloysius has kept a relatively low profile in the U.S., though it did gather some steam in the 1920s.
• Alphonsus. Eighteenth-century author and saint Alphonsus Liguori lends this name plenty of Catholic cred.
• Ambrose. St. Ambrose was a fourth-century theologian and bishop of Milan. Eighteenth-century author Ambrose Bierce lends the name some literary cred.
• Ananias. For some readers of the Bible, this name brings to mind the unrighteous husband of Sapphira from The Acts of the Apostles. For others, it's the name a Jewish high priest who presided during the trials of the apostle Paul. But the New Testament also features a third Ananias: the disciple Ananias from Damascus.
• Andreas. The is the name of the apostle in German and a number of other languages, such Dutch and Swedish.
• Andrew. Traditional and resilient biblical name.
• Angelus. Roman Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation of Christ—and an unusual baby name.
• Anselm. Borne by a slew of historical religious leaders.
• Apollos. Unusual but not unheard-of baby name borne in the Bible by a colleague and contemporary of Paul.
• Aquila. In the Bible, Aquila is one half of the "Priscilla and Aquila" duo, a married missionary couple who lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Bonus points for the cool meaning (Aquila means "eagle" in Latin).
• Aquinas. Tribute to Thomas Aquinas, a 13th-century philosopher and theologian venerated as a saint.
• Arnold. The name of a 11th-century Catholic saint. Today, the most visible bearer of the name has got to be Mr. Schwarzenegger.
• Athanasius. Deep-rooted Christian name, but might be a stretch for wearability in the modern world.
• Augustine. Long, solemn given name and last name with saintly associations. In the Catholic tradition, St. Augustine of Hippo is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians.
• Barnabas. Considered eminently baby-appropriate a few centuries ago, Barnabas—the name of an early Christian disciple—rarely pops on birth certificates today. Perfect if you're looking for an unusual name with some serious gravitas.
• Bartholomew. Towering name borrowed from one of the Twelve Apostles.
• Basil. Today, few parents seem to be interested in using the name Basil. That's a shame, though, because Basil has a lot going for it: deep roots, saintly namesakes (St. Basil the Great, St. Basil the Elder), and a powerful meaning—the name can be traced back to the word Basileus, an ancient Greek term and title that can be loosely translated as "monarch" or "king".
• Beckett. Cool, modern-sounding surname-name, with a Catholic connection via St. Thomas Beckett.
• Benedict. This one's got strong saintly and papal credentials.
• Bernard. Bernard has saintly bona fides, a powerful meaning ("strong, brave bear"), and genuine old-school charm. It's pretty hard to find a name that combines all those qualities, so our advice: don't write this one off just yet.
• Blaise. Combines a cool, modern sound with the legacy of Saint Blaise.
• Boniface. Borne by nine popes and several Catholic saints.
• Bosco. Last name of a 19th-century Catholic saint, we think Bosco has great baby name potential.
• Brendan. Impeccably Irish choice.
• Bruno. Old-fashioned saint's name of German origin.
• Cainan. This name appears in the New Testament in Luke's genealogy of Jesus.
• Caius. Variation of Gaius.
• Cephas. Biblical name of Aramaic origin meaning "rock".
• Charles. Regal, literary and saintly appellation with playground-ready short form Charlie.
• Clement. A patently religious name borne in the past by several saints and more than a dozen popes.
• Conrad. Old-fashioned saint's name.
• Constantine. Constantine the Great was the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity.
• Cornelius. The name of an early Christian convert whose story is told in Acts 10.
• Damien. Credit Father Damien for the Christian connection of this name.
• Demetrius. For some readers of the Bible, this name may first bring to mind the rabble-rousing silversmith from Acts. Forget him, and let your child know he was named after the other biblical Demetrius, the well-respected Christian man mentioned in the Gospel of John.
• Denis. Old name that peaked in the 1950s. As for the Catholic connection, St. Denis is one of the patron saints of France.
• Dominic. Conspicuously Catholic.
• Edmund. Old-fashioned boy's name borrowed one of the patron saints of England.
• Edward. Saintly appellation with a regal feel.
• Eliud. Yet another name mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as an ancestor of Joseph.
• Emmanuel. Variation of Immanuel.
• Eugene. This old but currently heavily neglected name has plenty of Catholic cachet, having been borne by a number of popes and Catholic saints.
• Felipe. Popular among Spanish-speaking Catholics.
• Felix. The regnal name of five popes.
• Ferdinand. Long and elaborate saint name that could spark up a short and simple last name.
• Filippo. Name of the apostle Philip in Italian.
• Francesco. Italian form of Francis.
• Francis. Boasts saintly and papal credentials.
• Francisco. Spanish and Portuguese form of Francis.
• Gabriel. Marries biblical roots with a cool, current sound.
• Gamaliel. In the New Testament, this name belongs to a well-respected Jewish rabbi and teacher with a biblically-important student: Saul of Tarsus, who later became the apostle Paul.
• George. A charming saint's name that ages well.
• Gerald. Worn by everyone from saints to presidents to great sportsmen, this versatile name has a long history of use.
• Gerard. If Gerald is too common for your liking, swap the L for an R, and you get Gerard, which also happens to be a Catholic saint's name.
• Gilbert. A saint's name with arty, sporty and literary credentials to boot.
• Giovanni. The name of the apostle John in Italian.
• Gregory. Distinguished name with a sterling papal and saintly pedigree.
• Henry. Saintly comeback name with a ton of old-school charm, royal cred, and literary significance.
• Hermes. For some, this name evokes Greek mythology; for others, it's redolent of handbags. But Hermes also counts as a biblical name as it makes an appearance in the Pauline epistle to the Romans.
• Hugh. This saint's name last peaked in the 1920s. Time to bring it back?
• Ignatius. Saintly choice twice over.
• Immanuel. Faith-filled name with countless spelling variations, with Emmanuel leading in the U.S.
• Jacques. Whether you have French ancestors or you just love all things Français, the French form of James might be perfect for your petit.
• Jairus. Scriptural name rarely heard outside of the Bible, Jairus appears as the father of a young girl resurrected by Jesus in the New Testament.
• James. Biblical stalwart that never seems to lose its staying power.
• Jason. Both the meaning of the biblical name Jason (healer) and its biblical bearer (Jason of Thessalonica) make it a great baby name choice for Catholic families.
• Jerome. At the peak of its popularity in the 1950s, this name has got religious resonance via the Christian priest, confessor, theologian, and historian Jerome of Stridon, commonly known as Saint Jerome.
• Joachim. In Catholic tradition, St. Joachim is regarded as the father of the Virgin Mary.
• Johannes. Name of the apostle John in a number of languages, including German, Dutch and Swedish.
• John. Catholic classic built to last.
• John Paul. More than the sum of its parts.
• Joseph. Biblical heavy-hitter with timeless appeal.
• Juan. Name of the apostle John in Spanish.
• Jude. Some people associate this name with the Epistle of Jude, the penultimate book of the New Testament; for others, it brings to mind the talented British actor Jude Law.
• Justin. Inspired by Justin Martyr, aka Justin the Philosopher.
• Justus. This New Testament name could make an interesting alternative to the more pedestrian Justin.
• Kolbe. Kolby may be the most popular version, but Kolbe is the saintly original.
• Lawrence. Mid-century hit that's waiting for some audacious parents to bring it back to prominence. As for the Catholic connection, Saint Lawrence is one of the most revered early Roman martyrs.
• Lazarus. Doubly biblical name belonging to two characters in the New Testament, the first being a man from Bethany whom Jesus restored to life several days after his death, and the second being a beggar in a parable from the Gospel of Luke. As a baby name, Lazarus has yet to hit the mainstream.
• Leo. This one works well either as a nickname for Leonard or as a given name on its own. As for the Catholic backstory, St. Leo the Great was bishop of Rome in the 5th century and the first pope to have been given the title "the Great".
• Leonard. Old saint's name that peaked in popularity in the 1920s.
• Linus. This one doesn't have a particularly religious vibe, but yes, Linus is an early Christian mentioned in the New Testament. And let's not forget St. Linus, the second pope in Catholic history (who may actually have been the same person as the one mentioned in the Bible).
• Louis. Regal, literary and saintly possibility.
• Lucas. Latin equivalent of the English Luke.
• Lucian. With its beautiful meaning ("light") and a Catholic connection through St. Lucian, this underused baby name looks like a winner!
• Lucius. Long-neglected New Testament name and papal name that's starting to feel baby-friendly again.
• Luke. Succinct, no-nonsense New Testament name that has experienced a huge surge in popularity this century.
• Marcellus. If you like that Latinate -us ending, this papal name might appeal.
• Marcus. If you're hoping to find a name that's nicely familiar but not plagued by overuse, this variation of Mark might be perfect.
• Mark. Short, easy-going biblical classic.
• Martin. Culture-spanning possibility borrowed from a saint.
• Mateo. The name of the apostle Matthew in Spanish.
• Matteo. The name of the apostle Matthew in Spanish.
• Matthan. Perhaps best known as the grandfather of Joseph, the husband of Mary, in Matthew's account of the genealogy of Christ.
• Matthew. Given Matthew's importance in the Christian faith, it's hardly surprising that so many Catholic parents continue to choose this biblical name for their sons.
• Matthias. The name of the man who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle.
• Matthieu. Matthew, French style.
• Maurice. Saint's name loaded with old-school French charm.
• Maximilian. A positively ponderous name borne by several saints.
• Michael. Works, whether you're Catholic or not.
• Nahshon. Belonging to an ancestor of Jesus Christ (and of King David in the Old Testament), this exotic N-name has a solid biblical background. Can also be spelled Naasson.
• Nathanael. The name Nathanael, belonging to one of Jesus's disciples, only appears in the Gospel of John, but many scholars maintain that Nathanael is the same as the apostle Bartholomew, who also appears in the other Gospels.
• Neri. Looking for an uncommon biblical name that means "light"? Try Neri, a short unisex name that comes from the old Hebrew word ner, meaning "candle" (or another source light). As for its biblical connection, Neri shows up in the New Testament in Luke's genealogy of Jesus.
• Nicanor. This name belongs to one of the Seven Deacons, leaders of the early Christian church mentioned in the New Testament.
• Nicholas. The modern English version of Nicolas, an ancient masculine given name with both biblical and saintly credentials.
• Nicodemus. If Nicodemus in all it glory feels like too much for your little boy, you can always contract it to Nick or Nico until your son is ready to embrace the full form. As for its biblical background, Nicodemus appears in the New Testament as the name of a Christian convert who, together Joseph of Arimathea, assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus.
• Nicolas. This name belongs to one of the Seven Deacons in the New Testament, but the most famous Christian Nicolas comes from outside the Bible: St. Nicolas of Myra, who is the inspiration behind the modern Santa Claus, was an early Christian bishop who lived in Asia Minor and became famous for his habit of secret gift-giving.
• Norbert. This old saint's name is an acquired taste in the modern age, to be sure, but it could be an option for some non-conformist parents looking for a name that's sure to stand out on the playground.
• Oliver. Powerfully popular pick with saintly credentials.
• Otto. If you like O-names but Oliver feels too popular, try Otto, the name of a German missionary and papal legate who converted much of medieval Pomerania to Christianity and who was later canonized as Saint Otto.
• Patrick. Irish heritage choice.
• Paul. Biblical classic that occasionally takes a dip in popularity but always comes back again.
• Pedro. The name of the apostle Peter in Spanish and Portuguese.
• Peter. Biblical classic that has temporarily lost its way.
• Petros. The original Greek version of Peter, derived from the Greek word for "rock".
• Philemon. Despite its deep biblical roots and beautiful meaning ("loving"), Philemon hasn't been picked up on by today's parents.
• Philip. A seasoned moniker with biblical, literary and royal history.
• Philippe. Philip à la française.
• Phillip. Variation of Philip.
• Pierre. Peter à la française. Like the Greek original, Pierre literally means "rock" in French.
• Pietro. The name of the apostle Peter in Italian.
• Pio. Tip of the hat to Padre Pio.
• Pius. This relic of a name screams devotion!
• Ralph. Ralph may be past-peak, but we can totally see parents warming up to it again. After all, it has a lot to offer: religious overtones via 16-th century Roman Catholic saint Ralph Sherwin, fashion cred via Ralph Lauren, as well as sturdy literary underpinnings, having appeared as a character in works by Charles Dickens, William Golding and Henry James.
• Raymond. Oozing vintage charm, this saint's name with the built-in nickname Ray is completely yours for the taking.
• Richard. This saint name had a long run of popularity in the 20th century but has since faded from use.
• Robert. Saintly choice for the staunch traditionalist.
• Rosario. Masculine in Italian, feminine in Spanish, Rosario is Latin for "rosary."
• Rufus. The name a first-century Christian mentioned a few times in the New Testament; as a baby name, Rufus has seen better days...
• Rupert. The name of the patron saint of the Austrian city Salzburg.
• Santiago. The name of the apostle James in Spanish.
• Shepherd. As in the Good Shepherd.
• Silas. Retro-cool baby name borne in the Bible by a leading member of the early Christian community.
• Silvanus. A big, bold New Testament name of Latin origin.
• Simeon. Variant of Simon.
• Simon. Biblical classic with cross-generational appeal.
• Solanus. Brought to the fore by the relatively recently beatified Solanus Casey.
• Stanislaus. The name of several Polish saints.
• Stephan. Variation of Stephen; relatively common in German-speaking countries.
• Stephen. Borne by the first Christian martyr.
• Sylvester. For some, this saint's name summons actor Sylvester Stallone; for others, it's the name of a fictional cat.
• Tadeo. Spanish equivalent of Thaddeus.
• Tarcisius. Martyr of the early Christian church.
• Thaddeus. In the Bible, Thaddeus is one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus.
• Theodore. This saint's name comes from the ancient Greek words 'theos', meaning God, and doron, meaning 'gift'.
• Theophilus. Alternative to the more popular Theodore, Theophilus appears in the Bible as the name of the addressee of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.
• Thomas. Belonged to one of the Twelve Apostles.
• Tiago. Name of the apostle James in Portuguese.
• Timothy. This one brings together a solid New Testament legacy, a nature link (via the perennial grass), and countless famous namesakes from all walks of life.
• Titus. This one traces its biblical origins to the The Epistle to Titus, one of the three pastoral epistles of the New Testament.
• Urban. The name of more than a handful of popes.
• Valentine. This Catholic name does double duty as both a first name and a surname. Saint Valentine and the day named after him give this name a romantic feel.
• Vianney. Relatively uncommon name with Catholic gravitas via St. John Vianney.
• Victor. The pontificial name of four popes.
• Vincent. Unmistakably Catholic name.
• William. Not conspicuously Catholic, but it did belong to a medieval saint, so...
• Xavier. A tip of the hat to St. Francis Xavier.
• Zacchaeus. Venerable New Testament name rarely seen outside of the Bible. Can also be spelled Zaccheus.
• Zebedee. Overlooked Catholic possibility borrowed from the fisherman father of the apostles James and John.