Catholic Girl Names

Looking for a Catholic name for a baby girl? Traditional Catholic girl names include Elizabeth, Chloe, Mary, Lucy and Josephine, but there are also plenty of options for those who prefer something a bit more unusual. Whether you're after a popular Catholic name or want to step off the beaten path, you'll find plenty of ideas below:

30 Classic Catholic Girl Names

1. Elizabeth. Biblical classic that never seems to go out of style.
2. Chloe. A mellifluous moniker with an appealing biblical namesake: In the New Testament, Chloe is a prominent Christian woman and an acquaintance of Paul the Apostle.
3. Grace. Virtue name and saint's name on one.
4. Lucy. Lovely classic with a saintly connection.
5. Josephine. This name has a lot going for it: a beautiful sound, great nickname potential, and Catholic cachet via St. Josephine.
6. Anna. The name of a New Testament prophetess.
7. Mary. Catholic choice that needs no introduction!
8. Victoria. Gorgeous classic girl name borne by a number of Catholic saints.
9. Lydia. An early Christian convert mentioned in the New Testament. As a baby name, Lydia is best described as a "quiet classic", a name that has been in steady use throughout history but never been chart-toppingly popular.
10. Maria. Mary in a number of languages.
11. Rose. This beautiful flower has a long and multi-faceted tradition as a Catholic symbol, and if that's not enough, there's also St. Rose, the patron saint of Latin America.
12. Margaret. Saint's name with a beautiful meaning ("pearl").
13. Cecilia. Beautiful Catholic classic with saintly credentials.
14. Lucia. The original Latin version of Lucy.
15. Faith. Evokes both the virtue and the 2nd-century saint sisters Faith, Hope and Charity.
16. Juliana. A saint-inspired baby name with a bunch of easy, natural nicknames.
17. Hope. Virtue name, as well as a saintly choice via the venerated sister set Faith, Hope and Charity.
18. Jane. The anglicized form of the French Jeanne, the name of several Catholic saints.
19. Joanna. The name of a woman who was healed by Jesus and who then became one of his most devoted followers.
20. Catherine. A well-loved saint's name with royal cred and many nicknames to choose from.
21. Rosemary. Two Catholic names merged into one beautiful appellation.
22. Madeleine. Solid Catholic choice for a girl.
23. Laura. Solid, sensible girl name with saintly and literary credentials.
24. Frances. If you pick this one, your child will have a lot of notable namesakes to look up to as she grows up: Frances Fisher, Frances McDormand, Frances Cleveland, and of course, St. Frances of Rome.
25. Carmen. For some, Carmen is a compelling classic with saintly cachet; for others, it's a dusty, musty moniker with a mid-century vibe.
26. Beatrice. Strong, saintly and elegant appellation.
27. Anne. Short, simple classic with saintly, royal, and literary cred.
28. Christina. Multi-dimensional moniker with an impressive array of historical and contemporary representatives, from ancient European royals to pop stars to Catholic saints.
29. Martha. In the Bible, Martha is one half of the famous "Mary and Martha" sister-duo who welcomed Jesus to their home.
30. Barbara. Charming classic with saintly credentials, or a clunky mid-century moniker? We'll let you be the judge.

More Catholic Girl Names, from A to Z

• Adelaide. Elegant but sweet classic with saintly credentials.
• Adele. Old saint's name. Award-winning British singer Adele has helped the modernization.
• Agatha. Saint name with literary cred via Agatha Christie.
• Agnes. Forgotten Catholic name borrowed from a saint.
• Anastasia. The name of a 3rd-century Christian saint and martyr.
• Angela. A tribute to the medieval Italian saint Angela de Merici.
• Apphia. The name of an early Christian martyr mentioned in the New Testament.
• Beatrix. Saint's name with literary overtones via Beatrix Potter.
• Benedicta. This one screams Catholic!
• Bernadette. French saint's name.
• Bernice. Oozing vintage charm, this biblical pick with the built-in nickname Bernie is completely yours for the taking.
• Bridget. Got Swedish heritage? The name of the patroness saint of Sweden might appeal.
• Brigid. The name of Ireland's patroness saint.
• Caeli. Modern Catholic girl's name derived from the Latin antiphon Regina Caeli ("Queen of Heaven").
• Camilla. The saintly original, now outpaced by spelling variation Camila.
• Charity. Less popular than sisters Faith and Hope.
• Chiara. The original Italian version of Clare.
• Clare. Pretty Catholic saint name.
• Claudia. Attractive and pronounceable in many different languages, this biblical name crosses cultures effortlessly.
• Colette. French name with saintly cred.
• Damaris. The name Damaris makes a brief appearance in the New Testament as the name of an Athenian woman converted to Christianity by the apostle Paul.
• Dolores. Spanish name linked to the Virgin Mary.
• Dorcas. The biblical Dorcas, also called Tabitha, was an early Christian who made things, especially clothing, for the needy in Joppa.
• Dorothea. Old-fashioned Saint name, with an entire raft of built-in nicknames.
• Edith. St. Edith Stein? Edith Wharton? Edith Piaf? Take your pick! There's no shortage of wonderful namesakes if you pick this moniker.
• Emma. Doesn't exactly scream Catholic, but there is a Catholic connection via a medieval saint called Emma.
• Eulalia. A retro name with a lilting sound and a Catholic connection through St. Eulalia.
• Eunice. Choose this, and your little girl will have many historical namesakes to look up to: the 19th century scientist Eunice Newton Foote, philanthropist Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and of course, the pious biblical Eunice.
• Euphemia. This saint's name is an acquired taste in the modern age, to be sure, but it might appeal to some daring parents looking for a truly unique option.
• Faustina. Very old name with saintly credentials.
• Felicity. The anglicized form of Felicitas, the name of an early Roman saint.
• Flora. Retro nature name with a Catholic connection via St. Flora of Beaulieu.
• Francesca. The original Italian version of Frances.
• Gemma. The name of an Italian mystic venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church since 1940.
• Genevieve. Clocking in at nine letters, this long saint's name could add substance to a short and simple last name.
• Gertrude. If you're an intrepid baby namer looking for an old-school name that definitely stands out in the modern world, this saint name might be just the thing.
• Gianna. Short for Giovanna—and a saint's name.
• Giulia. Italian import with saintly credentials.
• Helena. Nod to St. Helena!
• Hermione. The name of a Harry Potter character as well as that of a second-century saint and martyr.
• Ida. The short but complete Ida packs saintly credentials, literary ties, and links to Greek mythology.
• Ingrid. The name of a medieval saint from Sweden.
• Irene. The name of an early Christian saint, this retro moniker, derived from the Greek word for "peace", should appeal to any Catholic family.
• Jeanne. There have been saints, queens and artists all bearing the name Jeanne. Talk about a name with cultural cred!
• Joan. Currently neglected classic with saintly, literary and royal credentials.
• Julia. Not just for Catholic families!
• Julie. Saint's name today overshadowed by Julia.
• Junia. In the New Testament, Junia appears in Paul's epistle to the Romans.
• Justina. Sorely neglected classic with saintly associations and a multitude of spelling variations to suit the tastes of parents of various backgrounds.
• Karoline. Way to honor John Paul II, born Karol (Polish form of Charles).
• Leonie. Pretty leonine girl's name with Catholic bona fides via two French saints, St. Leonie Aviat and St. Leonie Martin.
• Lois. A short but resonant biblical girl name. In the Bible, Lois is a woman of sincere faith and the grandmother of Timothy.
• Louise. Packs in royal, saintly and literary credentials.
• Lourdes. Hispanic import with deep Catholic roots.
• Magdalena. Magdalene with a European twist.
• Magdalene. In reference to Mary Magdelene.
• Marcella. Saintly and literary name of Italian origin, Marcella has yet to reclaim her glory days.
• Marguerite. If you're an avid gardener, this floral saint's name might be just right for your little girl.
• Mariam. Variant of Miriam.
• Mariana. The name of the patroness saint of Ecuador.
• Marianne. This saint's name feels at home in many different countries, which might make it an interesting option for those who have family all over the world.
• Marie. Classic Mary with a French twist.
• Marina. Shakespearean possibility with a solid saintly pedigree.
• Martina. One of the patron saints of Rome.
• Maryjane. Classic compound name with a Catholic feel.
• Matilda. For some, this name summons the Catholic saint Matilda; for others, it's a children's book by British author Roald Dahl (or the 1996 movie based on the book).
• Melania. Catholic saint name.
• Melanie. Part literary name, part saintly choice.
• Mercedes. Derived from María de las Mercedes, one of the Roman Catholic titles of the Virgin Mary.
• Monica. Think Saint Monica, the patron saint of motherhood.
• Nieves. Catholic parents looking for a seasonal name for a winter baby might appreciate Nieves, which comes from one of the titles of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Se ñora de las Nieves, translated as "Our Lady of the Snows".
• Odilia. The name of a Catholic saint and an intriguing alternative to names like Ophelia, Olivia, Amelia and company.
• Patricia. Belonged to an Italian saint.
• Paula. Fifties sweetheart with saintly credentials and a connection to the classic masculine given name Paul, Paula will be back, sooner or later.
• Pauline. A French import, with Catholic gravitas via Saint Pauline.
• Perpetua. Unmistakably Catholic.
• Persis. Persis is mentioned in passing in the New Testament as the name of a Roman woman who was an early follower of Christ.
• Philomena. Even if you think this name feels too musty for a baby born this century, it may hold special meaning to you as a (soon-to-be) parent: in Catholicism, St. Philomena is the patron saint of babies and youth.
• Phoebe. The only woman with the title "deacon" in the Bible.
• Priscilla. A beautiful classic girls' name from the New Testament.
• Regina. The name of a 3rd-century French saint.
• Rita. In the Catholic tradition, St. Rita is the patroness of impossible causes, among other things.
• Rosa. The Latin word for "rose" and a beautiful baby name, with a Catholic connection via Saint Rosa.
• Rosalia. Saint's name with a floral connotation.
• Rosario. Spanish girl's name derived from Nuestra Señora del Rosario, one of the titles of the Virgin Mary.
• Rosary. Intriguing possibility with cute nickname options.
• Rosemarie. Variant of Rosemary.
• Sabina. Borrowed from a saint and martyr of the early church.
• Salome. For some readers of the Bible, this name first brings to mind the woman who asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter as a reward for a dance. Forget her, and let your daughter knowshe was named after the other Salome, the righteous biblical Salome who was the wife of Zebedee, the mother of the disciples James and John, and a female follower of Jesus.
• Silvia. The mother of Saint Gregory the Great, venerated as a saint herself.
• Tabitha. The biblical Tabitha, known for her good deeds, was an early Christian from Joppa.
• Talitha. From the Aramaic phrase "Talitha cumi", meaning "Little girl, arise", which Jesus famously used in connection to the resurrection of Jairus's daughter.
• Teresa. Made famous by Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
• Thecla. Contemporary of Paul the Apostle, Thecla was a saint of the early Christian Church.
• Theodora. The feminine version of Theodore, this name comes from the Ancient Greek words 'theos', meaning God, and doron, meaning 'gift'. The French-American Catholic saint Theodora adds to the spiritual aura of this name.
• Theresa. Variant of Teresa.
• Tryphena. In the Bible, Tryphena is an early Christian woman briefly mentioned by name in Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
• Veronica. The name of a 1st-century woman celebrated as a saint across the Catholic world.
• Virginia. This saint's name could be an interesting place-inspired pick for those with a special connection to the state of the same name. But be warned: the virgin associations may cause some teasing down the line.
• Zelie. Modern beauty with saintly credentials.
• Zoe. Famous baby name; lesser known saint name.