Browse Names

Dorothea Δωροθέα f German, Dutch, English, Late Greek
Feminine form of the Late Greek name Δωρόθεος (Dorotheos), which meant "gift of god" from Greek δῶρον (doron) meaning "gift" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". The name Theodore is composed of the same elements in reverse order. Dorothea was the name of two early saints, notably the 4th-century martyr Dorothea of Caesarea. It was also borne by the 14th-century Saint Dorothea of Montau, who was the patron saint of Prussia.

Glykeria Γλυκερία f Greek, Late Greek
From Greek γλυκερός (glykeros) meaning "sweet". This was the name of a 2nd-century saint from Heraclea.

Koralia Κοραλία f Greek, Late Greek
Derived from Ancient Greek κοράλλιον (korallion) meaning "coral" (in Modern Greek κοράλλι). This was the name of an obscure 4th-century saint and martyr from Thrace.

Neonilla Νεόνιλλα f Late Greek, Russian (Rare)
From a Greek name derived from νέος (neos) meaning "new". This was the name of an Orthodox Christian saint, a 3rd-century Syrian woman martyred during the persecutions of the Roman emperor Decius.

Nonna Νόννα f Late Greek, Russian
Feminine form of Nonnos. This was the name of a 4th-century saint from Nazianzus in Cappadocia. She was the mother of Saint Gregory of Nazianzus.

Paraskeve Παρασκευή f Late Greek
Derived from Greek παρασκευή (paraskeue) meaning "preparation" or "Friday" (being the day of preparation). This was the name of a 2nd-century saint who was martyred in Rome.

Sophronia Σωφρονία f Literature, Late Greek
Feminine form of Sophronius. Torquato Tasso used it in his epic poem Jerusalem Delivered (1580), in which it is borne by the lover of Olindo.

Thecla Θέκλα f Dutch (Rare), Late Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Thekla.

Thekla Θέκλα f German (Rare), Greek (Rare), Late Greek
From the ancient Greek name Θεόκλεια (Theokleia), which meant "glory of God" from the Greek elements θεός (theos) meaning "god" and κλέος (kleos) meaning "glory". This was the name of a 1st-century saint, appearing (as Θέκλα) in the apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla. The story tells how Thecla listens to Paul speak about the virtues of chastity and decides to remain a virgin, angering both her mother and her suitor.

Xene Ξένη f Late Greek
Variant of Xenia. This was occasionally adopted as a monastic name during the Byzantine era.

Zenaida Ζηναΐδα f Late Greek
Apparently a Greek derivative of Ζηναΐς (Zenais), which was derived from the name of the Greek god Zeus. This was the name of a 1st-century saint who was a doctor with her sister Philonella.