A little sign of hope after seven years of experiencing infertility is that I have a long list of baby names. My husband and I have always dreamt of having a daughter. If that prayer petition is answered, we will honor Mother Mary, who has been our dear intercessor while carrying this cross, by naming our daughter in honor of her, our Queen and Mother.
In paragraphs 2158 and 2159 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we read:
God calls each one by name. Everyone's name is sacred. The name is the icon of the person. It demands respect as a sign of the dignity of the one who bears it. The name one receives is a name for eternity. In the kingdom, the mysterious and unique character of each person marked with God's name will shine forth in splendor.
What a beautiful truth of our faith!
Each person’s name is noble, sacred, and beautiful. It is the icon of the person. Icons are not just painted, they are prayed into reality. As Pope Benedict XVI said so profoundly, “Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed. Each of us is loved. Each of us is necessary.” God calls each of us, who He thought of and formed, so fearfully and wonderfully, by name.
I love contemplating the joy God takes in Mother Mary’s name. Mary—a name repeated often by the Christ Child, by the Angels, by the Saints, by many sinners, by you and by me. What joy Our Lord must take when we honor His Mother by naming our children after her!
These are some of my favorite Marian baby names:
- Miriam
- Marie
- Maria
- Mari
- Maryann
- Lourdes
- Fatima
- Maren
- Dolores
- Bernadette
- Eva
- Regina
- Stella
- Cora
-
Gabriella
What would you add to this Marian baby name list? What is your name? Do you know the meaning of your name? If you have a baby, what is their name and name meaning?
Know that whatever your name is, you are called by God. Know that He loves you, and that there is a place He is preparing for you, to welcome you by name, into His kingdom.