I posted a birth announcement for Elizabeth’s little guy a few years ago, and I’m delighted to share that she’s had another baby — a little girl given the gorgeous name … Cecily Germaine!

Elizabeth writes,

“We welcomed our third born baby, a little girl, on August 6th: Cecily Germaine. Baby sister to Miryam Isabel and Luke David. She is our rainbow baby after miscarrying siblings in heaven Bobby and Zelie in 2018.

I first heard of the name Cecily from the play The Importance of Being Earnest in high school. She was my favorite character and it’s still my favorite play. Years later when brainstorming baby names, I found a website listing a huge number of saints alphabetically, and I was writing down any of them that I liked, to bring up later to my husband. Cecily was on the list. Honestly I don’t know anything about St Cecily, but that was enough to get the name on my list of top 20. (Of course it’s also a variation of Cecilia, whom we all know as a saint. I prefer the shorter, “lighter” Cecily, especially with the middle name we had on hold for a second girl for a few years already.) Also, I met a girl my age with the name (spelled Cecilie—I considered that spelling for my daughter, but after choosing a “weird” spelling for our oldest, I decided I wanted the least confusing spelling for this one). Cecilie was a lovely person, and I’m pretty sure she works for the United Nations now, so the name fits cute little girl *and* professional adult woman in my book. Side note, though: my husband is sure all our children will be priests and religious. Sister Cecily has a nice ring, too. (:

St Germaine Cousin is my husband’s confirmation saint. He wanted Germaine to be Miryam’s middle name, but I thought it was too “heavy” a combo for a tiny baby girl, so we shelved Germaine for the second girl’s middle name, if we were to have one. And here we are!“

What an amazing name!! I love all the layers of meaning and reasons for choosing both Cecily and Germaine, and what a stunning combo that make together!!

Congratulations to Elizabeth and her husband and big sibs Miryam and Luke, and happy birthday Baby Cecily!! (As a special treat, for those of you who love birth stories like I do, Elizabeth has shared a link to Cecily’s birth story! ❤ )

Cecily Germaine

My book, Catholic Baby Names for Girls and Boys: Over 250 Ways to Honor Our Lady (Marian Press, 2018), is available to order from ShopMercy.org and Amazon — perfect for expectant parents, name enthusiasts, and lovers of Our Lady!