Birth announcement: Linus John!

I’m still working on catching up on birth announcements from the last several months, but I couldn’t not post this hot-off-the-presses announcement for a baby born Sunday!

I did a consultation and birth announcement for Emily’s second little guy a few years ago, and I’m thrilled to announce that she’s had another little boy — an Easter baby AND a rainbow baby! She and her hubby gave him the so-handsome name … Linus John!

I love Linus! And I love it with his big sibs: Simon Matthew, George Stephen (happy feast day, Buddy!), and Frances Xavier (with Jesus). A great, saintly crew!

Congratulations to the whole family, and happy birthday Baby Linus!!

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 the expectant parents, name enthusiasts, and lovers of Our Lady in your life!

Birth announcement: Basil Grace!

April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Catholic baby names, Flower names, Nature names, Plant names, Powerful patrons, The Rhodes Log

Happy Easter!! He is risen!!

I posted a birth announcement for Kate’s third baby a few years ago (Kate writes at The Rhodes Log blog, and also: check out the amazing little cabins she and her hubby are building for sweet Texas getaways!), and was so excited when I saw she was expecting number four! Kate and her hubby welcomed a baby girl and gave her the delightfully unexpected and beautiful name … Basil Grace!

Kate commented on her birth announcement on Instagram,

“[My husband and I] really struggle to agree on names. We often find that we are both attracted to names that feel a little too bold and we bail on them. (Jake was almost Huck. Lucy June was almost Juniper.) Basil has been on the list a long time … baby four finally made us brave.”

Oh man. I am so glad that baby four made them brave! Though I love all the names they’ve chosen. ❤

When I asked her more, Kate wrote,

“We only had a boy’s name picked out when she was born, and I hadn’t researched Basil thoroughly even though it’d been on our girl list for a while. But I’ve since discovered that Basil is known as the Holy Communion plant because it was allegedly found at the foot of the true cross and consequently was later used to decorate communion rails. So that was a delightful find!

Her name also shares a root (rather obviously) with Basilica.

Her due date was near the feast of St. Basil, and so we knew going in that if it was a girl she’d probably be named after him — [but we pronounce her name] ‘Bay-sil.’“

Basil for a girl! Said like the plant! With a great patron saint and an etymological connection to the word “basilica”! I love the repeating long A sound in Basil Grace (mirroring the long U of her big sis Lucy June, which I also LOVE), I love how fresh and summery Basil feels (similar to how I’d said her big brother Roman’s name brings to mind “‘roamin’ roads,’ which totally fits the vibe I get from them”), and I love how Basil has basilica like Roman has Rome. I love the way Kate and her hubs think!

Congratulations to Kate and Jacob and big sibs Jake, Lucy June, and Roman, and happy birthday Baby Basil Grace!!

Holy Week, Notre Dame, Sorrowful Mystery names

April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 sanctanomina Prayer Intentions Rosary names

Oh my, what a Holy Week it’s been. Did it not feel like the Notre Dame fire was just a bit too much to handle after this very Lenty Lent? Seeing the pictures of the people camped out by it, singing and praying, made me think about the apostles and how lost they must have felt when Jesus died. What a blessing that the damage wasn’t too bad, and that the sacred relics and the Holy Eucharist were saved.

If I could beg some prayers for my own little community: in the last few days we’ve suffered the death of one of my brother’s good friends from high school, who is also the son of one of my boy’s fourth grade teacher, who is also the uncle of one of my boy’s classmates, who is also the uncle of the children my best friend from childhood nannies for, who was also the best man at the wedding of the funeral director’s son. That’s the kind of community I’m blessed to live in. ❤ He was only 36, with a two-year-old son; he had a heart attack and died in his sleep. Oh my, our whole community is so so sad. Today’s school Mass was offered for him, and the number of his high school classmates who came home for today’s wake and tomorrow’s funeral (including my brother, who flew across the country) is truly moving.

Then, only a couple days after he died, we found out that the dad of a schoolmate of my older boys had also died, also unexpectedly, also of a heart attack. My family doesn’t know theirs quite as well, but the school community as a whole is heartbroken.

What a Holy Week.

I looked back on the post I’d done a few years ago on Sorrowful Mystery names and thought it would be appropriate to link to it again. Holy names are sometimes a good meditation for me, maybe they will be for you too.

I look forward to next week, when we’ll be celebrating! I hope you all have a holy rest of Holy Week, and a very Happy Easter!

Your generosity is needed

April 9, 2019 sanctanomina Sancta Nomina community

Our dear reader Charlotte has an emergency and needs your help, if you’re able! She writes,

“I had to go to the hospital today after some blood work results came back elevated more than usual … They added a medication (bringing my total up to TWENTY daily meds) and two of my specialists squeezed me in for tomorrow … on the one hand, that’s great. On the other … that’s two $90 copays. I just can’t do it. Last week alone cost $400 in copays for appointments and prescriptions. The hope is that they can get my liver to stay stable — and then hopefully we can start doing the tests to get a diagnosis and see which autoimmune disease we’re dealing with. I’ve got more appointments later in the week, but at the moment I’m just really freaking out about getting to tomorrow’s appointments.”

If you can help, Charlotte has a Go Fund Me, and she also has an Etsy shop called Charlotte’s Webbery. I know she’d be so grateful!

Birth announcement: Christopher Rex!

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Birth announcement, Catholic baby names, Jesus names, Powerful patrons

I’ve posted about Sylvia’s beautiful babies before, including a consultation and birth announcement for her fourth baby, and a name reveal and request for prayers and updated name reveal and request for prayers for her fifth baby, and now I’m thrilled to share that after five beautiful girls, Sylvia and her husband welcomed baby number six last summer — a boy! He has the wonderfully strong and regal name … Christopher Rex!

As with their daughters, the baby goes by his middle name; Sylvia wrote on Instagram:

“Rex is named after Christ the King. Viva Cristo Rey!“

Looove it!! What a wonderful tribute to Jesus Himself!

Congratulations to Sylvia and her husband and big sisters Ruth, Rose, Wren, Rhea, and Regina (“[Rex] and Regina shall rule the house!” Sylvia wrote 😀 ), and happy birthday Baby Rex!!

Birth announcement: Basil Anthony Philip!

March 29, 2019March 29, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Birth announcement, Catholic baby names, Powerful patrons

Happy Friday! So continues my catching up with readers’ birth announcements!

I had the privilege of posting a birth announcement for this sweet little girl a few years ago, and I’m excited to post her baby brother’s birth announcement today! Longtime reader Margaret and her hubby welcomed the handsomely and so-saintly named … Basil Anthony Philip!

Since he born on the feast of St. Rose of Lima (which also happens to be my birthday! Birthday twins! 🙂 ), Margaret said,

“[T]he kids really wanted Rose [as the second middle name], and since [his birthday was the feast of St. Rose of Lima] they really campaigned for Basil Anthony Rose.

We couldn’t pull the trigger on that in the end but we often call him that or even Basil Anthony Philip Rose. I feel like nicknames and pet names get even more ridiculous as family size increases lol.

Philip has a lot of meaning for us too … we’re both very glad to have a Philip in there.”

I love all of this!! And I so agree about nicknames!! 😀 She said her older kids often call the baby Baz as well, which helps others keep the pronunciation of Basil straight (they say BAH-zul, like St. Basil). So cute!

Congratulations to Margaret and her hubby and big sibs Jude Benedict Ambrose, Felicity Catherine Finbar, and Olive Faustina Mark, and happy birthday Baby Basil!! You can check out his sweet face over on Margaret’s Instagram.

Birth announcement: Reina Grace!

March 27, 2019March 27, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Baby My Love, Catholic baby names, Marian baby names, Marian names, Powerful patrons, Spanish names

I’m still working through my backlog of birth announcements — several of which are from the end of my own pregnancy when I was burrowing into my nest. I’m so sorry not to have posted them sooner!

Just a couple weeks before my little guy was born, Sharon from Baby My Love had her sweet little girl! I shared about Sharon’s beautiful family before, and I had the great privilege of doing a consultation for her Little Miss, which I posted back in April, and I absolutely love the name she and her hubby settled on — the magnificent and Marian … Reina Grace!

Reina is the Spanish variant of Regina, meaning “queen,” and it’s been so fun to see Sharon’s Instagram posts playing on the “queen bee” theme! Never mind the fact that Reina herself is absolutely delicious!

Congratulations to Sharon and her hubby Zeb and big sibs (on earth) Gemma, Felicity, Nicodemus, Maximus, Quintus, Francis, and Evangeline, and happy birthday Baby Reina!! Check out both Sharon’s personal Instagram and business Instagram to see her sweet face!

Birth announcement: Bridget Marie!

March 25, 2019December 27, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Birth announcement, Catholic baby names, Irish names, Marian baby names, Marian names, Powerful patrons

Thank you to all who entered the lottery for a baby name consultation! As long as it’s okay with the mama, I’ll post it here in a few weeks! Stay tuned for another “flash sale” next month or so. ❤

I’ve finished posting all the birth announcements that were emailed to me over the last few months — thank you to all the parents who did so! I’m now starting to work through the list of new babies I’ve seen in my Instagram feed over the fall and winter, and will be sharing their names and name stories as their mamas allow.

First up: the newest baby in a family whose names I’ve long loved! Kelsi’s older children are the swoony Finnian Doyle and Gemma Ruth, and when I saw she was expecting again, I couldn’t wait to see what she and her hubby chose! I wasn’t disappointed! Little Bridget Marie “Bridey” joined the family recently, and I just feel like sighing with contentment over these beautifully named children.

Kelsi writes,

“1. Finnian Doyle — Doyle is my dad and my brother’s middle name. I wish I could ask my grandma where she got it, but we have no idea! I wanted to pass it on to my son and wanted a saint name as a first name. So after lots of suggestions from me and lots of vetoes from my husband, we landed on Finnian after St Finnian of Clonard. My husband’s grandmother has a strong connection to her Irish roots and the name seemed to honor that as well. We also liked the nickname “Finn” for its literary nod to Huckleberry Finn.

2. Gemma Ruth — When we were naming Gemma we decided we’d stick to the “formula” we had used for Finn: a saint first name and a family middle name. When I was pregnant with Finn, I was having terrible terrible headaches. Frustrated that I couldn’t take anything stronger than Tylenol and rubbing peppermint oil, I looked up Saints I could petition to pray for relief from my headache. St. Gemma Galgani came up. In truth, it was the first I had heard of her, but I loved her story and her name!! I asked her often to intercede for me. So when we found out I was pregnant with a girl, we decided to use Gemma. Ruth is my husband’s grandma’s name and just one of my biblical women.

3. Bridget Marie — We really like St. Brigid of Ireland and had heard the traditional nickname of “Bridey.” The nickname gave a literary nod to one of my husband’s and my favorite novels, Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. But we decided we really liked the “-get” pronunciation better than “Brigid.” Marie is for my maternal grandmother and Mother Mary.”

How awesome is all of this?? I love it! I love each name, and the reason behind each one as well. How great is Kelsi’ love of Ruth: she’s “just one of my biblical women”?! Love it!

Congratulations to Kelsi and her husband and big sibs Finnian and Gemma, and happy birthday Baby Bridget!! Kelsi said it was okay to link to her Instagram — hope on over to see her beautiful babies!

Birth announcement: Perpetua Carolyn!

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 sanctanomina Birth announcement Catholic baby names, Nicknames, Powerful patrons

If you’re a mama due in May who would like a baby name consultation, check out this post.

I had an email conversation about names with Rebecca from Plotinus in the Jungle over the summer, and she let me know her baby was born — a little girl given the fantastic name … Perpetua Carolyn!

Rebecca writes,

“[O]ur daughter was born a month ago and after back and forth of various names in the hospital room we named her Perpetua Carolyn nn Pippi. Her middle name is after my grandmother. Finding a cute nickname sealed the deal for us. She was baptised last week by the Abp. of Mt. Hagen and he said in his homily that the start of raising your child in the faith is giving them a Christian name, so I was extra glad we didn’t go with Persephone, ha.”

Perpetua nicknamed Pippi!! I LOVE it!! Rebecca posted both her birth story (amazing) and Pippi’s baptism (beautiful) on her blog, which I know you’ll extra love to check out because they’re such a cool family — they’re lay missionaries serving at a Catholic seminary in Papua New Guinea!

Congratulations to Rebecca and her husband and big sibs Anastasia, Tabitha, and Tobiah, and happy birthday Baby Perpetua!!

Baby name consultations: A soft reopening!

March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 sanctanomina Baby name consultant Baby name consultant, Baby name consultation flash sale

Happy feast of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary! His name is in my book because of his connection to her, and this is the feast that most celebrates his Marian connection (more than his feast as St. Joseph the Worker in May). A great feast day! St. Joseph is the man! A special shout out to my Italian/Italian-American readers — enjoy all your St. Joseph’s Day festivities!

You all have been amazingly patient with me as my previously tentative consultation reopen date of Christmas came and went and still, I didn’t feel able to give enough regular, dependable time to working on non-baby things (thanks to my Little Mister, who was declared to be “impatient and demanding” at his six-month appointment by our beloved pediatrician, who said it so matter-of-factly after listening to me give him all the updates on all the eating/sleeping/interacting things that I laughed out loud and realized how perfect that is! I’ve been calling the baby “high maintenance,” but “impatient and demanding” is more precise! 😀 ). I dipped my toe in with Genie’s consultation back in January/February, and was so glad I had several weeks to work on it, because it took me that long!

But here we are in the second half of March, and it’s probably because the baby’s past his six-month-birthday, as well as the spring breezes that are dancing with the remains of winter, but I’m feeling cautiously optimistic that I can handle a little more.

I’m going to start slow, hence the “soft” reopening: I’m opening up for ONE consultation, and I’m going to ask that only those mamas who are due in May put their name in the hat, as I can’t guarantee I can get it done before April 17 (Wednesday of Holy Week), and I want to give the mamas that are due soonest the first chance, as well as enough time before their due date for the consultation to actually be helpful.

If all goes well, then I’ll do the same next month as well, and just go monthly until I’m able to resume a busier schedule.

HERE’S HOW TO BE CONSIDERED FOR A BABY NAME CONSULTATION:

(1) Click here if you’re a mama due in May who would like me to do a baby name consultation and don’t mind receiving my ideas as late as April 17.

(2) Rafflecopter will ask you for your due date, and compile all the entries received between now and midnight on March 25, Feast of the Annunciation. (Note: “midnight on March 25” means at the end of March 24, not the end of March 25.) You can enter once a day, for each of the six days that the raffle will be live.

(3) I’ll have Rafflecopter randomly choose one name on March 25 and I’ll email the chosen one with the next steps. To be clear: as much as I’d like to I’m not giving away a consultation — I’ll ask that you pay via PayPal before I get started (all payment info is here).

(4) There’s also, of course, the chance that something will come up that will prevent me from completing the consultation as promised. I really hope that doesn’t happen — I wouldn’t be doing this if I thought there was a good chance it could — but if it does, I’ll refund the mama’s money.

If I don’t get any entrants for this consultation, I’ll try again in April.

As always, thank you all for your patience and enthusiasm! My prayers for all of you are ongoing, with a special request for St. Anne’s intercession! ❤ ❤ ❤