Eastern Orthodox Saints names can be found in a lot of different places in the Orthodox Church. They range from sound-alikes to names of Greeks. This article will take a look at some of them and show the ways they are similar to other saints’ names.
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Latinized form of Greek name Pherenike
There are many Latinized forms of Greek names. For example, you might be familiar with the English name Aristoteles, the Scottish name Athenasius, and the Latinized form of the Greek name Argyros. In this article, you’ll learn the meanings of these names and see how they are derived.
The French name Aristos is derived from the Greek element aristos “best”. Similarly, the Spanish name Alafes is derived from the Greek aristos.
Some of the Latinized forms of Greek names are: AERONWY, ARTEMISIOS, CLANCY, DEMOSTRATE, ANDROMEDA, ANDRONIKOS, AELI, AEVLA, ANARGYROS, and ANASTASIUS. All these names have some connection to the Greek mythology. This is especially true of ARIADNE, AENEAS, and ANTHEA.
Several Latinized forms of Greek names are also derived from the elements that were found in the ancient Greek religion. Names such as ARCHIPPOS, ATIYA, ARIANRHOD, CLYTEMNESTRA, and CASSIA have some connections to the Greek religion.
Latinized form of Greek name Aegidius
Many eastern orthodox saints have their Latinized form of a Greek name. Aegidius is one example.
Anastasius is a popular name in the Eastern Orthodox Church. It is the feminine form of the name of a son of Oedipus and Jocasta. This name was also used by a Greek stoic philosopher. The name is derived from the Greek eu and istemi, meaning “to stand”.
Another eastern orthodox saint with the Latinized form of a Greek name is Saint Giles. He is reputed to have founded a monastery in the lower Rhone. His hagiography is largely legendary, though he is known as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
The female form of the name Eugenius is derived from the Greek phren, meaning “mind, heart”. She was borne by a semi-legendary 3rd-century saint. Her name was not commonly given in the medieval period, but it came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Latinized form of Greek name Giles
Anastasius is a popular name in Eastern Orthodox Christianity. It is derived from the Greek word anastasis meaning standing. The Greek word was borne by a number of saints. In the New Testament, three characters named Anastasius are mentioned: Saint Paul, Anastasius, and Hananiah.
There is also a female form of this name. This was not commonly used in England until the 19th century. However, it was once common among the Ptolemy ruling family of Egypt.
One of the most famous bearers of this name was Agatha Christie. The youngest daughter of the last Russian tsar Nicholas II escaped death by being captured and tortured in 1918. Other well-known bearers of this name include Catherine and Augustine.
The Latinized version of this name was given to a number of early Christian saints. Some names with this variant are Aquila, Bonifatius, and Gaiane.