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cyril
English: from the post-classical Greek name
Kyrillos, a derivative of kyrios lord. It was borne by a large number of early saints, most notably the theologians Cyril of
Alexandria and Cyril of Jerusalem. It was also the name of one of the Greek evangelists who brought Christianity to the
Slavonic regions of Eastern Europe; in order to provide written translations of the gospels for their converts, they devised
the alphabet still known as Cyrillic. In Ireland this has been used as an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Coireall or Caireall
(Old Irish Cairell). Cognate: Russian: Kirill.
A Dictionary of First Names, Oxford University Press,
ISBN 0192800507
jude
English: short form of Judas, occasionally adopted in the New Testament and elsewhere in an
attempt to distinguish the apostle Jude (Judas Thaddaeus), to whom one of the epistles in the New Testament is attributed,
from the traitor Judas Iscariot. The name is also borne by the central character in Thomas Hardy's gloomy novel Jude
the Obscure (1895). More recently it received some support from the Lennon and McCartney song “Hey Jude” (1968).
Regina
English: from the Latin nickname
meaning “queen”. It seems to have been occasionally used among early Christians; a St Regina, probably of
the 3rd century, was venerated as a virgin martyr at Autun from an early date. In modern use it is normally borne by Roman
Catholics in allusion to the Marian epithet Regina Coeli “Queen of Heaven”, a cult title since the 8th century.
In Ireland it has sometimes also been used as a Latinized form of Raghnailt and Riona.
prisca
Of New Testament origin: feminine
form of the Roman family name Priscus (originally a nickname meaning “ancient”). Prisca (2 Timothy 4: 19) and
Priscilla (Acts 18: 3) are apparently the same person, but it is the diminutive form which became established as a common
given name.
mary
English: originally
a Middle English Anglicized form of French Marie, from Latin Maria. This is a New Testament form of Miriam, which St Jerome derives from elements meaning “drop
of the sea” (Latin stilla maris, later altered to stella maris “star of the sea”). Mary is the most popular
and enduring of all female Christian names, being the name of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, who has been the subject
of a cult from earliest times. Consequently, the name was extremely common among early Christians, several saints among them,
and by the Middle Ages was well established in every country in Europe at every level of society. It has been enduringly popular
ever since, its popularity having been almost completely undisturbed by the vagaries of fashion that affect other names. In
Spain and Portugal, the cult of the Virgin is so widespread and important that vocabulary words and placenames associated
with aspects of her cult have been pressed into service as female given names, even when the gender of the vocabulary word
is actually masculine: see, e.g., Dolores, Mercedes, Pilar, and Rosario. The Gaels, reluctant as always to put their saints' names to
profane use, keep Muire (Irish) and Moire (Scottish) for the Virgin herself, and use late derivations of Maria (cited below)
for secular naming purposes.
In the New Testament, Mary is also the name of several other
women: Mary Magdalene (see Madeleine); Mary the sister of Martha, who sat at Jesus's feet while Martha
served (Luke 10: 38–42; John 11: 1–46; 12: 1–9) and who came to be taken in Christian tradition as symbolizing
the value of a contemplative life; the mother of St Mark (Colossians 4: 10); and a Roman matron mentioned by St Paul
(Romans 16: 6). Cognates: In most European languages, including English: Maria. Irish Gaelic: Máire (see also Moira, Maura); Máiria (a learned form). Scottish Gaelic: Màiri, Màili. Welsh:
Mair, Mari. French: Marie. Basque: Miren. Russian: Marya.
Pet forms: English: May, Molly. Irish Gaelic: Máirín. Scottish Gaelic: Màireag. Italian: Marietta,
Mariella. Spanish: Mari(qui)ta, Maruja, S. German and Swiss: Mitzi. Dutch: Marieke, Micke, Miep. Frisian: Maike. Danish: Mia.
Swedish: Maj, Maja, Mia. Russian: Masha, Manya. Polish: Marika (also found
in other Slavonic languages); Marusia;Marzena;Mania.
olga
Russian: feminine form of Oleg, and equivalent of Helga, taken to Russia by the Scandinavian settlers who founded the
first Russian state in the 9th century. St Olga of Kiev (d. 969) was a Varangian noblewoman who was baptized at Byzantium
in about 957 and set about converting her people. The name was introduced to the English-speaking world in the late 19th century,
but retains a distinctively Russian flavour. It is also much in use in Scandinavia. Pet form: Olya.
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