Baptismal names for children born on February 23

Boys' names from this day

Girls' names from this day

From the eighth day, March 1

All the saints of February 23

• Hieromartyr Polycarp of SmyrnaBishop of Smyrna and disciple of the Apostle John, burned at the stake for his faith around 155.
• Fool-⁠for-⁠Christ Matrona of MoscowBlessed woman blind from birth, known for her gift of healing and spiritual counsel; she reposed in Moscow in 1952.
• Martyr Serenus of SirmiumGardener of Sirmium who died a martyr in the persecutions at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries.
• Venerable Alexander the UnsleepingMonk from the Aegean islands, founder and first abbot of the Unsleeping Ones, died around 430.
• Righteous GorgoniaDaughter of Saints Gregory the Elder and Nonna, remembered for her piety as a married woman.
• Venerable John TheristisItalo-⁠Greek monk of Calabria, died in 1129, venerated as a saint by both Orthodox and Catholics.
• Saint PolychroniusBishop of Babylon, venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
• JAVenerable John, Antiochus, Antoninus and MosesFour Syrian hermits of the 4th and 5th centuries, whose lives are told by Theodoret of Cyrrhus in the History of the God-⁠Lovers.
• PBVenerable Polycarp of BryanskAbbot, founder and first superior of the Transfiguration Monastery in Bryansk.
• ZVenerable ZebinasMonk near Cyrrhus who lived to a great age, whose life is told by Theodoret of Cyrrhus.
• PVenerable PolychroniusMonk near the city of Cyrrhus, personally known to Theodoret, who lived in strict asceticism; died after 444.
• MHoly Martyrs 73 MartyrsSeventy-⁠three martyrs, honored together in the calendar of the Church of Greece.
• AVenerable AntoninusA venerable saint commemorated with John, Moses and Antiochus.
• ASMartyr Antoninus of SyriaSaint of Syria, venerated in the early Church.
• Venerable Boisil of MelrosePrior of Melrose and teacher of Saint Cuthbert, reposed in 661.
• Saint Celsus of TrierBishop of Trier, from the first centuries of the Church in Gaul.
• CMartyr ClementA martyr of the Church, commemorated in the Orthodox calendar.
• CSaint ColumnanA saint, commemorated in the Irish calendar; very little is recorded.
• CCVenerable Cruimhther ConnrachA saint honored in the Irish tradition; very little is recorded.
• DVenerable DamianA holy monk commemorated in the Serbian Orthodox calendar.
• DPVenerable Martyr Damian of PhilotheouMonastic martyr of Philotheou Monastery on Mount Athos.
• DSVenerable Damian of the Syrian DesertsVenerable hermit of the Syrian deserts.
• ECSaint Ernin Cas of LeithghlennA saint honored in the Irish tradition, associated with Leithghlenn; very little is recorded.
• FMartyr FeyaA martyr commemorated in the calendar of the Orthodox Church, put to death for her faith in Christ.
• FSaint FfinianA saint of Wales, commemorated in the old calendars.
• FSConfessor Florentius of SevilleA confessor much venerated at Seville in Hispania, reposed around 485.
• IDHoly Venerables Iakovos and DometiosTwo monks of Esphigmenou Monastery in 1280, commemorated on 23 February; canonized saints of Athos.
• JSVenerable John of the Syrian DesertsVenerable hermit of the Syrian deserts.
• JRight-⁠Believing JurminA prince of East Anglia, reposed around 653.
• LTHieromartyr Lazarus of TripoliA priest-⁠martyr of Tripoli in the Peloponnese, who died in 1605; venerated locally.
• MASaint Mannan of Airiudh h-⁠UirdAn Irish saint honored at Airiudh h-⁠Uird, commemorated in the Martyrologies of Tallaght and Donegal.
• Martyr Martha of AstorgaA virgin of Astorga, martyred for Christ in 251.
• MVVenerable Medrald of VendômeA holy monk of Vendôme, reposed around 850.
• MEVenerable Mérault of EnsionA holy monastic honored at Boismé in France in the age of the undivided Church.
• MWVenerable Mildburh of WenlockAbbess of Wenlock in England, reposed around 715.
• MTSaint Montanus of ToledoBishop of Toledo in Hispania, who reposed around 531.
• MBVenerable Moses of BeloozeroMonk of Kirillo-⁠Belozersky Monastery, noted for his gift of foresight; he died around 1492.
• MSVenerable Moses of the Syrian DesertsVenerable hermit of the Syrian deserts.
• NDHieromartyr Nicholas DmitrovCleric martyred for the faith of Christ.
• NTNew Martyr Nicholas of TverRussian new martyr of the Tver diocese.
• OASaint Ordoño of AstorgaBishop of Astorga in Spain, who reposed in 1066.
• PKHieromartyr Paul KushnikovCleric martyred for the faith of Christ.
• PHieromartyr PrimianA cleric and martyr, remembered in the ancient martyrologies of the Church.
• RVenerable RomanaA Roman virgin who lived as a hermit, reposed around 324.
• SBMartyr Sergius BorodavkinChristian martyred for the faith of Christ in 1938, during the Soviet persecution.
• SAHoly Martyrs Syncrotas, Antigonus, Rutilus, Libius, Senerotas and RogatianusSix martyrs remembered together in Western calendars; few details survive.
• TDSaints The Daughters of AenghusThe Daughters of Aenghus, commemorated together in the Irish calendar; very little is recorded.
• TMartyr TheisA martyr remembered in the synaxarion of the Greek Church.
• TASaint Tian of Airiudh h UirdA saint honored in the Irish tradition, associated with Airiudh h Uird; very little is recorded.
• VGSaint Vétérin of GennesSaint of Gennes, venerated in the Western Church.
• Saint Willigis of MainzArchbishop of Mainz, reposed in 1011.
• Confessor Lazarus the IconographerIcon painter born in Armenia, confessor of the veneration of icons in the age of iconoclasm; died in 867.
• Venerable Martyr Damian the NewMonk killed in 1568, honored for his intercession with God for the gift of children.
• KZVenerable Kosmas the ZographiteBulgarian monk of Zographou Monastery on Athos, born in Tarnovo into a noble family, who died in 1323.
• MRHieromartyr Michael RazhkinA hieromartyr of the Russian Church, commemorated in the Orthodox calendar.
• Venerable Nazarius of ValaamVenerable monk connected with Valaam and Sarov, venerated as a wonderworker in the Orthodox calendar.

Questions

I.What can I name a boy born on February 23?

From the saints of the day: Serenus, Alexander, John, Antoninus, Clement, Damian, Florentius, Iakovos, Lazarus, Moses, Nicholas, Paul, Sergius, Kosmas, Michael, Nazarius. You may also choose a saint of the eighth day or any saint dear to the family.

II.What can I name a girl born on February 23?

From the women saints of the day: Matrona, Feya. You may also choose one of the eighth day or any saint dear to the family.

III.Must the name be the saint of the birthday?

No. Tradition links it to the birthday or the eighth day, but many parents choose a saint who has helped the family.