Find the Orthodox Name Day for Your Name
What is an Orthodox Name Day?
An Orthodox Name Day is the feast day of the saint whose name you bear. When an Orthodox Christian is baptised, they are placed under the protection of that saint — their personal patron saint, an intercessor before God and a model of Christian life. Unlike a birthday, which marks a secular event, a Name Day is a spiritual celebration rooted in the life of the Church.
As the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America puts it, the patron saint "becomes a true hero for us to emulate." On your Name Day, the icon of your saint is displayed prominently, prayers are offered, and — in a beautiful reversal of birthday custom — you are the one who gives gifts to your guests, not the other way around.
How Name Days are Celebrated Across Orthodox Traditions
The tradition is shared across all Orthodox cultures, though each brings its own flavour:
- Greek Orthodox — friends call to wish Χρόνια Πολλά (chronia polla — "many years"). An open house is held; anyone may stop by, no invitation needed.
- Serbian Orthodox — the Slava is a family patron saint feast, inherited from father to son across generations, one of the most distinctive traditions in Orthodoxy.
- Russian Orthodox — the именины (imeniny) was historically celebrated more solemnly than a birthday, with church attendance, a family meal and prayers to the patron saint.
- Romanian Orthodox — La mulți ani! ("Many years!") is wished to the celebrant, and the day is marked with family gatherings and a visit to church.
- Converts & Western Orthodox — those received into the Orthodox Church choose a saint's name at chrismation, making the Name Day a deeply personal new beginning in faith.
Old Calendar vs New Calendar: What's the Difference?
Not all Orthodox churches share the same liturgical calendar, which affects when Name Days fall:
- New Calendar (Revised Julian) — followed by Greek, Romanian and Bulgarian churches. Feast days align with the civil calendar.
- Old Calendar (Julian) — followed by Russian, Serbian and Georgian churches. Feasts fall 13 days later than the civil date.
Our tool accounts for both. Simply select your tradition to get the correct date for your Church.
Popular Orthodox Saints and Their Name Days
Some of the most common Orthodox names and their patron saints:
- Nicholas — St Nicholas of Myra, wonderworker and protector of children, feast on December 6
- George — St George the Great Martyr, feast on April 23
- Dimitri / Demetrius — St Demetrius of Thessaloniki, great martyr, feast on October 26
- Helen / Elena — St Helena, Equal to the Apostles, feast on May 21
- Mary / Maria — the Most Holy Theotokos, venerated on multiple feast days
- John — St John the Baptist, feast on January 7 and June 24
- Andrew — St Andrew the First-Called, Apostle, feast on November 30
The Perfect Gift for an Orthodox Name Day
Giving an icon of someone's patron saint is the most meaningful Name Day gift in the Orthodox tradition — an object of prayer, a window into eternity, a lifelong spiritual companion. It is far more than decoration: it is an invitation to a relationship with the saint.
At Boutique Orthodoxe, we carry a carefully chosen selection of icons of the most venerated saints — St Nicholas, St George, St Demetrius, St Barbara, the Theotokos and many more — crafted in the Orthodox iconographic tradition on wood with gold finish.