You’ll get one when you’re received into the Church. Problem solved.
But let’s talk about how that works, because it’s not as simple as pulling a name out of a hat. When you’re baptized or chrismated, you receive a Christian name, usually the name of a saint. This becomes your patron saint, the saint whose feast day you’ll celebrate as your name day for the rest of your life. If your birth name happens to be Madison or Hunter or Tiffany, you won’t find those in the Orthodox calendar. So you get to choose a saint’s name, or your priest will help you choose one.
Some people keep their legal name for everything except church records. You’re still Madison at work and on your driver’s license, but sacramentally you’re Mary or Maria. That’s completely normal. Others go all-in and start using their saint’s name everywhere. Both approaches work fine.
The choosing part is where it gets personal. You might pick a saint whose life story grabs you. Maybe you read about St. Moses the Black, a former gang leader who became a monk, and think, “That’s the kind of transformation I need.” Or maybe you’re drawn to St. Photini, the Samaritan woman at the well, because her story of encountering Christ resonates with your own journey. Some people choose a saint who shares their profession. Teachers often pick St. John Chrysostom. Nurses gravitate toward the Unmercenary Healers like Sts. Cosmas and Damian.
You can also look for saints with names similar to yours. If you’re Jennifer, you might become Genevieve. If you’re Brandon, maybe you become Brendan. There’s flexibility here. The point isn’t bureaucratic precision but spiritual connection.
Your priest will guide you through this. In Antiochian practice, priests often suggest saints based on conversations they’ve had with you during your catechism. They know what you’ve struggled with, what brought you to Orthodoxy, what you’re hoping to become. Sometimes they’ll propose a saint you’ve never heard of, and when you go read about that saint’s life, it hits you sideways, like your priest saw something in you that you hadn’t seen yourself.
The theology behind all this matters. When you’re baptized, you die and rise with Christ. You’re reborn. The early Christians understood this so literally that they often took new names at baptism to mark the change. Your patron saint isn’t just a namesake. They’re your intercessor, praying for you before God. They’re your example, someone who walked the path you’re now walking. And their feast day becomes your name day, a second birthday, really, when the church prays for you by name and you remember that you’re part of the communion of saints, living and departed.
I’ve known converts here in Southeast Texas who kept their birth names and just added a saint’s name as a middle name. Works great when your family’s all Baptist and calling you “Seraphim” at Thanksgiving would require an hour of explanation. I’ve known others who made the switch completely and introduced themselves by their new name from day one. There’s no rule about this except that your sacramental records, your baptismal certificate, your name in the parish registry, will have your saint’s name on them.
If you’re becoming Orthodox and you’re anxious about this whole naming thing, relax. Talk to your priest. Pray about it. Ask God to show you which saint should be your patron. Read some lives of the saints and see who you’re drawn to. The Ancient Faith website has a saint-of-the-day feature that’s helpful for browsing. You’ve got time to figure this out before your chrismation.
And here’s something beautiful: your patron saint’s feast day becomes a day of celebration. In Orthodox cultures, name days are often bigger deals than birthdays. Your family and friends will greet you with “Many years!” on your feast day. You’ll go to liturgy that morning if you can. You’ll ask your saint to pray for you, and you’ll thank God for giving you this particular companion for the journey. It’s one more way the Church reminds you that you’re not alone, that you’re surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who’ve run this race before you and are cheering you on.
