National Saint Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

National Saint Day is observed annually on July 26 to commemorate the meaning of the name Saint and honour those who bear it. Did you know that the name ‘Saint’ may have originated from the clan name ‘Sinclair,’ which dates back to the 11th century? A saint is typically a person who has attained a high level of sanctity, resemblance to God, or proximity to God. Saint is derived from the Latin ‘Sanctus,’ which derives from the Greek ‘o (hagios)’, which means ‘sacred.’ Saint may have originated as a moniker for a devout individual before becoming a given name or surname. Alternatively, the surname could be derived from the Anglo-Scottish clan Sinclair. Eva Marie Saint (American actress), Crosbie E. Saint (American general), and Saint West (son of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian) are notable individuals with the given name Saint.

The background of National Saint Day

There are various accounts of the origin of the given name and surname Saint. One source suggests that Saint originated in the Middle Ages as a moniker for a particularly devout individual. It eventually became a personal name in Europe, resulting in a few instances of the surname. Another account suggests that the name is geographical and describes their origin. For example, Di Santos, Do Santo, and Dos Santos.

Clan Sinclair, a Scottish Highland clan whose members were barons of Roslin, earls of Orkney, and earls of Caithness, is credited with the name’s origin, according to a prominent account. The dynasty is believed to have originated in Normandy’s Saint-Clair. The clan is descended from Walderness Compte de Saint Clare, who invaded England alongside William the Conqueror. Richard of Saint-Clair and Brittel of Saint-Clair were family members mentioned in the “Domesday Book.” In 1068, the former travelled to Scotland with Saint Margaret of Scotland, daughter of Edward the Exile. The king of Scotland granted Richard of Saint-Clair the barony of Roslin in recognition of his devotion. Clan members took part in the Scottish-Norwegian War, the Wars of Scottish Independence, the Battle of Homildon Hill, and the Battle of Flodden. Currently, the clan owns close to ten castles in Scotland. Various transliteration variants of the clan name have developed over the centuries, and the surname Saint may be one of them.

At the beginning of the twenty-first century in the United States, it was uncommon to name a child Saint due to the perception that the title was reserved for saintly or virtuous individuals or those venerated by the Church. In the 2010s, celebrities began to give their offspring the name Saint. The name has joined the category of virtue/aspirational names for boys and girls that has recently become popular.

NATIONAL SAINT DAY ACTIVITIES

Send greetings via social media

Go online to your preferred social media platform and send your best National Saint Day wishes to everyone with the name Saint. Don’t neglect to use the #NationalSaintDay hashtag!

Donate to a worthy cause

In honour of the meaning of the name Saint (sacred, virtuous), National Saint Day can be observed by donating to charity. Donate to a cause you care about or that you believe will have the greatest impact on your community. This could be a cancer charity, orphanage, or animal shelter.

View a Saint film.

A Saint film may star someone named Saint, be directed by someone named Saint, or be about Christian saints. Such well-known films include “The Saint,” “Mary Magdalene,” and “Joan of Arc.”

5 Interesting Facts Regarding the Name Saint

Before its use as a first and last name, saint was an appellation for a religious person.

Different languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian, have variants of Saint.

The meaning of the name Saint is ‘sacred’ or ‘virtuous.’

According to BabyCenter, Saint is one of the top 500 most popular names in the United States, whereas it ranked 3,090th less than ten years ago.

Clan Sinclair is believed to be the origin of the surname Saint.

NATIONAL SAINT DAY DATES