Custom
Greek Orthodox Name Days
Why the feast of your saint matters more than your birthday.
In Greek Orthodox tradition a person celebrates the feast day of the saint whose name they bear — the onomastiki eorti, or name day. It is a religious feast before it is a party: the person attends Liturgy, receives Communion where possible, and then keeps open house.
The most common name days
- Maria / Panagiota / Despina — August 15, the Dormition of the Theotokos (also November 21 for Panagiota).
- Yiannis / Ioanna — January 7, the Synaxis of St John the Baptist.
- Giorgos / Georgia — St George, April 23 (moved to Bright Monday when it falls in Holy Week).
- Nikos / Nikoletta — December 6, St Nicholas of Myra.
- Dimitris / Dimitra — October 26, St Demetrios of Thessaloniki.
- Katerina — November 25, St Catherine of Alexandria.
- Vasilis / Vasiliki — January 1, St Basil the Great.
- Konstantinos / Eleni — May 21, Ss Constantine and Helen.
- Christos / Christina — July 24, St Christina.
- Sophia / Elpida / Pisti / Agapi — September 17.
- Anna — July 25, the Dormition of St Anna.
- Petros / Pavlos — June 29, Ss Peter and Paul.
Name day greetings
- Χρόνια πολλά (Chronia polla) — 'many years', the universal greeting.
- Να ζήσεις (Na ziseis) — 'may you live'.
- Και του χρόνου (Kai tou chronou) — 'and next year too'.
All Saints for names with no saint
Anyone whose name has no corresponding saint keeps their name day on the Sunday of All Saints, the Sunday after Pentecost, which moves with Pascha each year.
Old and New Calendar
Parishes on the Revised Julian (New) Calendar keep fixed name days on the civil date. Parishes on the Julian (Old) Calendar keep them thirteen days later on the civil calendar — St Nicholas, for instance, falls on December 19 civil rather than December 6.
Frequently asked
- When is Maria's name day in the Greek Orthodox calendar?
- August 15, the Dormition of the Theotokos. Some also keep November 21, the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.
- Do Greeks celebrate birthdays or name days?
- Traditionally the name day is the greater celebration, though birthdays are widely kept as well today.
- What do you say on someone's name day?
- Chronia polla — 'many years'.