The first full week of May brings a long list of Greek name days, from familiar names like Irene, Christopher, and Arsenios to less common names tied to specific saints, local traditions, and older forms still found in Greek families.
This week’s name days run from Sunday, May 3, through Saturday, May 9, 2026. The Orthodox calendar includes the Sunday of the Paralytic, Saint Mavra, Saint Pelagia, Saint Irene the Great Martyr, Saint Ephraim, Saint Seraphim, the Prophet Job, Saint Arsenios the Great, Saint John the Theologian, Saint Christopher, and the Prophet Isaiah.
For Greeks, a name day is often both personal and communal. It may begin with a simple message or phone call, but behind it is a calendar that connects names to feast days, family memories, and the wider life of the Church.
Sunday, May 3
Commemorations: Sunday of the Paralytic, Saint Mavra the Martyr, and Saint Rhodopianos.
Those celebrating include:
Mavros, Mavra, Mavroula, Mavritsa, Rodopi, Rhodope, Vithesda
(Μαύρος, Μαύρα, Μαυρούλα, Μαυρίτσα, Ροδόπη, Ροδώπη, Βηθεσδά)
Monday, May 4
Commemorations: Saint Pelagia the Martyr, Hilarios the Wonderworker, and Melda the Martyr.
Those celebrating include:
Pelagia, Pelagoula, Pelagina, Pelagitsa, Pelagio, Pelagis, Pelagios, Hilarios, Melis, Melos, Melios, Melas, Melia, Melitsa
(Πελαγία, Πελαγούλα, Πελαγίνα, Πελαγίτσα, Πελαγιώ, Πελαγής, Πελάγιος, Ιλάριος, Μελής, Μέλος, Μέλιος, Μέλας, Μέλια, Μελίτσα)
Tuesday, May 5
Commemorations: Saint Irene the Great Martyr, Saint Irenaeus, and Saint Ephraim the Great Martyr.
Those celebrating include:
Eirini, Rena, Rina, Rinio, Rinoula, Eirina, Eiringo, Renia, Eirinaios, Renos, Eirinaia, Ephraim, Ephraimios, Ephraimis, Euphraim, Ephraimia, Euphraimia, Euphraimitsa
(Ειρήνη, Ρένα, Ρήνα, Ρηνιώ, Ρηνούλα, Ειρήνα, Ειρήνγκω, Ρένια, Ειρηναίος, Ρένος, Ειρηναία, Εφραίμ, Εφραίμιος, Εφραίμης, Ευφραίμ, Εφραιμία, Ευφραιμία, Ευφραιμίτσα)
Wednesday, May 6
Commemorations: Saint Seraphim, who lived ascetically on Mount Dombou, and the Prophet Job.
Those celebrating include:
Seraphim, Serapheimia, Serapheima, Seraphina, Serapheimi, Serapheimoula, Serapheimitsa, Iov, Iovia, Iovi
(Σεραφείμ, Σεραφειμία, Σεραφείμα, Σεραφίνα, Σεραφειμή, Σεραφειμούλα, Σεραφειμίτσα, Ιώβ, Ιωβία, Ιώβη)
Thursday, May 7
Commemorations: the appearance of the sign of the Holy Cross in the sky during the reign of Constantine, and the Martyrs Juvenal, Akakios, and Kodratos.
No commonly listed Greek name day names are included for this date in the provided calendar.
Friday, May 8
Commemorations: Saint Arsenios the Great, the Apostle John the Theologian, Saint Milios the Hymnographer, and the Synaxis of Panagia Kassopitra.
Those celebrating include:
Arsenios, Arsenis, Arsenia, Arsina, Arsinoi, Theologos, Theologis, Thologos, Thologis, Tholois, Theologia, Thologia, Milios, Milis, Milio, Milia, Militsa, Kassiope
(Αρσένιος, Αρσένης, Αρσενία, Αρσίνα, Αρσινόη, Θεολόγος, Θεολόγης, Θολόγος, Θολόγης, Θολόης, Θεολογία, Θολογία, Μήλιος, Μήλης, Μηλιώ, Μηλιά, Μηλίτσα, Κασσιόπη)
Saturday, May 9
Commemorations: Saint Christopher the Martyr, the Prophet Isaiah, and Saint Nicholas the New of Vounena.
Those celebrating include:
Christoforos, Christoforis, Foris, Christofis, Christofia, Christofina, Isaias
(Χριστόφορος, Χριστοφόρης, Φόρης, Χριστόφης, Χριστοφία, Χριστοφίνα, Ησαΐας)
Some of these names are heard often in Greek households. Others appear rarely, sometimes preserved through a grandparent, a village saint, or a family story. That is part of what makes the name day calendar more than a list. It keeps old names in circulation and gives even the quieter ones a day of their own.
Χρόνια πολλά to everyone celebrating this week.