Catholic baby girls’ names that science says are the most beautiful

We recently shared the findings of a report that showed which boys’ names were the most beautiful to the ear, according to science. Interestingly, the top 10 names listed for boys, all belonged to saints, or to notable figures in the Bible.

However, for girls, the study showed some very different responses. According to the results, the majority of girls’ names that were deemed the most beautiful, in relation to the emotions they evoked, are close to nature are or more modern names, such as Riley.

Yet, there are a number of saintly names that appeared in the top 20 of the most beautiful girls’ names, which you can discover below:

Heading up the list is a name that means “wisdom” in Greek. It also belonged to the 4th-century martyr, St. Sophia of Rome. There are varying traditions relating to the saint, with some stating she died in the Diocletian prosecutions, and others saying she died mourning her daughters who’d been martyred. She is known as the mother of Saints Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Second on the list is this short but beautiful name that is also of Greek origin, meaning “life” — in the supernatural sense and not in the biological sense (bios). The word zoe is used to express the kinds of life Jesus wants to give his followers: “I have come that they may have life.” (John 10:10). It’s the perfect name to give a newborn destined for eternal life!

While strictly speaking “Ellie” isn’t a saint’s name, it’s the diminutive of the name Eleanor, which incidentally appears 24th on the list. However, just to cheat a bit, Eleanor is another version of the name Helen, which belonged to one of the great saints, St. Helena of Constantinople. This pious woman dedicated her life to discovering important locations in Christian history, such as Calvary, and claimed to have found the relics of the True Cross. Eleanor or Helen means “light,” so hopefully your little bundle will be a light in your family.

If you’re not a fan of Eleanor or Helen, you could opt for this other diminutive that is proving more popular, and was ranked number 13 in the list of names.

This rather sweet name belonged to the nun that established the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition in France. She devoted her life to helping the poor and destitute, and founded schools and other institutions as she traveled. Emily derives from the Roman family name, Aemilius, meaning “rival,” or “to emulate.” Perhaps your little Emily will be the perfect role model.

This name belonged to one of the Forty Holy Virgin Martyrs who died in the 4th century when they wouldn’t follow orders of the Roman Emperor Licinius to make sacrifices to his idols. You might also remember the name from Homer’s The Odyssey — it actually means “weaver” in Greek.

This short but sweet name came in at number 17 on the list. Again, it belongs to a saint who died during Christian persecutions in the 4th century. St. Lucy is a virgin martyr whose name is commemorated in the Canon of the Mass. Stemming from the Latin, lux, Lucy means “light.”

Lastly, at number 20 is a name that belonged to a biblical figure. In the Book of Ruth, you will see that Naomi was Ruth’s mother-in-law, who was so beloved that when the two women were widowed, they stayed together and cared for each other. It is believed that the name means “good, pleasant, lovely, winsome” — some great qualities for your little angel.

Read more:9 Baby names inspired by notable Franciscan friars

Read more:12 Baby names for girls and boys that mean “life”