Christopher
Filed Under Boy Names, Historical Christian Names | 2 CommentsName pronunciation: KRIS-to-fur
Origin of name: Greek
Meaning of name: bearing Christ, carrier of the Anointed One
The Story Behind This Historical Christian Baby Name
There are several legends attributed to St. Christopher, but almost no factual or historical records for the original “Saint”. The legends say Christopher was a giant Canaanite (18 feet tall), originally named Reprobus, who was looking to serve the mightiest king of all. So he served a Canaanite king for a while, but then noticed the king acted afraid at the mention of the devil. So he went looking for the devil and found a bandit who called himself the devil. However, Christopher noticed that the bandit would avoid crosses, and discovered he was afraid of Jesus Christ.
After asking around where he might find this Christ, Christopher found a hermit who instructed him about the ways of Christianity. Christopher decided to serve God by helping people across a dangerous river, where people often died trying to cross. One day a child asked for help to cross when the river was high with floodwaters. Christopher attempted the crossing, and found the child to be far more heavy than he looked.
He finally made it to the other side, and told the child, “You were so heavy! It was as if I carried the whole world across the river!”
And the child replied, “You didn’t carry the world, but the maker of it,” and revealed himself to be Christ in disguise.
St. Christopher Carrying the Christ Child, by Hieronymus Bosch, 1480-1490.
Thus, the name Christophoros, or “bearer of Christ”. And thus, the common reference to Christopher as the “patron saint of travelers”.
Later, the story goes, Christopher visited the city of Lycia and comforted persecuted Christians there and preached the gospel, converting thousands. The pagan king tried to stop him by tempting him with riches and even sent two women to lure him into sin. But he converted the two prostitutes to Christianity, and the king finally had him captured and beheaded. Thus, his status as a martyr.
Variations of the baby name Christopher
Boy names: Christ, Chris, Christoph, Cristopher, Cristoff
Girl names:Christie,Christina, Christine,Christophia, Christi, Chris
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Priscilla
Filed Under Biblical Names, Girl Names | 5 CommentsName pronunciation: prih-SIL-ah
Origin of name: Latin
Meaning of name: Ancient
The Story Behind This Biblical Christian Name
The Bible mentions one Priscilla, in the New Testament. Priscilla was a Christian woman living in the time after Jesus left his disciples in charge of spreading the gospel.
Priscilla and her husband lived in Italy, leaving when Roman Emperor Claudius commanded that all Jews must leave Rome. They moved to Corinth, where the apostle and early church leader Paul met them. The early church leaders traveled a lot to carry the news of Jesus’ life story and God’s redemptive plan for mankind, and many of them were financially supported by donations or help from other church members. Paul was on one of these journeys, coming from Athens, when he met Priscilla and her husband, Aquila.
They were tent makers by trade, and so was the apostle Paul. Priscilla and Aquila opened their home to Paul, and he stayed with them, likely the whole year-and-a-half that he was in Corinth that time. Not only did he stay with them, but they all three worked together at tent-making.
Then, when Paul left Corinth and sailed for Syria, Priscilla and her husband went with him! When he was ready to leave Ephesus, they decided to stay and asked Paul to stay with them. He was determined to continue his journey, but hoped to return to see this wonderfully hospitable couple again. Paul did return again, and wrote the book of 1 Corinthians from there.
It would seem from the biblical account that they were good hosts, good business partners and a blessing to this man of God. Paul spoke highly of them, calling them both “fellow worker in Christ Jesus” and saying that they even “risked their own necks” for his life.
Priscilla and her husband hosted a church in their house. And when an eager Christian Jew named Apollos came into town and needed someone to teach him “the way of God more accurately”, they invited him to their home and explained things. This man Apollos became very influential, mentioned by Paul later (1 Corinthians 1:11-13 and chapters 3-4). So Priscilla was even a good Bible teacher.
The life of this woman of God is briefly mentioned and yet what is said reflects a life well lived in the service of God, working with her husband, teaching the Bible to others, hosting a house church and inviting missionaries to stay in her home, and boldly living her faith in spite of the persecution faced by all in the early Christian church.
Scriptures for the Bible Stories of the Girl Name Priscilla
Variations of the Baby Name Priscilla
Girl names: Prisca, Silla, Prissy
Boy names: Priscus
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Cana
Filed Under Biblical Names, Boy Names, Girl Names | 4 CommentsName pronunciation: KAY-nuh
Origin of name: Hebrew, Greek
Meaning of name: Place of reeds
The Story Behind This Biblical Christian Baby Name
The name Cana was primarily a name of places (not people) in the Bible. Kanah (English version of the Hebrew word) was a river and a village referenced in the book of Joshua, part of the “Promised Land” inheritance of the Israelites. Cana (English version of the Greek word) was a village in Galilee mentioned in Jesus’ time.
The most exciting thing we found about this name …Read more >>
Jadon
Filed Under Biblical Names, Boy Names, Girl Names | 2 CommentsName pronunciation: JAY-dun, JAH-DUN / YAH-dun
Origin of name: Hebrew
Meaning of name: Thankful; a judge; one judged by God; “God has heard”
The Story Behind This Biblical Christian Baby Name
There is one very brief mention of this name in the book of Nehemiah. A man named Jadon from a place called Merenoth helped to rebuild the walls and gates of Jerusalem. The city of Jerusalem was the holy city to the Jewish people, and this was a big deal …Read more >>
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