8 Baby names inspired by saints who were real characters

But the wonderful thing about the saints is that they weren't simply collections of admirable qualities. They were people, and some of them were real characters.

They had tempers and senses of humor, strong opinions and unusual habits. Some were wonderfully sociable, others formidable, and a few seem to have possessed the sort of personality that would have made a family dinner considerably more entertaining. Holiness, thankfully, never required everybody to be the same.

So for parents looking for a saintly baby name with a little extra personality attached, here are some wonderful possibilities inspired by holy men and women who were anything but bland.

Meaning: “Lover of horses”

If you're hoping for a child with a sense of humor, St. Philip Neri is a formidable patron to have in your corner. Known as the “Saint of Joy,” the 16th-century priest was famous for his warmth, playfulness and ability to make people laugh, while still taking faith very seriously indeed. John Paul II described his “delicate and proverbial humor,” while Pope Francis praised his warm, joyful and gentle temperament.

Philip also had a wonderful way of puncturing pride, including his own. Stories of his deliberately eccentric behavior abound, but what makes him such an appealing character isn't simply that he was funny. He understood that joy could bring people closer to God.

So if little Philip eventually develops a habit of making everybody laugh at Mass, you can at least tell yourself there is precedent.

Meaning: Traditionally associated with “harvest” or “summer,” although its origins are uncertain.

St. Teresa of Ávila was a mystic, reformer, writer and Doctor of the Church, but anyone expecting all of that to produce a terribly solemn woman is in for a surprise.

She had intelligence, determination and plenty of personality. As a child, after reading about the martyrs, Teresa actually tried to run away with her brother in the hope of becoming one herself. She was under 9! Thankfully, a relative intercepted the pair before their remarkably ambitious outing got very far.

That mixture of passion and determination never entirely disappeared. Teresa grew into a woman capable of reforming the Carmelite order, founding convents and producing some of the great works of Christian spirituality, despite ill health and considerable opposition. She was known for her humor and her music in the convent!

A lovely choice, then, for parents hoping for a daughter with conviction. Although if she announces at 8 that she's leaving home on a holy mission, perhaps check where she's going.

Meaning: “Sacred name”

Some saints radiate serenity. St. Jerome occasionally radiated the impression that somebody had just said something extremely irritating.

The brilliant 4th-century scholar responsible for translating much of the Bible into Latin was learned, passionate and famously combative. His surviving letters make very clear that he was not a man afraid of a strongly worded opinion.

And that's partly why Jerome is such a fabulous saint to encounter. Holiness didn't erase his temperament. His extraordinary intellect, intensity and sheer determination were put to work on a project that would influence Christianity for centuries.

For parents of a child who arrives looking faintly outraged by the entire birthing experience, Jerome may therefore be worth considering.

Meaning: Traditionally associated with “pure”

St. Catherine of Siena was not easily intimidated, which was fortunate considering the people she ended up corresponding with.

Born in 14th-century Italy, Catherine became a mystic and eventually a Doctor of the Church, but she was also remarkably forthright. She wrote to popes, rulers and other powerful figures, urging them to change course when she believed they were getting things wrong.

This wasn't boldness for the sake of being difficult. Catherine had an enormous sense of responsibility for the Church and the world around her, and she wasn't prepared to assume that important people automatically knew best.

Catherine is therefore a beautiful choice for a little girl who may one day have strong opinions of her own. And if those opinions begin at 2, at least her patron saint would probably appreciate the commitment.

Meaning: “From Laurentum”; later associated with the laurel, a symbol of victory

St. Lawrence earns his place on this list for maintaining an extraordinary sense of humor under circumstances in which most people would have considered humor entirely optional.

The 3rd-century Roman deacon was responsible for helping the poor and distributing Church funds. According to ancient tradition, when Roman authorities demanded that he hand over the Church's treasures, Lawrence presented them with the poor and needy people whom the Church served. It was bold, clever and unlikely to improve his relationship with the authorities.

Tradition also attributes a famous joke to Lawrence during his martyrdom on a gridiron in which he asked if he needed to be turned over to grill the other side, although the details surrounding his death are difficult to establish historically. So the safest thing to say is that generations of Christians have remembered him not only for extraordinary courage but for a wit that apparently refused to desert him even at the end.

Lawrence, or the very wearable Laurence/Laurie, therefore comes with quite the character reference.

Meaning: “Frenchman” or “free man”

St. Francis of Assisi was clearly not a man who needed much to make him happy. Pope Francis once pointed to his ability to be grateful for something as simple as a piece of hard bread, or to praise God for “the breeze that caressed his face.”

That tells us quite a lot about his character. Francis had been born into wealth and enjoyed the good life as a young man (he was baptized Giovanni but got the nickname "Frenchie" for his love of fine food and clothing), but after his conversion he became almost radically enthusiastic about the simplest things. Poverty wasn't merely something he endured; it changed the way he looked at what remained, whether that was food, friendship, nature or the beauty of creation.

And Francis rarely seems to have done anything by halves. He abandoned his comfortable life, rebuilt churches, preached the Gospel, embraced people others avoided and developed such an affection for creation that stories of birds, wolves and other creatures have followed him through the centuries.

For parents, Francis therefore carries a rather lovely combination: a big personality with an ability to delight in very small things. Not a bad quality to wish for a child in a world that is forever suggesting they need more.

Although if little Francis starts showing suspicious enthusiasm for giving away the contents of his bedroom, his patron saint may have taken things a little too far.

Meaning: “Twin”

St. Thomas More somehow managed to be a statesman, scholar, lawyer, husband, father and martyr without misplacing his sense of humor along the way.

That humor is such an important part of his reputation that Pope Francis specifically named More when discussing the sense of humor that so often accompanies Christian joy.

More's wit could be wonderfully dry, but behind it was a man with a deeply serious conscience. He could enjoy family life, friendship and intellectual sparring while remaining prepared, when it mattered, to stand by what he believed at enormous personal cost.

Thomas is consequently a lovely name for a child whose parents hope seriousness and laughter will never have to be opposites.

Meaning: “Bright” or “clear”

St. Clare of Assisi may sometimes disappear into the enormous shadow cast by her friend St. Francis, but that would have been difficult to do in person. At 18, Clare secretly left her wealthy family to follow Francis' radical life of poverty. Her relatives were understandably unimpressed and tried to persuade her to return. Clare remained where she was.

That determination would characterize her life. She founded the community that became the Poor Clares and fought for years to preserve their radical commitment to poverty, even when Church authorities proposed something less demanding.

So while Clare is a beautifully soft-sounding name, its saintly bearer was anything but a pushover. It might be perfect for a little girl with a sunny disposition, a strong will and an early tendency to make it extremely clear when she has no intention whatsoever of changing her mind.

And really, that is part of the joy of choosing any saint's name. A baby isn't being handed a template for the person they're supposed to become. Philip doesn't have to be funny, Catherine doesn't have to be outspoken and little Francis is under no obligation to start chatting to the neighborhood wildlife.

But these names do carry the memory of people who became holy without surrendering the quirks and personalities that made them recognizably themselves. And for the tiny character currently keeping the entire household awake at 3 a.m., that seems like a lovely inheritance!