Today marks the feast day of St. David, the former Bishop of Mynyw -- pronounced Menevia for those not familiar with the 4000-year-old Welsh language, which happens to be Britain's oldest tongue.
The Welsh prelate was born around the year 500, and as is so common with these older saints in the Church's history, there are some delightful tales associated with his life. First of all, we're not quite sure when he was born, or died, or where exactly.
And most importantly, while he was known for being a wonderful teacher and preacher, he was also said to have performed an impressive miracle: a spot where he was preaching rose to form a small hill and a white dove came and settled on his shoulder. (We could say he could move mountains!)
His importance in Welsh Christianity is so significant that he has numerous churches and cathedrals named after him, and many babies, too. And this is why it is possibly the best name to call your child (for full disclosure my brother is a David, I have an uncle David, and, I must admit, my eldest son is a David. But I promise to not show any bias!):
Its meaning
The name David simply means "beloved." One word that so perfectly reflects a parent's sentiment for their little bundle.
It's nearly a palindrome
This may seem a weak argument, but I'd say it's a good one. Firstly, palindromes are great fun and rare. And, it also means your baby will be able to spell and write their name quickly as there are fewer letters to learn -- they'll thank you when they're practicing their cursive.
It sounds wonderful
Again, no bias here, but ... it sounds strong, yet the middle 'v' also softens it. Even if you're angry with your little angel, and you say their name more sharply than usual, it still sounds loving -- you could try it by saying in an annoyed tone: "David, come and pick up your toys, now!"
It also sounds wonderful in many languages
David is very much a universal name thanks to it belonging to a key Biblical figure, the King of Israel who unified the many tribes. Thanks to his popularity, his name can be found in so many cultures, and has some beautiful variants: from Dawid in Hebrew, to Tevita in Fijian, and of course in St. David's native Wales, it is Dafydd.
Speaking of...
In Welsh it has the most adorable nicknames. Your little Celtic son could quickly become a Dewi, Dai, or even Day.
It's easy to recognize
Now, this is a personal reflection. Having been given the name Cerith, which is permanently mispronounced (it's Kerrith for the curious), it must be so wonderful to be able to give your name and for people to recognize it, and spell it correctly, straight away!
A meaningful legacy
On a more serious note, in St. David's last sermon before his death, he said:
"Lords, brothers and sisters, Be joyful, and keep your faith and your creed, and do the little things that you have seen me do and heard about. And as for me, I will walk the path that our fathers have trod before us."
In honor of St. David and all things Welsh, his original words would have been: "Arglwyddi, brodyr, a chwiorydd, Byddwch lawen a chadwch eich ffyd a'ch credd, a gwnewch y petheu bychain a glywsoch ac y welsoch gennyf i. A mwynhau a gerdaf y fford yd aeth an tadeu idi"
This has been reduced to a popular phrase in Welsh: "Gwnewch y pethau bychain," meaning "Do the little things in life" -- echoing the sentiments of St. Thérèse de Lisieux, who reminds us to show gratitude for all the small things life has to offer.
Convinced? I hope so. But even if you're still not a huge fan of the name, hopefully you'll smile when you meet a David and think of the wonderful patron saint of Wales!
To our Welsh readers we wish you: "Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant Hapus!" (Happy St. David's Day!). And if you'd like to celebrate the patron saint like a true Celt, have a look at some ideas below:
