Why the Name Svetlana Was Banned by the Church for Over a Century

Today, parents freely choose their children's names based on personal preferences. However, in earlier times, Orthodox culture strictly regulated naming conventions.

The name Svetlana is now deeply embedded in our culture, making it hard to imagine that it didn't exist at the beginning of the 19th century. In fact, the church once prohibited naming newborn girls Svetlana.

Following the establishment of Orthodoxy, children's names were selected according to the saints' calendar—a list associating each day of the month with the commemoration of one or more saints. Babies were named after the saint whose feast day coincided with their birth date. Since the church rigorously enforced this tradition, parents could not simply choose a beautiful or favored name for their child.

This rule extended to the name Svetlana, which was absent from the saints' calendar. For over a hundred years, daughters were forbidden to be named Svetlana.

The turning point came in 1802 when Alexander Khristoforovich Vostokov wrote the ballad "Svetlana and Mstislav," inventing the name for his heroine. Later, Vasily Zhukovsky published a poem titled "Svetlana." Inspired by these works, parents petitioned the Holy Synod for permission to use the name. However, the church remained steadfast, eventually issuing a decree forbidding the use of the name Svetlana.

The first to defy this ban was Zhukovsky's sister, who loved the ballad so much that she was called Svetlana at home, though her official documents retained the name Alexandra.

Interestingly, only General Alexander Ellis, commander of the cruiser "Svetlana," succeeded in obtaining official approval from the Synod to use the name.

Major changes occurred in 1917 with the October Revolution. All church restrictions on names were lifted, and clergy lost much of their prior influence. From then on, children were given a wide variety of names such as Oktyabrina, Iskra, Volya, Marlen, Ninell, and Barrikada. Naturally, parents were delighted to finally name their daughters Svetlana. By 1943, infants bearing this name were even permitted to undergo baptism. It is believed that girls named Svetlana are protected by Saint Photini: April 2 (Photina the Samaritan), February 26 (Venerable Photinia of Palestine), and November 16 (Martyr Photinia).

However, the popularity of the name Svetlana has waned over time and it is now less commonly heard.

Even today, some lists suggest names believed to have strong guardian angels. It is thought that naming children from these lists can help them confidently navigate life with divine support.

Photo credit: Shutterstock/Fotodom.ru

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