Appolina? Have you heard it before?

hsort · October 18, 2012, 1:26pm

I live in an area with a large Native American population, and a name I’ve seen in the community a few times recently is Apolina (Appolina/Apolena). I believe it has a greek origion? Has anyone heard it before? What are your thoughts on it?

Thanks in advance!

blade · October 18, 2012, 1:41pm

I think the name you’re thinking of is [name]Apollonia[/name]. It’s a beautiful Greek name meaning ‘servant of [name]Apollo[/name],’ but it’s been accepted into Christianity via several early St Apollonias.

It’s so uncommonly given that it’s most famous as the unfortunate first wife of [name]Michael[/name] Corleone in the Godfather.

Spanish naming tradition has a large number of Greek imports through the early Christianization of the area, when Greek was the missionary tongue rather than Latin. When [name]Rome[/name] rose to power, they coopted much of Greek culture to legitimize themselves, including name traditions. Therefore many early saints, even those with absolutely no connection to Greece or Greek, bore Greek names. As Spain was, until recently, a very religious country those old names were preserved throughout the centuries. Which is why, when the friars began establishing missions all over the American Southwest before the US annexed those areas, they gave newly baptized Native Americans some old Greek names-- including [name]Apollonia[/name].

hsort · October 18, 2012, 1:57pm

blade:

I think the name you’re thinking of is [name]Apollonia[/name]. It’s a beautiful Greek name meaning ‘servant of [name]Apollo[/name],’ but it’s been accepted into Christianity via several early St Apollonias.

It’s so uncommonly given that it’s most famous as the unfortunate first wife of [name]Michael[/name] Corleone in the Godfather.

Spanish naming tradition has a large number of Greek imports through the early Christianization of the area, when Greek was the missionary tongue rather than Latin. When [name]Rome[/name] rose to power, they coopted much of Greek culture to legitimize themselves, including name traditions. Therefore many early saints, even those with absolutely no connection to Greece or Greek, bore Greek names. As Spain was, until recently, a very religious country those old names were preserved throughout the centuries. Which is why, when the friars began establishing missions all over the American Southwest before the US annexed those areas, they gave newly baptized Native Americans some old Greek names-- including [name]Apollonia[/name].

Holy Cow-you are a wealth of information! And yes- this WAS the name I was thinking about–thank you!! I love the name! I am going to have to research the saint behind the name a little bit. Thank you again!

blade · October 18, 2012, 2:08pm

No problem-- it’s a beautiful name, and I would love to see it used.

dillonsfan01 · October 18, 2012, 2:22pm

I love [name]Apollonia[/name] if that is the name you are talking about! I think it is gorgeous and so underused. I have considered it myself but it would be so out of place in my sibset! I say go for it. I really love the saint connection

KKRvF · October 18, 2012, 2:28pm

My husband’s family has a few women in his great-aunt’s generation named [name]Apollonia[/name] and I love it. It doesn’t fit with our top picks but if I ever had a fourth girl etc, it would be a strong contender. They are all [name]German[/name].

teacherma · October 18, 2012, 3:00pm

[name]Apollonia[/name] is the patron saint of dentists.

taz · October 18, 2012, 3:06pm

My family tree has one & I am of Italian descent. [name]Apple[/name] or [name]Ona[/name] or Lo would be cute nn