Greek Name Days

I just had a birthday, but If I were Greek, I’d celebrate on my “Name Day” on February 19. Here’s a little bit about Name Day celebrations.

In Greek culture, a birthday is worth celebrating, but you get a bonus: another occasion on your Name Day, which is the date honoring the saint or martyr you are named for. This may involve an open house or eating out, and gifts of cash for children. The tradition encourages a lot of social interaction, especially with a name like Konstantinos, the 3rd most common man’s name in Greece. Luckily, Konstantinos gets to shift his name day celebration up to 40 days in either direction from May 19, to allow partying with all the other Kostakis.

Want to know your name day? Check out this site: Greek Boston

Don’t have your own name day? You can still celebrate: on All Saints Day on November 1st!