Name day
Abraham: Name Day and Patron Saint
Abraham keeps the name day on 9 October, or 22 October on the Old Calendar: the feast of the Forefather Abraham.
- Patron saint
- the Forefather Abraham
- New Calendar
- 9 October
- Old Calendar
- 22 October
- Next name day
- 9 October 2027 (New Calendar) · 22 October 2026 (Old Calendar)
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of October
The patron saint: the Forefather Abraham
Kept on 9 October, or 22 October on the Old Calendar · Holy Righteous Abraham the Forefather and his nephew Lot
The Forefather Abraham lived some two thousand years before Christ, and his story is told in the Book of Genesis. He was first called Abram, and God gave him the name Abraham, which means father of a multitude. God called him to leave his country, his kindred and his father’s house and go to a land He would show him, the land of Canaan, which God gave to him and his descendants and which became known as the Promised Land. Abraham obeyed, and the Scripture says that he believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness; so his faith became the pattern for all who are saved by faith in Christ. Under the oaks of Mamre he welcomed three visitors to his tent, spoke to them as to one Lord, and heard them foretell that his aged wife Sarah would bear a son. The Church sees in this visit an image of the Holy Trinity, painted on the icons as three angels at Abraham’s table. Later God tested him, asking him to offer up that son, Isaac; Abraham did not hold back, and God stopped his hand and provided a ram. The Church reads this as a foreshadowing of the Father giving His own Son on the Cross. God promised that through Abraham’s offspring all the peoples of the earth would receive good. His memory is kept with his nephew Lot on 9 October (22 October on the Old Calendar), and again with the forefathers of Christ on the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers before Christmas.
What the faithful pray for
- a faith that trusts God’s promises
- obedience when God calls us to set out
- a hospitable home and an open door
- trust in God when His promise seems slow
Other saints named Abraham
Venerable Abramius the Recluse, and his niece, Mary, of Mesopotamia
Kept on 29 October, or 11 November on the Old Calendar
Abraham in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Abraham, Abram | Abe, Bram |
| Greek | Αβραάμ, Avraam, Abraam | |
| Russian | Авраам, Avraam | Абрам, Abram |
| Serbian | Аврам, Avram | |
| Romanian | Avram | |
| Georgian | Abraam | |
| Arabic | إبراهيم, Ibrahim, Ebrahim | |
| Spanish | Abrahán |
An icon for Abraham
We don't carry an icon of the Forefather Abraham yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
For every name: the Guardian Angel, given at baptism
Have it consecrated by our priest before it reaches you: Consecration, $49.
A name-day gift for Abraham
Name-Day Gift Set $213$149
A patron saint's folding diptych chosen by first name, a stainless steel crucifix and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card giving the saint's life and feast day.
The St Nicholas the Wonderworker & Guardian Angel Folding Diptych is chosen, for the Guardian Angel every Orthodox Christian receives at baptism, and the name is filled in.
Questions
When is Abraham’s name day?
Abraham keeps the name day on 9 October on the New Calendar and on 22 October on the Old Calendar, the feast of the Forefather Abraham.
Who is the patron saint of Abraham?
the Forefather Abraham. The Forefather Abraham lived some two thousand years before Christ, and his story is told in the Book of Genesis.
How is Abraham written in other languages?
Greek: Αβραάμ (Avraam), Russian: Авраам (Avraam), Serbian: Аврам (Avram), Romanian: Avram, Georgian: Abraam and Arabic: إبراهيم (Ibrahim). Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Abraham?
We don’t carry an icon of the Forefather Abraham yet, and you can ask for one on this page. Every Orthodox Christian has a Guardian Angel from baptism, so the Name-Day Gift Set ($149) with the Guardian Angel diptych is always fitting.
More about name days
- Name Days Explained: What They Are, How Families Keep Them, and Gifts
A name day is the feast of the saint whose name you carry. Here is how to find yours on either calendar, how Greek and Russian families keep it, and what to give.
- Orthodox Patron Saint: How to Find Yours (by Name, Day or Choice)
Your Orthodox patron saint is the saint whose name you were given at baptism. Here is how to find yours by name, by the day of your birth or baptism, or by choice, and how to keep the name day.
- Find another name