Name day
Ephraim: Name Day and Patron Saint
Ephraim keeps the name day on 28 January, or 10 February on the Old Calendar: the feast of St Ephraim the Syrian.
By Greek custom the name day is 5 May: St Ephraim of Nea Makri.
- Patron saint
- St Ephraim the Syrian
- New Calendar
- 28 January
- Old Calendar
- 10 February
- Next name day
- 28 January 2027 (New Calendar) · 10 February 2027 (Old Calendar)
- Greek custom
- 5 May: St Ephraim of Nea Makri
- In the feast calendar
- The feasts of January · The feasts of February
The patron saint: St Ephraim the Syrian
Kept on 28 January, or 10 February on the Old Calendar · Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
St Ephraim the Syrian is remembered as a teacher of repentance and a man of prayer. He was born early in the fourth century in Nisibis in Mesopotamia and was quick-tempered as a youth. Falsely accused of stealing a sheep and thrown into prison, he heard in a dream a call to repent and change his life. Set free, he became a disciple of St James, Bishop of Nisibis. When Nisibis passed to the Persians in 363, he settled near Edessa, where he lived in strict asceticism, studied the Scriptures without ceasing, and defended the faith against the heresies of his day. Where false teachers spread their errors in song, he answered with hymns of true doctrine, and the Syrians called him the harp of the Holy Spirit. St Basil the Great ordained him a deacon, and in his humility he refused any higher office. When famine struck Edessa he moved the wealthy to help the hungry and built a house for the poor and the sick. He died in 373. His feast is kept on 28 January (10 February on the Old Calendar). Throughout Great Lent the Church says his prayer, “O Lord and Master of my life,” and the faithful ask his help in true repentance, humility and prayer.
What the faithful pray for
- the gift of true repentance and tears of compunction
- humility and patience in place of anger
- a spirit of prayer, above all in Great Lent
- the poor, the hungry and the sick
Other saints named Ephraim
St Ephraim of Nea Makri
Kept on 5 May, or 18 May on the Old Calendar · Venerable Great Martyr Ephraim of Nea Makri
The monk martyred by the Turks in 1426, whose grave was revealed in 1950 near Athens.
St Ephraim the Lesser
Kept on 18 January, or 31 January on the Old Calendar
Ephraim in other languages
| Language | The name | Short forms |
|---|---|---|
| English | Ephraim, Ephrem, Efrem, Efraim | |
| Greek | Εφραίμ, Efraim | |
| Russian | Ефрем, Efrem, Yefrem | |
| Arabic | Afram |
An icon for Ephraim
We don't carry an icon of St Ephraim the Syrian yet. Ask for it below, and we will write to you when it is in.
Closest to it
Folding diptychSt Nicholas the Wonderworker & Guardian Angel
Another wonderworker$99$69
Folding diptychSt Herman of Alaska & Guardian Angel
Another monastic saint$99$69
Folding diptychChrist (Zvenigorod Saviour) & Vladimir Mother of God
Christ and the Mother of God keep every Christian home$99$69
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 Ephraim
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 Ephraim’s name day?
Ephraim keeps the name day on 28 January on the New Calendar and on 10 February on the Old Calendar, the feast of St Ephraim the Syrian. By Greek custom it is kept on 5 May: St Ephraim of Nea Makri.
Who is the patron saint of Ephraim?
St Ephraim the Syrian. St Ephraim the Syrian is remembered as a teacher of repentance and a man of prayer.
How is Ephraim written in other languages?
Greek: Εφραίμ (Efraim), Russian: Ефрем (Efrem) and Arabic: Afram. Every form of the name keeps the same saint.
What is a good name-day gift for Ephraim?
We don’t carry an icon of St Ephraim the Syrian 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