Name day or Name's day?

[AthonLince]

Hi everybody,

I'm going to wish my friend a happy birthday and also for her name day. Both are today.

I found both "Name day" and "Name's day".

What is correct?

Thank you in advance.

 

[lingobingo]

The term is name day. But I think it’s something only Roman Catholics celebrate?

 

[entangledbank]

I have only seen name day. But it's not something English-speakers say, except in reference to continental European countries.

 

[AnythingGoes]

Isn't it called Saint's Day?

 

[lingobingo]

A saint’s day is the day every year on which a particular saint is celebrated — in fact, today is St Valentine’s Day, so today would be the name day of anyone called Valentine.

 

[AnythingGoes]

A saint’s day is the day every year on which a particular saint is celebrated — in fact, today is St Valentine’s Day, so today would be the name day of anyone called Valentine.

I thought that was what a Catholic's "name day" was, too. Are they different?

 

[lingobingo]

Same day. Different concept.

 

[AthonLince]

Name Day and Saint's Day are different.

Saint's day is the religious solemnity of a saint. It's a Roman Catholics festival celebrated on the day dedicated to that saint. Every day in the calendar is dedicated to a saint. However not all saints are really celebrated. Only the most important.

Instead Name Day is the feast, the "anniversary", of your name. It falls on the day in the calendar dedicated to the saint with the same name of yours, but it is not a religious feast.