Baby Name of the Day: Agnes

The baby name Agnes was a long-time favorite, but today? It feels like a surprising antique.

Thanks to Emmy Jo and Kate for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day, and Clio for suggesting we revisit it.

WHAT DOES THE NAME AGNES MEAN?

The baby name Agnes comes from the Greek word hagnos, meaning chaste.

But it’s also quite similar to the Latin agnus – lamb.

During the third century persecution of Christians under the Emperor Diocletian, Agnes of Rome refused to marry a pagan or renounce her faith. She died a martyr’s death instead.

Here’s where things get interesting. Shepherds and lambs are popular Christian symbols. Agnes was often depicted with a lamb, a play on words. But it stuck, and now Agnes means … well, still chaste. But also lamb.

The saint was popular during the Middle Ages and her name spread across Europe.

Worth noting: Agatha starts with the same sound. It also shares Greek origins. But Agatha comes from agathos, meaning good. Not a lamb in sight. 

Other forms of the name include Inez/Ines, Annis/Annice, Agnessa, Agnieszka, Agnete, and Aggie, too. 

Like many names strongly associated with saints, Agnes fell out of use during the Protestant Reformation. 

AGNES ACROSS THE AGES

The story of that first martyr-saint remained popular. Like so many similar tales, it’s a bit on the grisly side as Agnes suffered ever-more-extreme punishments, along with miraculous escapes.

Famous women named Agnes included:

• A duke’s daughter, born to the House of Poitiers, who later married the Holy Roman Emperor and became Empress. The Empress’ mother also wore the name, and she had at least two granddaughters named in her honor.
• King Louis VII of France gave this name to a daughter in the 1180s. She married the Byzantine Emperor, taking the name Anna.
• A duke’s daughter became Queen of France through her 1196 marriage to King Philip II of France. Unfortunately, Philip was already married.

Dozens more women appear in the historical record, including plenty of nobles. Three more saints from the Middle Ages also answer to Agnes.

Back to the saint: she’s the patroness of young girls. Custom holds that prayers said on the eve of St. Agnes’ feast day would help girls discover the identity of their future husband.

The poet John Keats wrote that girls would implore, “Bonny Agnes, let me see, The lad who is to marry me.”

INTO THE 20th CENTURY & TODAY

It wasn’t only Keats keeping Agnes top-of-mind for parents. 

Other medieval names were revived over the years. Edith, Albert, and others made a comeback by the 19th century. 

Along the way, the name was worn in the US, England, and beyond by:

• A nurse romanced by Ernest Hemingway; she later served as the model for several characters.
• A silent film star who appeared opposite Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik, and another actress known as Bewitched’s meddlesome mother-in-law Endora.
• Mother Teresa was born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu.

Recent pop culture gives us:

• The alter-ego of the main character in Disney+’s Agatha All Along. The story is based on the Marvel Comics characters and related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• One the fictional sisters in the Despicable Me universe: Margot, Edith, and Agnes. 
• William Shakespeare’s wife is usually called Anne. But in several places, including her father’s will, her name is given as Agnes. (If you think Agnes/Annis/Anne, it’s not such a stretch.) Author Maggie O’Farrell preserved the name as Agnes in her best-selling work of historical fiction, Hamnet. O’Farrell imagines the personal life and story of Shakespeare and his family, and how it related to his work. In the 2025 film adaptation, actress Jessie Buckley played Agnes, winning an Oscar for the role.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME AGNES?

In 2011, Agnes became a celebrity baby name, thanks to the daughter of actors Jennifer Connelly and Paul Bettany. Her middle name, Lark, balances the old school first with a very modern sensibility. 

It seemed like a perfect name for the family, and also something that might just catch on.

After all, the baby name Agnes peaked at the turn of the 20th century. The United States reports data beginning in 1880. The US Social Security Administration releases information on any name given to five girls or boys in a single year of birth. Agnes topped the charts sometime around 1911. 

If the 100-Year Rule holds, then the baby name Agnes should’ve been making a comeback right around the time Bettany and Connelly chose the name.

Instead, the numbers remained small. 

Agnes last ranked in the US Top 1000 way back in 1972. In 2011, fewer than 100 girls were named Agnes.

But that’s finally started to change. As of 2024, 233 girls were name Agnes. That’s the highest number in over 50 years – and finally within striking distance of the US popularity rankings.

QUIET COMEBACK

It’s taken the name Agnes ages to climb from obscurity to just-on-the-verge.

But it could be the perfect baby name for parents after something traditional, distinctive, and less expected than Alice or Frances. 

Nickname Aggie is a bonus, the kind of name we like across gender lines right now – it’s a sister for Archie and Lottie. 

If you’re looking for something smart, strong, and with deep roots, Agnes deserves a closer look.

What do you think of the baby name Agnes?

This post was originally published on February 11, 2009. It was revised on August 15, 2016 and again on April 2, 2026.