Where did the baby name Cabrini come from in 1947?

Italian-American religious sister Frances Xavier Cabrini
Frances Xavier Cabrini

The Italian surname name Cabrini popped up in the U.S. baby name data for the first time in 1947:

  • 1949: unlisted
  • 1948: 6 baby girls named Cabrini
  • 1947: 6 baby girls named Cabrini [debut]
  • 1946: unlisted
  • 1945: unlisted

Why?

Because, in July of 1946, Italian-American religious sister Frances Xavier Cabrini (a.k.a. Mother Cabrini) was canonized by Pope Pius XII. This made her the first U.S. citizen* to become a Catholic saint.

Cabrini was born (as Maria Francesca Cabrini) in 1850 in Lombardy, which at that time was part of the Austrian Empire. (It’s now in Italy.) She took her religious vows in 1880, moved to the United States in 1889, and became a naturalized citizen in 1909. She died in Chicago in 1917.

She’s remembered especially for her work with Italian immigrants. In fact, she was proclaimed “Patroness of Immigrants” by Pius XII in 1950.

Since 1947, the name Cabrini has appeared in the U.S. baby name data over a dozen times, mainly in the 1950s and 1960s. The most recent inclusion was in 2019, when it was given to 7 baby girls.

I’m not certain about the etymology of Cabrini, but several sources suggest that, like the Spanish surname Cabrera, it’s derived from the Latin word capraria, meaning “pertaining to goats” or “place of goats.” (The Latin word for “goat” is capra.)

What are your thoughts on the baby name Cabrini?

*The first native-born U.S. citizen to be canonized was Elizabeth Ann Seton, in 1975.

Sources: Frances Xavier Cabrini – Wikipedia, SSA

One thought on “Where did the baby name Cabrini come from in 1947?

  1. Too bad she also lent her name to the infamous housing project in Chicago. Otherwise, Cabrini would be a great name.

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