A Scottish saint named ‘Quivox’?

A comment from The Mrs. last month prompted me to search for people named Grizabella, and I found several — one of whom was Grizabella Young, born in the Scottish parish of St. Quivox in 1871.

…St. Quivox? Had there really been a Scottish saint named “Quivox”?

Here’s an explanation of the name from the St. Quivox parish website:

It has long been recognised by historians that the name “St Quivox” is somewhat obscure. The original name of the church was “Sanchar-in-Kyle” and was dedicated to St Kevoca or Sancta Kevoca, Patroness of Kyle, who lived in the eleventh century and was distinguished for her zeal in promoting monastic institutions. The name changed several times and appears as St Kenockis, St Cavocks and St Evox which name persisted until at least the 18th century.

So did a female saint named Kevoca ever exist?

It’s possible. “Kevoca” is a form of Kennocha, the name of a Scottish nun who died in the early 11th century.

But Kennocha herself may be fictional. She’s thought to be based on an Irish abbot named Mochoemog (or Caemhog) who died in the 7th century.

What do you think of the name Quivox? (Do you think it’s usable as a baby name?)

Sources:

• A Short History – Ayr St.Quivox Parish Church
• Mackinlay, James Murray. Influence of the Pre-reformation Church on Scottish Place-names. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons, 1904.
• FamilySearch.org

Image: Adapted from St Quivox Church, South Ayrshire by Rosser1954 under CC BY-SA 4.0.