Choosing a Confirmation saint is one of the most exciting and meaningful parts of preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation. But with thousands of Catholic saints to choose from, how do you find the one that’s right for you? Whether you're looking for a patron saint for teens, a powerful saint for spiritual protection, or a saint that matches your interests and personality, this guide will walk you through the process.

From well-known saints like St. Michael the Archangel, St. Joan of Arc, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux to hidden gems like Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and St. Gemma Galgani, there’s a heavenly friend waiting to walk with you on your faith journey. We’ll explore how to pray for guidance, what to consider when choosing a Confirmation name, and some of the most popular saints for Confirmation—so you can make a confident and meaningful choice.

If you're asking, "Who should I pick for my Confirmation saint?" or "How do I choose a Catholic saint name?", you're in the right place! Let’s dive in and find the perfect saint for you.

What Is Confirmation?

Confirmation is considered one of the milestone sacraments of our Faith, and as the third sacrament of initiation, is the last of these. For many, Confirmation may seem like the last necessary step in one’s formal journey of faith. Confirmation is, in fact, an important marker, but not because it denotes the end of one’s formation as a believer. Instead, Confirmation is actually meant to be the beginning of a more serious, deepened walk with Christ. It marks a new threshold in a person’s journey as a child of God: 

“By the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized] are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1285)

In the Sacrament of Confirmation, we receive an increase of the Holy Spirit’s grace as the Apostles did at Pentecost. This special outpouring completes the graces of our Baptisms, and Catechism of the Catholic Church #1303 relates exactly how:

- Confirmation] roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!";
- it unites us more firmly to Christ;
- it increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us;
- it renders our bond with the Church more perfect;
- it gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross. 

Confirmation is a sacrament administered at most Easter Vigils to non-baptized Catholics who are being received into the Church for the first time entirely and to baptized Christians being received into full communion with the Catholic Church. Parishes hold the rite of Confirmation for their classes of already-baptized Catholics with the Bishop of their diocese on a separate occasion: many times, it takes place in the springtime. It is particularly significant when confirmands (candidates for Confirmation) are invited to more fully take their place in the community of the Church during the glorious days surrounding Easter!

Why Do We Choose Confirmation Saints?

The community of believers, into which the Sacrament of Confirmation fully initiates us, is more than just the people in our parishes or all Catholics around the world. It is a communion of saints that includes all those on earth, in heaven, and even in purgatory––the Church militant, Church triumphant, and Church suffering––who pray for and inspire each other.

The practice of choosing a name at Confirmation is a longstanding tradition, although not a universal one. This custom varies by region, although it is most common in the West, particularly in Catholic tradition in the United States. Taking on a new name has Biblical roots. Several individuals in Scripture were given a new name by God to indicate that they had undergone an important spiritual change or transformation: for example, Abraham (formerly Abram) and Jacob (given the title “Israel”) in the Old Testament, or Saint Peter (formerly Simon) and Saint Paul (previously Saul) in the New. 

The saints are meant to be our heroes. We are made to be soldiers for Christ, and soldiers need heroes to follow. In our earthly journey, we are not meant to walk alone: we need inspiration to guide us and friends to accompany us. Our patron saints are not only meant to be our spiritual heroes but also our heavenly friends. Taking a Confirmation saint encourages us to develop (or deepen) a relationship with a particular saint. 

How Do I Choose A Confirmation Saint?

Decisions, decisions. Is there any selection criteria to know about choosing a Confirmation saint? Yes and no––it varies. Some dioceses have particular rules: be sure to find out whether any apply in your case. Some do not permit confirmands to choose a holy person still under the title of “venerable,” “servant of God,” or “blessed,” asking them to keep to canonized “saints.” Others may stipulate that saint names cannot be of the opposite gender (i.e., women must choose female saints, and men choose male saints––or otherwise, the properly gendered variation of an opposite-gendered saint’s name must be taken). Still, others do not require or specifically emphasize choosing a patron saint at all.

If you don’t know where to start––perhaps you are not familiar with many saints or know about far too many to narrow down the list easily––don’t sweat it. Here are some helpful questions to ponder as you consider choosing a patron saint: 

• What have been the most significant life circumstances in my journey?
• What are my strengths, interests, talents, hobbies, or passions?
• What do I feel that God is calling me to do in my life?
• What sins or temptations plague me most?
• Is there a saint whom I deeply admire or whose life particularly calls out to me?
• Is there a saint who seems to have chosen me? (Sometimes, saints even seek us out. I am a firm believer that many times, our patron saints choose us!)

Which saint to choose is an important decision but also not one that you ought to sweat. If you feel interiorly led towards a particular saint, do not doubt that. Your Confirmation saint will not be the only saint you deeply befriend during your life, but they do hold a special role.

Over 215 Confirmation Saint Ideas for Confirmation!

You might be considering your answers to the previous questions and asking, well, what saints fit? Well, here are over two hundred of them! I’ve brainstormed a list of saints and grouped them in different categories, themes, ways of life, and patronages. Although a list of saints of the Church can never be exhaustive, keep reading to discover quite a few of them!

Saints By Occupation/Discipline

The saints did things––and did them for God. There are saints from many professional paths in life. Think about your particular career, field, or activities of interest…there are saints for that!

The saints did things––and did them for God. There are saints from many professional paths in life. Think about your particular career, field, or activities of interest…there are saints for that!

Intellectual Saints  

• St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (a.k.a. Edith Stein), St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Francis de Sales, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Paul, St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. John Henry Newman, St. Jerome, St. Thomas More, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Albert the Great, St. Ivo (Yves) of Kermartin, St. Bede the Venerable, St. Jerome. 
  

Saints for STEM Fields

• St. Luke the Evangelist (doctors), St. John of God (hospitals, the mentally ill), St. Gianna Molla, St. Giuseppe Moscati, St. Hildegard of Bingen, St. Albert the Great, St. Cosmas and St. Damian, St. Camillus de Lellis, St. Agatha (nurses), St. Gemma Galgani (pharmacists) St. Dymphna (Mental Health Workers), St. Barbara (mathematicians), St. Carlo Acutis (computer programmers), St. Benedict of Nursia (civil engineers). 

Saints for Teachers

• St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albert the Great, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Baptist de la Salle, St. Katherine Drexel, St. Gregory the Great, St. John Bosco, St. Angela Merici. 
  

Saints for Other Occupations

• St. Joseph (workers, craftsmen, carpenters, construction, engineers), St. Isidore (farmers & rural communities), St. Ambrose (beekeeping), St. Thomas the Apostle (architects), St. Michael the Archangel (grocers, police officers), St. Mary Magdalene (hairdressers), St. Rose of Lima (gardeners), St. Francis Xavier Cabrini (hospital administrators), St. Zita (waiters), St. Paul (zookeepers), St. Nicholas (bakers), St. Louise de Marillac (social workers), St. Augustine of Hippo (brewers) St. Blaise (veterinarians).
  

Saints Who Were Bold in Communicating the Truth

• St. John the Baptist, St. Stephen, St. Peter, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Ambrose, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Patrick, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Justin Martyr, St. Dominic de Guzman. 
  

Saints for Creatives––Music and the Arts

• St. Cecilia, Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity, St. Gregory the Great, St. Catherine of Bologna, St. Vitus (dance), St. Genesius (theater).
  

Saints for Military/Soldiers 

• Venerable Emil Joseph Kapaun, St. Joan of Arc, St. George, St. Louis IX of France, St. Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio, St. Denis, St. Padre Pio, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Barbara.

Saints For Special Causes

Do you love the outdoors? Wildly enjoy traveling? Is there a country, culture, or ethnic background that is important to you? Or you could use some extra help for a difficult circumstance in your life. Here are some starter lists of saints in these categories!

Sporty Saints/Saints of the Outdoors: 

• St. John Paul II, St. Sebastian, Pier Giorgio, St. Hubert––hunters, Blessed Chiara Luce Badano, Blessed Michael McGivney (baseball), St. Teresa of the Andes (swimming, horseback riding, tennis, and dance), St. Joseph Mukasa Balikuddembe (runner & wrestler), St. Lidwina (ice-skating), St. Kateri Tekakwitha (the environment).
  

Saints by Country or Culture Around the World

• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (United States), St. Josephine Bakhita (Africa), St. Patrick (Ireland), St. George (England), St. Joseph (Canada), St. Kateri Tekakwitha (Native Americans), St. Lawrence Ruiz (Philippines), St. James the Greater (Spain), St. Oscar Romero (El Salvador), St. Francis of Assisi (Italy), St. Catherine of Siena (Italy), St. Boniface (Germany), St. Nicholas (Russia), St. Mary of the Cross MacKillop (Australia), St. Thomas the Apostle (India).
  

Saints for Physical Difficulties

• St. Raphael, St. Luke the Evangelist, St. Bernadette, St. Teresa of Ávila, St. Padre Pio, St. Lucy (eyes), St. Lidwina of Schiedam (chronic illness), St. Agatha (breast cancer), St. Alphonsus Ligouri (arthritis), St. Charles Borromeo (stomach), St. Benedict of Nursia (kidneys), St. Andre Bessette (stomach), St. Gerard (infertility, miscarriage, safety in childbirth), St. Blaise (throat), St. Apollonia (teeth), St. Peregrine (cancer), St. Stephen (headaches), St. Josemaria Escriva (diabetes). 

Saints for Travel: 

• St. Joseph, St. Christopher, St. Thérèse of Lisieux (patron of the missions), St. Francis Xavier, St. Raphael the Archangel, St. James, St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, St. Brendan the Navigator, St. Joseph of Cupertino.

African-American Saints:

• St. Charles Lwanga, St. Josephine Bakhita, St. Martin de Porres. 

Saints for Particular and Important Matters

• St. Jude (impossible cases), St. Anthony (lost), St. Thérèse of Lisieux (roses sent for special favors, little way of love), St. Faustina (mercy), St. Monica (abuse, fallen away relatives), St. John Vianney (priests), St. Dymphna (nervous/mental illness), St. Rita of Cascia (impossible situations; difficult family dynamics), St. Mary Magdalene (converts), St. John the Evangelist (friendships and community).

Confirmation Saints By Vocation

While many of the foremost saints we know are recognizable in the religious attire of consecrated vocations, the saints spanned many vocational categories–here are some of them!

Missionary Saints:

• St. Paul, St. Francis Xavier, St. Mother Teresa, St. Patrick, St. Francis Xavier Cabrini, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, St. Damien of Molokai, St. Marianne Cope, St. Isaac Goupil, St. Rene Goupil, St. Jean de Brebeuf. 

Saints for Mothers of Families

• St. Anne, St. Frances of Rome, St. Hedwig, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, St. Margaret of Scotland, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Zelie Martin, St. Monica, St. Colette (a patron of expectant mothers).

Saints for Fathers of Families: 

• St. Joachim, St. Joseph, St. Louis Martin, St. Thomas More, St. Louis IX of France, St. Stephen of Hungary.

Young Saints

• St. Pier Giorgio, St. Carlo Acutis, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Dominic Savio, St. Maria Goretti, St. Tarcisius, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Charles Lwanga, St. Philomena, St. Jacinta & St. Francisco Marto, St. John Berchmans (patron of altar servers).

Saints for Students

• St. Joseph of Cupertino, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John Bosco, St. Dominic Savio, St. Gemma Galgani, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Catherine of Alexandria, St. Isidore of Seville.

Saints With Particular Callings

Are you inspired by the sort of saint who stands out, whether because they did something great or perhaps because in the eyes of the world they did seemingly nothing at all? Here are some saints with particular charisms or extraordinary callings!

Martyr Saints

• St. Agnes, St. Lawrence the deacon, St. Agatha, St. Lucy, St. Cecilia, St. Barbara, St. Thomas More, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. Margaret Clitherow, St. Isaac Jogues, St. John de Brebeuf, St. Maria Goretti.

Saints Who Did Especially Bold Things

• St. Peter, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Joan of Arc, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Junipero Serra, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Benedict of Nursia.

Saints Who Helped the Poor

• St. Katharine Drexel, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Martin de Porres, St. Damien of Molokai, St. Marianne Cope.
• Saints who led humble lives: St. Juan Diego, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Rose of Lima, Bl. Solanus Casey, St. Bernadette, St. Andre Bessette.

Saints with a Strong Devotion to the Blessed Mother

• St. Dominic, St. Louis de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, St. John Paul II, St. Alphonsus Liguori, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Thérèse of Lisieux, St. Josemaria Escriva, St. Bernadette.

Your Confirmation Saint Is No Accident

Establishing a relationship with your patron saint is a dynamic of holy discovery. Maybe you share a saint’s name or chose a patron at your Confirmation many years ago but do not have a relationship with them. Yet there are no accidents in God’s plan, so know that even if you chose your confirmation saint for a seemingly arbitrary reason (i.e. you went with St. Cecilia because you had dreams of being a professional musician or because you liked the name), the Lord knows what he is about when he puts certain saints in our path. You may not be paying much attention to the matter, but God is . . . and the saints are definitely paying attention to you! 

As we journey through life, many saints accompany us; your confirmation saint will not be the only one. Be open to meeting and befriending many saints over time! If you are attentive, you will find how they are seeking you out. Let your saint crew grow as you draw closer to God and increase in holiness. What a blessing it will be to climb to heaven with a whole army of special forces cheering you on!

Who is your confirmation saint? Do you have any inspiring patron saint stories? Share with us in the comments!