Saint Who?

Thanks to Emily L. for the suggestion, even if it did take me forever to actually take you up on it. :)

Okay, so I went and actually looked at how many saints there are in the Catholic church, and holy crap. Over 2000! Most of us, regardless of religion, could probably name at least a few--Peter, Francis, Theresa. Actually, many names with long history of use in the Western world belong to at least one saint (and in the case of "classics", probably several)!
So, I went perusing for unusual/unexpected names. To make it easier on myself, I limited it to patron saints (which is still hundreds, so I guess it's not that much of a narrow-down).

• Afra (AH-frah, AF-rah)--patroness of penitent women, martyrs, & converts. Feast Day: Aug. 5.
• Arthelais (ar-tel-AH-ees)--patroness of the ill, exiles, and the kidnapped. Also known as Artellaide.  Feast Day: March 3.
• Bibiana (bee-BYAH-nah)--patroness of epileptics and the mentally ill. Also known as Viviana/Vivian. Feast Day: Dec. 2.
• Brieuc (bree-OO)--patron of purse-makers. Also known as Brioc. Feast Day: May 1.
• Cadoc (KAH-dok)--patron of the deaf and famine victims. Feast Day: Sept. 25.
• Cajetan (KAJ-eh-tan)--patron of job-seekers and the unemployed. Also known as Gaetano or Cayetano. Feast Day: Aug. 7.
• Cassian (KAS-see-an; KASH-an)--patron of schoolteachers and clerks. Feast Day: Aug. 13.
• Cloud (CLOWD)--patron of nail-makers. Also known as Clodoald. Feast Day: Sept. 7.
• Colman (COHL-man)--several saints.
• Devota (deh-VOH-tah)--patroness of mariners. Feast Day: Jan 27.
• Dwynwen (DWIN-wen)--patroness of lovers. Also known as Donwen or Donwenna. Feast Day: Jan. 25.
• Dymphna (DIMF-na)--patroness against mental & neurological disorders. Feast Day: May 15.
• Eulalia (yoo-LAHL-yah)--two saints: one patroness of sailors, Feast Day: Feb 12; the other patroness of runaways, Feast Day: Dec. 10. 
• Fabiola (fah-bee-OH-lah)--patroness of divorcees and abuse victims. Feast Day: Dec. 27.
• Foillan (FOYL-lan)--patron of surgeons, pediatric nurses, and dentists. Also known as Faolan or Faelan. Feast Day: Oct. 31; Nov. 5.
• Gemma (JEM-mah)--patroness of students and pharmacists. Feast Day: April 7.
• Gereon (GEHR-ee-on)--patron against headaches/migraines. Feast Day: Oct. 10.
• Hervé (ehr-VAY)--patron of the blind. Also known as Harvey. Feast Day: June 17.
• Ivo (EE-voh)--patron of lawyers and abandoned children. Also known as Yves. Feast Day: May 19.
• Kateri (KAH-teh-ree)--patroness of ecologists. Feast Day: July 14.
• Kentigern (KEN-tih-gehrn)--patron of bullying victims. Also known as Mungo. Feast Day: Jan. 13.
• Kilian (KIL-ee-an)--patron against rheumatism. Also known as Cillian. Feast Day: July 8.
• Lydwina (lid-WEE-nah)--patroness of the chronically ill. Also known as Lidwina or Liduina. Feast day: April 14.
• Macrina (mah-KREE-nah)--patron of widows and the poor. Feast Day: Jan. 14.
• Marciana (mar-CHAH-nah)--patroness of the injured. Feast Day: Jan. 9.
• Osmund (OZ-mund)--patron of the paralyzed and mentally ill. Feast Day: Dec. 4.
• Paraskevi (pah-rah-skeh-VEE)--three different saints, sometimes called Parascheva or Petka.
• Peregrine (PEHR-eh-grin)--patron of cancer victims. Feast Day: May 1. 
• Petronilla (pet-ro-NIL-lah)--patroness of mountain travellers
• Pirmin (PEER-min)--patron against poisoning & snake bites. Feast Day: Nov. 3.
• Solange (soh-LAWNZH)--patroness of rape victims and shepherds. Feast Day: May 10.
• Walstan (WAL-stan)--patron of farms & farmers. Feast Day: May 30.
• Zita (ZEE-tah)--patroness of servants. Also known as Citha or Sitha. Feast Day: April 27.

Quite a few have intriguing surname possibilities as well. Look for a part 2 at some point!