Today, every Simon you know shares a name day with the Greek tradition, and the celebration stretches a little further to Photini too, along with familiar Greek forms such as Fay, Fofi and Foto. It is the kind of day that can begin at the family table and end with a text to a classmate, co-worker or neighbour who had no idea their name was being celebrated.
Simon comes into Greek as Σίμων and Σίμωνας, part of a long name history that begins with Hebrew Shimon, from a root meaning “to hear” or “to listen,” then passes through Greek Simon and Latin into English and many European languages. Photini, from Greek Φωτεινή, is one of the most transparent Greek names, built from phos, photos, “light,” the same ancient root behind words like photograph, photon and phosphorescent. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, a person’s name day is the feast day of the saint after whom they were named at baptism.
That gives today a lovely range. There is the Simon at work who is always the first to listen properly before anyone else speaks, the uncle Simos who never misses a family call, and the old friend Simon whose name feels perfectly at home in both Greek and English. And for Photini, the resonance is immediate: the yiayia who keeps the kitchen warm long after dinner, the godmother whose presence brightens a room without effort, the Fayi in your contacts who somehow knows exactly when to check in.
In Greek usage, Simon today is especially linked with Saint Simon the Zealot, while the wider name family also recalls other New Testament figures such as Simon Peter before he became Peter. Photini belongs to one of the most distinctly Greek naming traditions, a name that has stayed close to its language of origin while still offering easy, affectionate forms that fit naturally into Canadian life.
Chronia Polla! to everyone celebrating today, Greek and non-Greek alike. If you know a Simon, a Simo, a Photini, a Fay or a Fofi, send the message along and let a small Greek custom brighten someone else’s day too.
