# Polish Name Days: Etiquette & translation, please

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 23, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140 "2003-05-23T23:29:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140/1 "2003-05-23T23:29:02Z")

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I’ve been invited to a Polish friend’s name day party. Is there anything that would be traditionally given for such an occasion? Or at the very least, how does one say **“Happy Name Day”** (or whatever it is one says) in Polish?

Many thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140/2 "2003-05-23T23:43:24Z")

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By “name day” you mean the feastday of the Roman Catholic saint you were named after? Non-Catholics might not understand the term.

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**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [May 23, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140/3 "2003-05-23T23:52:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jomo Mojo \*  
> \*\*By “name day” you mean the feastday of the Roman Catholic saint you were named after? Non-Catholics might not understand the term. \*\*

Yes, as far as I understand it that’s what it is. Except I was told that it’s a “Name Day Party.” I’m familiar with name days in Scandinavian countries and was surprised to learn they have them in Poland too (and, I’m now assuming, many other countries). In Scandinavian (Lutheran) countries though it’s not a Roman Catholic thing; hence my uncertainty on whether there are certain traditions or greetings for Polish name days.

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**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [May 24, 2003, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polish-name-days-etiquette-translation-please/177140/4 "2003-05-24T13:55:48Z")

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Just using my one allotted bump in case Dopers on the other side of the world have an answer.