Nathaly

Nathaly is an Americanized respelling of the French and German Nathalie which are both forms of Natalie. Natalie is born from the Latin “natalis” which means “birthday”, but more specifically Christ’s birthday better known as Christmas Day (“natale domini”). The name gained attention mostly within the Eastern Orthodox Church in reference to an early 4th century martyred saint Adrian of Nicomedia (an eastern province of the then Roman Empire). Adrian’s wife, Natalia, also converted to Christianity with her husband during the time of Roman persecutions of Christians. After Adrian was imprisoned for his conversion, Natalia disguised herself as a boy to visit him and ask for his prayers when he got to heaven. Since the later Byzantium Empire was more familiar with Natalia, the name was originally embraced by Eastern Europeans before making it out West (probably during the Crusades). The Russian forms of Natalya and Natasha were among the most common before Northern Europeans embraced Natalie/Nathalie and Southern Europeans Natalia. As Americans are often prone to do, modernized respelled forms of Nathaly, Natalee and Nataly are also used in the United States.