FIDES AND FIDELIS These names principally mean the same thing.

Whether they are translated differently or similarly, the basic meaning is the same, FAITH/ FAITHFUL. The applicability of these two names may vary slightly but their intrinsic meaning remains the same: FAITH. They are both of Latin/Roman origin and have anciently been used in both religious and military contexts in Roma. The Feminine and Masculine nature of Fides and Fidelis respectively originated from the ancient Latin as well. For that matter Fides was (in Roman mythology) known to be the goddess of faith and Fidelis was given to Saints or Military forces. Then to date, Fides is a feminine name with Fidelis as its male counterpart. But for me it no longer matters whether the name is feminine or masculine. The intrinsic meaning of the name matters though the primary purpose of giving names is not to capture and utilize the meaning of the name itself. There is a myth that the name you give to your baby is going to have some implication to his/her life but we wonder how it happens. Nonetheless people give their babies funny names. Tradition and cultural practices of a certain society dictate which names are to be given to which gender and which are supposed to be multi-gender. In most cases the intrinsic meaning of the names is put aside because most of the names specified for one gender, have meanings that are not genderspecific. Names like Baraka, Neema, Furaha, Huzuni, Joyce, Joy e.t.c. have meanings and supposed implications that are not gender specific but because of traditions and cultural practices most of them are gender specific. In Tanzania I have never met or heard of a man by the name Lilian, yet we have a French defender by the name Lilian Thuram! Think of a man called Jocelyn/Joseline in Tanga, funny isnt it? But what about the FrenchGuadeloupean Football defender Jocelyn Angloma who played most of his football with the Spanish Valencia from 1997 to 2002? He is a man bearing the same name. May be if we try to find the meanings of these names we will know why. Now why cant a woman (or a girl whatever happens to be) be Fidelis? The answer might be because that is a Masculine name, who said so? If it is the tradition we consider, we are rapidly drifting from it already. Why do we have ladies and women putting on outfits that were traditionally (or rather initially) regarded as Mens? Why do we have men putting on attires considered to be womens (including wearing ear rings and the like)? May be it is because of the meaning attached to them by the responsible people. That is why I said if we consider their intrinsic meaning, Fides and Fidelis can be applied to both genders and so can other names.

SDM 220807