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Calogero (from the Greek: καλόγερος, romanized: kalógeros, a familiar term for a monk) is common given name and family name, and a place name of Greek origin.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Variants

• (Masculine): Calocero
  • (Hypocoristic): Calò, Gero, Gerino
• Feminine: Calogera, Calocera

Origin and diffusion

Derived from the Greek: καλόγερος, translit. kalogeros, composed of Greek: καλός, translit. kalos (Ancient Greek "fair"; Modern Greek "good") and Greek: γέρων, translit. geron ("old man", "old") and literally means "nice old man", "one who has nice old age"";^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]} the first element is reminiscent of such names as Calliope and Callimachus, while the second is reminiscent of the name Gerontius. A second interpretation, not generally accepted, is that the second element is the Greek keros (grain), according to which the name would mean "good grain".^[7]

Historically, in the ambit of Greek Orthodoxy, the term caloyer is used as a name for a monk or a hermit, in a manner that translates as "brother" or "monk",^[1][3][5][6] a significance that is retained in Modern Greek.

The name is traditionally found in and is characteristic of Sicily, bestowed by the cultus of Saint Calogerus the Anchorite, a monk and hermit near Sciacca;^[3][5][7] in the province of Agrigento, Calogero is the third-most widespread masculine name,^[8] but it is well-attested in all the rest of the island.

Feast days

The feast day is celebrated on June 18 in honour of Saint Calogerus, exorcist and hermit in Sicily.^[7][9][10] Other feast dates recorded for the name are:

• February 11, Saint Calogerus, Bishop of Ravenna and confessor^[7]
• April 18, Saint Calocerus, Roman soldier and martyr at Albenga under Hadrian^[7][9]
• 19 May, Saint Calocerus the Eunuch, brother of Saint Parthenius, martyred under Decius, commemorated together with Parthenius^[6][7][9]

People

References