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A name. A world of connections.
“of the sea”
/pɪˈleɪd͡ʒiəs/ · English (UK, US)
01 / Meaning & origin
Pelagius is a masculine given name documented in English and Latin. English Wiktionary traces it to Ancient Greek Πελάγιος via Latin, with the stated meaning “of the sea”.
Meaning: “of the sea”
Borrowed from Latin Pelagius, from Ancient Greek Πελάγιος (Pelágios), from πελάγιος (pelágios, “of the sea”), from πέλαγος (pélagos, “sea”).
02 / Across borders
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Documented as a given name in English.
Explore United States4 of 10 countries
03 / By the numbers
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04 / Through time
Passages quoted verbatim from public-domain reference works. They reflect the scholarship of their time, not current consensus, and may use obsolete spellings.
Pelagius— “of the sea”
To these may perhaps be added the Italian Marino and Marina, given perhaps casually to sea-side dwellers; and their Greek equivalents, Pelagios and Pelagia, both of which are still used by the modern Greeks. Pelagius was used by the Irish, or more properly Scottish, Morgan, as a translation of his own name, and thus became tainted with the connection of the Pelagian heresy; but it did not become extinct; and Pelayo was the Spanish prince who first began the brave resistance…
To these may perhaps be added the Italian Marino and Marina, given perhaps casually to sea-side dwellers; and their Greek equivalents, Pelagios and Pelagia, both of which are still used by the modern Greeks. Pelagius was used by the Irish, or more properly Scottish, Morgan, as a translation of his own name, and thus became tainted with the connection of the Pelagian heresy; but it did not become extinct; and Pelayo was the Spanish prince who first began the brave resistance that rendered the mountains of the Asturias a nucleus for the new kingdom of Spain.
Yonge, History of Christian Names (1884), Part IV, Chapter VI (Modern Names From The Latin), Section XIX (Town and Country) · Public domain (Project Gutenberg)
People recorded with this given name in Wikidata. Their names may use a different spelling, or include it as a middle or baptismal name.
Pope and Bishop of Rome (r. 579-590)
pope
4th-century theologian, namesake of Pelagianism
10th-century Spanish saint
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06 / Behind the facts
Review status: Source-reported — no editorial review recorded yet. Last data change 2026-10-15.
Wiktionary text: CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikidata: CC0. Commons recordings retain their individual file licences. Complete attribution is available in each group above and alongside each chart.
