NOMEN OBSCURUM
Colmcille
Old Irish
“Dove of the church”
Surviving mention
The Irish name of St. Columba, who founded the monastery of Iona in 563 CE. Adomnan's 'Life of Columba' is the most detailed biography of any early medieval figure. His name in Latin — Columba — means the same thing: dove.
Why it matters
The dove who brought Christianity to Scotland. His dual name — Irish and Latin — embodies the fusion of cultures that created insular Christianity.