| The name Rigina is an alternate spelling of Regina. This | | | | Romans who brought their culture to the British Isles in |
| version traces its origins to the Latin spoken in ancient | | | | the year 42 A.D. |
| Rome, where Regina means queen. It derives from | | | | Another reason many people over the centuries have |
| the term regulus, or ruler, and is the feminine form of | | | | named their daughters Regina or Rigina comes from |
| the term. During the time in which the term Regina | | | | the Roman Catholic Church. Since this religion began |
| originated, however, it would have been an honorary | | | | with Latin as its official language, Mary, the mother of |
| title for the empress, as women did not hold political | | | | Christ, was always known as Regina Coeli, or Queen |
| power and were generally treated as property during | | | | of Heaven upon her Assumption. Due to their |
| this phase of history. A queen in those times would | | | | admiration of Mother Mary, many Catholics, especially |
| have enjoyed many privilges, such as domestic | | | | those who already had a daughter named Mary, |
| servants, simply for being married to the emperor and | | | | would name a daughter born later into the family |
| would be expected to provide male heirs to the | | | | Regina in honor of that title used for Saint Mary or for |
| regulus. | | | | daughters born on the Feast of the Assumption on |
| Throughout the centuries, many people who admire | | | | August fifteenth. Naturally, other Christians whose |
| the cultural and political innovations of the ancient | | | | families have an interest in history would also name a |
| Romans have continued to use Regina either as a | | | | daughter Regina for this reason, lending the name |
| name for daughters or as a title both in the religious | | | | some extra popularity such as it enjoyed in the first |
| and secular realms. Although a knowledge of the | | | | half of the twentiteh century. |
| name's derivation and meaning would render the name | | | | The spelling of this name depends upon how one |
| and title combination Queen Regina redundant, many | | | | wishes it to be pronounced. According to the sounds |
| queens have changed their name to Regina or Rigina | | | | of the ancient Latin from which it is derived, the original |
| upon coronation, thus lending some truth to the idea | | | | Regina should be pronounced Ray- gee-nah, while |
| that Queen Regina must have made it popular. This | | | | substituting the i for the e at the beginning would result |
| has happened in many nations and periods of history | | | | in the sound ree-gee-nah. Each family has its own |
| where women have been regarded as second-class | | | | reasons for how the name should look and sound, |
| citizens and the new queen wishes to take on the | | | | most importantly whether the daughter to bear the |
| extra air of royalty when her husband becomes king. | | | | name is to be directly named after an ancestor with |
| The legend of the name Regina coming from a | | | | the name or whether they prefer the tradition and its |
| specific queen likely lies in England, where many | | | | spelling Regina or an alternative such as Rigina. |
| queens took the name as a hearkening back to the | | | | |