Growing up in a big Irish-American family, St. Patrick’s Day was a holiday on the same level as Christmas in my home. The whole month of March was packed full of celebrations, all leading up to the big day. Never once did we call it a silly nickname though. My mother would often make snarky comments about anyone who called it St. Paddy or Patty’s Day. She also would post Facebook charts explaining the proper name for the day. My Irish Dance teacher also always made it a point to correct people.

But why does it matter?

A patty is something you put between bread, not the name of a Saint. Patty is also not a nickname for Patrick, but rather Patricia. The day is not celebrating St. Patricia, it’s St. Patrick. While Paddy would be the proper nickname for Patrick, that name holds negative connotations of its own.

It’s no secret that the Irish and the British have a long and complex history. The British have long used the term “Paddy” as a slur against the Irish. The word is often used to describe drunkards and foolishness, promoting negative Irish stereotypes. Using the derogatory term for the Irish on a holiday originated by the Irish just seems plain wrong.

While most Americans probably have no clue the nicknames they use for St. Patrick’s Day are offensive, that doesn’t make it right to use them. It’s important to me to educate people on Irish history and the proper name for what may just be the best day of the year.