 The name Nonnus was a Levantine one, with eight of the nine Nonni listed in the Acts of the councils of Chalcedon and Ephesus from that area.Some claim it to be a latinization or hellenization of an Egyptian title equivalent to "saint".A hagiography of St Pelagia attributed to James or Jacob (), deacon of the church of Heliopolis (modern Baalbek), states that Nonnus was "a perfect monk" from Tabenna or "Tabennesum" in Egypt who, "by reason of his virtuous life", became bishop of Heliopolis, converting "all its inhabitants" and baptizing Arabs.