Virtue name

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Virtue names, also known as grace names, are used as personal names in a number of cultures. They express virtues that the parents wish their child to embody or be associated with. In the English-speaking world, beginning in the 16th century, the Puritans commonly expressed their values through creative names, many in the form of virtue names such as Grace, Felicity, Faith or Hope. [1] [2] These names have entered the standard British and American usage, without the religious connection.

Some Puritan virtue names were compound imperatives, such as "Search-the-scriptures" or "Praise-God". [2] An example of the use of "Praise-God" as a name is Praise-God Barebone, whose son Nicholas may have been given the name If-Jesus-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned. [3] In Britain, such Puritan virtue names were particularly common in Kent, Sussex and Northamptonshire. [3] They are sometimes referred to as hortatory names. [4] Virtue names were more commonly given to girls than boys, though not exclusively. [5]

Virtue names, such as Iman, can also be found in the Islamic world.

Names meant to convey virtues or desirable traits are also used in Nigeria. For example, the former president Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Patience Jonathan. [6]

In the United States in 2011, Faith and Hope was the fourth most common pairing of names for twins. Sixth was Heaven and Nevaeh ('Heaven' spelled backwards). [7] Faith, Hope and Charity (the three theological virtues) has been used for triplets, including the Cardwell triplets, who were Guinness-recognised as the oldest triplets ever. [8]

Use of the virtue name Chastity was revived after the birth of Cher and Sonny Bono's son Chaz Bono. [2]

There are also names that derive from positive attributes but which have separated from those words over time, including in spelling. For example, Ernest derives from the same root as 'earnest', hence the pun in The Importance of Being Earnest , whose main character assumes that name. Ernest was a popular name around the turn of the 20th century. [9]

Examples

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charity (name)</span> Name list

Charity is an English feminine given name derived from the English word charity. It was used by the Puritans as a virtue name. An earlier form of the name, Caritas, was an early Christian name in use by Romans.

Divine grace is a theological term present in many religions. It has been defined as the divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation; and as an individual virtue or excellence of divine origin.

Hope is a given name derived from the Middle English hope, ultimately from the Old English word hopian referring to a positive expectation or to the theological virtue of hope. It was used as a virtue name by the Puritans. Puritans also used Hope as an element in phrase names, such as Hope-for, Hopeful, and Hope-still.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faith (name)</span> Feminine given name

Faith is an English feminine given name derived from the word faith. It became popularized when the Puritans began using it as a virtue name during the 17th century. Puritans also used Faith as part of longer phrase names, such as Be-faithful, Faithful, Faith-my-joy, and Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chastity (given name)</span> Name list

Chastity is a feminine given name meaning chastity, referring to the virtue of exercising self-control over one's sexual behavior, which might mean practicing celibacy for a person who is unmarried, or monogamy for a person who is married. The name comes from the Late Latin word castitas. According to some sources, it was one of many virtue names in use by Puritans in the Colonial United States. The name increased in usage in the United States in the early 1970s after it was used by Sonny Bono and Cher for their child Chaz Bono, who was originally named Chastity Bono, in 1969. Chasity is a modern variant. However, other sources state that the name was not actually in use by the Puritans. Cher portrayed a character called Chastity in the 1969 film Chastity that was released the same year Cher named her child. Other modern spelling variants and name variants in use include Chasidy, Chassidy, Chassiti, Chassity, Chastady, Chastidy, Chastitea, Chastitee, Chastitey, Chastiti, and Chastitie. Some other variations of the name in use in the United States during the 19th century were Chassie, Chasta, Chasteen, Chastin, Chastina, Chastine, and Chasty. Some sources note that a girl named Chastity might not resemble the meaning of the name.

References

  1. Bardsley, Charles (1888). Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature. London: Chatto and Windus.
  2. 1 2 3 Burdess, Neil (2016). Hello, My Name Is...: The Remarkable Story of Personal Names. Sandstone Press Ltd. pp. 65–67. ISBN   978-1-910985-33-5.
  3. 1 2 Ash, Russell (2008). Potty, Fartwell & Knob : from Luke Warm to Minty Badger - extraordinary but true names of British people. London: Headline. p. 254. ISBN   9780755316557.
  4. Fara, Patricia (2021). Life after Gravity: Isaac Newton's London Career. Oxford University Press. p. 5. ISBN   978-0-19-257788-7.
  5. Redmonds, George (13 April 2004). Christian Names in Local and Family History. Dundurn. p. 152. ISBN   978-1-55002-507-1.
  6. Hao Li (18 April 2011). "What's up with Goodluck Jonathan's name?". International Business Times.
  7. "Popular Names For Twins Born In 2011". Social Security Administration. Archived from the original on 28 November 2012.
  8. Verhovek, Sam Howe (7 July 1994). "AT HOME WITH: Faith, Hope and Charity; 285 Years Young". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  9. "Ernest". Etymonline. Retrieved 28 March 2021.