Choosing the perfect name for your baby girl is a big decision. If you are looking for a meaningful and unique name that will inspire her to be the best she can be, then consider a virtue name. Virtue names have a long history and are known for their positive association with values such as love, kindness, and courage. The Puritans brought many of these names to the new world but parents today are also creating new ones that sound fresh and modern.
In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of 25 winning virtue names for girls that range from traditional to modern. Each name offers its own special meaning and serves as a reminder of the qualities that we all strive to embody. Let’s dive in and find the perfect name for your little one!
Verity
Verity is a name of Latin origin that means “truth.” You will stumble across this name on occasion in the UK but it has gone virtually unused in the US. We think this virtue name holds so much potential for a little girl born today.
Mercy
Mercy is a name that is synonymous with compassion. The name was most popular in the US in the late 19th century but that could totally change in coming years as this appellation has been quietly on the rise today.
Prudence
Prudence is one of our favorite virtue baby names due to the darling nickname Pru. The name was last popular in the US before the 1950s. We think it’s time for this appellation that means “caution” to make a comeback.
Grace
By far the most popular virtue name in the US, Grace is in the top 50 most popular baby names for girls today and has been for the majority of years that the Social Security Administration has kept up with baby naming data.
Charity
What is a better virtue than Charity? Charity has had its ups and downs of popularity throughout US history. It’s most popular year ever was 1975 but it has been missing from the top 1000 most popular baby names since 2013. Common nicknames for this one are Cherry and Tee.
Constance
A mid-century mega hit of a name, Constance spawned so many baby girls called Connie. Constance has fallen from favor today in the US but it is currently popular in the UK and France. Constance is a name that means “steadfast” and we feel that its staying power should echo that.
Epiphany
One of the deeply spiritual virtue names is Epiphany that comes from a Greek root that means “manifestation.” The Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, takes place on January 6, making this a great (underused) option.
Faith
Faith is one of the most straightforward virtue names which is likely why it is also one of the most popular. Faith saw its most popular years in the late 1990s and early 2000s but it is still a favored option today.
Felicity
Felicity is a virtue name that means “happy” and “good fortune.” The TV show of the same name did a lot to boos this name’s appeal and popularity. In fact, the name had never ranked in the top 1000 names for girls until after the show came out. A real glow up!
Hope
Hope, along with Faith and Charity, is one of the three theological virtues making them some of the most popular names in the 17th and 18th century. In fact, Hope and Faith are often given to twins. Hope remains a popular option today and it’s a solid choice.
Joy
One of the happiest and peppiest of the virtue names is the delightful Joy. The name peaked in popularity in 1974 but it still remains in the top 500 today.
Liberty
Liberty is one of the lesser-used virtue names that has a history of use in the US, especially following the end of WWII. Liberty feels like an all-American name that’s perfect for patriotic parents.
Merit
Merit is on the rise for both girls and it wears like a badge of honor. Despite being trendy at the moment the name has yet to crack the top 1000 but we expect that to change in the coming year or two. Get ahead of the trend and choose this name for your little one.
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Patience
Patience has been used as a virtue name for hundreds of years now but because it went underutilized in the US for so long it feels fresh today. Thanks to the hugely successful name, Payton, this could be seen as an easy alternative.
Serenity
Serenity is one of the more modern virtue names available to you. It has been in the top 100 since 2009 and is enjoying its most popular moment ever in the US. Serenity actually comes from a Latin root, and it indeed means “peace.”
Temperance
Temperance was used almost exclusively by the Puritans ages ago but today it is finally enjoying some time in the sun. We love the antique-sound of this one that feels so full of character today.
Trinity
Trinity is a virtue name that is a reference to the Holy Trinity. The name comes from a Latin root that means “triad.” Trinity has only been widely used in the US since the 1970s which helps make it feel more current than others on this list. The name gained huge popularity in the early aughts when it was a top 100 name.
Virtue
The most virtuous of all the virtue names Virtue. The name comes from Latin and means “morally sound.” Sadly, not many parents have chosen this baby name for girls in the US, ever. We hope its fortunes improve in the coming years.
True
True is a new virtue name that’s a perfect fit for both girls and boys. However, it seems to be going to more girls than boys these days. Forest Whitaker and Khloe Kardashian for improving this names popularity as they both gave the name to their daughters.
Revel
Revel is a virtue name that feels modern as it has no immediate connection to the bible. Thus, for parents looking for word names that are secular, this makes a great choice. It’s rare too so it would be a great, unique appellation.
Karma
Karma is a Hindi concept that means “destiny” or “force.” Karma is a rather new addition as a baby girls’ name. This name had a moment from 2005 to 2013 when it landed in the top 1000 but it has since fallen from it.
Journey
Journey is one of the newest and most durable virtue names parents are choosing for baby girls. It’s more popular today than ever before and you will likely here more and more often.
Harmony
Harmony is a unisex virtue name that has been popular for girls since the 1970s. We love this one as it sounds peaceful and its association with music would be great for parents who love it.
Brave
Brave is a relatively new virtue name that’s cropped up thanks to the Disney movie of the same name. This name has yet to crack the top 1000 for boys or girls but we can see that changing very soon. It also is a perfect option for a middle name.
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Dream
After a couple of celebrities chose the name Dream, it became a hit, especially for people girls. We love the possibility that this appellation holds. Dream is more popular today than ever before and is firmly planted in the top 500 most popular names for girls.
There you go! We hope you enjoyed these virtue names that we ranked from most traditional to more modern. There’s something to love about each one. Happy baby name hunting!