Jump to content

Virtue name: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
bubble up cite
No edit summary
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit Advanced mobile edit
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 19 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Personal name expressing a virtue}}
'''Virtue names''', also known as '''grace names''', are used as [[personal name]]s in a number of cultures. In the English-speaking world, the [[Puritans]] commonly expressed their values through creative names, many in the form of virtue names like Grace, Felicity, Chastity or Hope.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bardsley|first=Charles|title=Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature|year=1888|publisher=Chatto and Windus|location=London|url=http://publicdomainreview.org/2012/09/18/curiosities-of-puritan-nomenclature-1888/}}</ref> These names have entered the standard British and American usage without issue.
'''Virtue names''', also known as '''grace names''', are used as [[personal name]]s in a number of cultures. They express [[virtue]]s 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 (given name)|Grace]], [[Felicity (given name)|Felicity]], [[Faith (name)|Faith]] or [[Hope (given name)|Hope]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Bardsley|first=Charles|title=Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature|year=1888|publisher=Chatto and Windus|location=London|url=https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/curiosities-of-puritan-nomenclature-1888}}</ref><ref name=Burdess>{{cite book|last=Burdess|first=Neil|title=Hello, My Name Is...: The Remarkable Story of Personal Names|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Enj3DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT66|year=2016|publisher=Sandstone Press Ltd|isbn=978-1-910985-33-5|pages=65–67}}</ref> These names have entered the standard British and American usage, without the religious connection.


Some Puritan virtue names were compound [[Imperative mood|imperatives]], such as "Search-the-scriptures" or "Praise-God".<ref name=Burdess /> An example of the use of "Praise-God" as a name is [[Praise-God Barebone]], whose son [[Nicholas Barbon|Nicholas]] may have been given the name If-Jesus-Christ-had-not-died-for-thee-thou-hadst-been-damned.<ref name=Ash>{{cite book |last1=Ash |first1=Russell |title=Potty, Fartwell & Knob : from Luke Warm to Minty Badger - extraordinary but true names of British people |date=2008 |publisher=Headline |location=London |isbn=9780755316557 |page=254 |url=https://archive.org/details/pottyfartwellkno0000ashr/page/254/mode/2up}}</ref> In Britain, such Puritan virtue names were particularly common in Kent, Sussex and Northamptonshire.<ref name=Ash /> They are sometimes referred to as [[hortative|hortatory]] names.<ref>{{cite book|last=Fara|first=Patricia|title=Life after Gravity: Isaac Newton's London Career|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F-AeEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA5|year=2021|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-257788-7|page=5}}</ref> Virtue names were more commonly given to girls than boys, though not exclusively.<ref>{{cite book|last=Redmonds|first=George|title=Christian Names in Local and Family History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pMJmv3EbbsAC&pg=PA152|date=13 April 2004|publisher=Dundurn|isbn=978-1-55002-507-1|page=152}}</ref>
⚫
Virtue names, such as [[Iman]], can also be found in the Islamic world.{{fact}}

⚫
Virtue names, such as [[Iman (concept)|Iman]], can also be found in the Islamic world.

Names meant to convey virtues or desirable traits are also used in Nigeria. Examples include the former president [[Goodluck Jonathan]] and his wife [[Patience Jonathan]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=Hao Li |title=What's up with Goodluck Jonathan's name? |url=https://www.ibtimes.com/whats-goodluck-jonathans-name-280475 |website=International Business Times |date=18 April 2011}}</ref>

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).<ref>{{cite web |title=Popular Names For Twins Born In 2011 |url=http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/twins.html |website=Social Security Administration |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121128022158/http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/twins.html |archive-date=28 November 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Faith, Hope and Charity (the three [[theological virtues]]) has been used for triplets, including the Cardwell triplets, who were [[Guinness World Records|Guinness-recognised]] as the oldest triplets ever.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Verhovek |first1=Sam Howe |title=AT HOME WITH: Faith, Hope and Charity; 285 Years Young |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/07/garden/at-home-with-faith-hope-and-charity-285-years-young.html |access-date=28 March 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=7 July 1994}}</ref>

Use of the virtue name Chastity was revived after the birth of [[Cher]] and [[Sonny Bono]]'s son [[Chaz Bono]].<ref name=Burdess />

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ernest |url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/ernest |website=Etymonline |access-date=28 March 2021}}</ref>

==Examples==
* [[Blythe (given name)|Blythe]]
* [[Charity (name)|Charity]]
* [[Chastity]]
* [[Constance (given name)|Constance]]
* [[Dilys]]
* [[Ernest]]
* [[Faith (name)|Faith]]
* [[Felicity (given name)|Felicity]]
* [[Felix (name)|Felix]]
* [[Grace (given name)|Grace]]
* [[Harmony]]
* [[Honor (given name)|Honor]]
* [[Hope (given name)|Hope]]
* [[Joy (given name)|Joy]]
* [[Liberty]]
* [[Mercy (given name)|Mercy]]
* [[Modesty]]
* [[Patience (given name)|Patience]]
* [[Prudence (given name)|Prudence]]
* [[Sage (name)|Sage]]
* [[Serenity (given name)|Serenity]]
* [[St John (name)|St John]]
* [[Temperance (given name)|Temperance]]
* [[Verity]]


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{stub}}
{{Personal names}}


[[Category:Given name types]]
[[Category:Virtue names| ]]
[[Category:Virtue names| ]]

{{name-stub}}

Latest revision as of 22:46, 30 June 2024

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. Examples include 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

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Bardsley, Charles (1888). Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature. London: Chatto and Windus.
  2. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b 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.

This name-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Virtue_name&oldid=1231907029"