Adjective Names

Toni Morrison, the modern master of literary names, made this one famous as the title character of a novel. But things didn't work out so well for that Beloved.

A bit too cunning.

Faith is a classic virtue name, but Faithful is more modern, having only been in the charts since 2003, and somehow more word-like.

An adjective name that probably won't be used for a baby born in the UK. Short-form Brit is reminiscent of the late 20th-century favorite, Brittany.

Though rarely heard now, Coy has been around for a century and was not an uncommon name for boys a hundred years ago. There have been a couple of NFL players named Coy, Coy Bowles is in the Zac Brown band, and of course there was Coy Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard. Due to the flirty connotations of the word "coy", McCoy is a more popular and recommended choice today.

For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.

Bright and glowing name, perfect for a baby who arrived on a sunny day.

We call Savvy a Modern Virtue Name, a contemporary version of the Puritan's Hope and Charity, extolling the virtue of shrewdness. And who doesn't want their daughter to grow up to be Savvy in the ways of the world? So far, this name has been used only for girls, perhaps because some parents remember the women's magazine called Savvy.

A name that's appeared out of thin air, in the same vein as such mystical favorites as Destiny and Nevaeh.

Stormy and variations have always been more common among girls, but there's no reason you shouldn't use it for a son. Storm was historically more masculine, until the arrival of Stormi Webster.

And her sisters, Stormy and Sunny.

For parents who hope their child will one day carve their own path.

A big name to bestow upon a baby, but in line with word names that are becoming increasingly fashionable, such as Legend, Miracle, and Royal.

Honor and Honesty are on the ascent, and now Honest has been introduced into the name pool. Maybe Honestly will be next.

For more exciting options with the same meaning, try Jolie, Marini, or Reiko.

A generation or two ago it may have been unthinkable to name your child something as bold as Divine. But with names like Messiah and Saint in the mainstream, almost anything is fair game.

A sunny-sounding surname or an adjective meaning "only when the going's good" – as in, a fairweather friend.

Notorious debuted on the charts for boys in 1995, at the height of The Notorious B.I.G.'s career.