Virtue Names

One of the new generation of virtue names, with Peace and Justice taking over from the Puritans' Absolution and Forgiveness, but this one is still a bit heavy to carry.

Tahira is a pretty Arabic virtue name, unusual yet accessible.

With its ties to tranquil Walden Pond, and harmonious meaning, this could be a modern virtue name.

A kind of French virtue name, an affectionate form of Fidele.

Wonder is a lovely quality for a modern virtue name. With ethereal word names like Dream and Love rising fast in the charts, Wonder feels right at home.

Generally used in conjunction with another name to form a religious phrase -- for instance the daughter of rapper DMX is called Praise Mary Ella.

The mythical daughter of Eros and Psyche becomes a modern-sounding word name. Danger: could be seen as X-rated.

Now that Bear is becoming a hot name, can Grizzly be far behind? A handful of baby boys did get this name last year in the US.

Fortitude is the kind of virtue name the Puritans favored, but would not be easy for a modern boy to carry. Stick with something a little simpler than Fortitude, like Justice or True.

"Saturday Night Live" cast member Finesse Mitchell often mocks his own and similar names when portraying the character Starkeisha on the show.

A bold, unisex virtue name that first made the charts for boys in 1990 and girls in 2008. Millennials may associate it with the Cartoon Network show Courage the Cowardly Dog, about a timid, good-natured dog by the name.

A pretty and modern word name for a daughter, expressing great happiness.

Modesty is a virtue name dating to Roman times, but never widely used, except for hot 1960s movie spoof heroine, Modesty Blaise, based on a comic strip.

Forget Patience and Charity: Here's a Colonial name (and sentiment) that seems perfect for modern times.

This one's cutting right to the chase, but with such names as Justice and Peace on the rise, why not? And we guarantee your seven-year-old son will love it, though your 17-year-old, maybe not so much. Could be used as a middle name, as Talisa Soto and Benjamin Bratt did.

Believe it or not, Prudence is on the rise for girls in both the US and UK. Could Prudent be next?

Full-hearted new virtue choice, though five syllables is a lot to handle.

A Puritan-esque virtue name with religious undertones — referring to being cleansed of evil spirits. For the bold namer, the built-in nicknames Liv and Livy feel approachable.

A striking word name for either gender. It's a safer choice when used as a middle name.