Virtue Names

Sound contradicts its meaning.

Could be an unconventional route to Theo.

Like Justice and Peace, this word name makes a very strong statement. Ving Rhames chose it for his boy.

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.

Adventurous word choice, but still quite a burden for a child to bear.

Experience is a word name used by the New England Puritans but probably too joke-worthy for a modern child...or teenager. It does not have as direct a biblical reference as most Puritan names.

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 bit too self-congratulatory and, understandably, exceedingly rare. Still, if you're looking for a modern virtue name for your daughter, this may be one of the best qualities to exemplify.

A big, bold, ultra-rare virtue name. Could it follow in the footsteps of Justice and Liberty?

Trying to imbue your child with charisma at birth involves a certain degree of chutzpah. It was brought into the mix by ex. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actress Charisma Carpenter, who was named after an Avon perfume.

Might have a shot as a name, à la Genesis and Destiny, if it weren't for yet another perfume connection.

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

This Puritan virtue name may be unstylish, but it is also sympathetic and appealing in these largely uncomfortable times.

Likely to be construed as a virtue name (a nice one, at that!), even though Willing is a traditional surname with both English and German roots. As an English name, Willing is a patronymic form of Willa. In German, it's a patronym from Wille, a variation of Ville, which is related to William.

Relief was a name used by the Puritans in reference to the relief of Christ. Leafy was the common nickname.

The Puritans used it as a virtue name -- but today it would just be considered weird: silence is no longer golden.

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.

Eternal--or eternally pretentious?

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.