The Virtues of Virtue Names

At least one baby name trend has been popular for, well, ever: virtue names. A little “Gracie” will never be ostracized because of her name, nor will “Hope” or “Faith.”Some of the more uncommon virtue names, such as “Honor,” “Charity,” “Mercy,” and “Justice” may cause someone to take pause, but generally they are considered acceptable and worthy. Today I am musing about how virtue babies get their names- can you look at a baby girl and know that she is full of grace? Can you tell that a little “Hope” is not going to be a pessimist? Or, do you give a baby a virtue name as a prayer? If his name is “Justice,” maybe as a kid he’ll always share with his siblings and he’ll grow up to be a lawyer. Maybe “Joy” will delight people everywhere she goes and radiate God’s love through her demeanor.

But what if the opposite is true? What if “Grace” is a boor, and “Honor” is rebellious? I (seriously) knew a girl named “Chastity” in high school. Yes, the meaning is noble, but what a moniker to slap a kid with! And no, by all appearances she did not live up to her name- it was kind of an irony, unfortunately. On the other hand, my parents named me Brittany Joy because they were so thrilled to have a daughter and knew I would bring them great joy. I tell you, in my moments of adolescent angst when I was making their lives miserable, it would stick in my mind that I was supposed to be their Joy, and it was pretty convicting.

In general I’m a fan of virtue names (except perhaps “Chastity”), especially for middle names. So often there is a story behind them (I wonder how many “Hopes” were born on September 11, 2001?), and they represent a parent’s most fervent wishes for his or her child. I think that if the parents continually tell their children the story of their names, and pray the names over them and claim them for their family, the virtue can indeed become a part of them; even if it doesn’t come naturally, it can be their life long quest to achieve it. Therefore, there’s little risk of ending up with a cruel “Justice” or a contentious “Harmony.”

          What do you think about virtue names? Do you have one? Plan to use one?