Sympathetic new twist on a Puritan virtue name. 

Affinity

If Fable, Story and Saga are getting a look in, why not Allegory? Allegory offers the cute nickname Ally.

Allegory

As flower names become more unique, so can gem names move beyond Ruby and Pearl to names like Topaz, Sapphire, and Peridot. Amethyst, the purple birthstone for February, has never been in the Top 1000, but could have some appeal, joining similarly-hued Violet and Lilac, all of which make great <a href="https://nameberry.com//list/614/names-for-aquarius-babies">names for Aquarius babies</a> or <a href="https://list/630/70-lovely-names-for-february-babies">names for February babies</a>.
 In the M.M. Kaye children's novel The Ordinary Princess, the protagonist is Princess Amethyst Alexandra Augusta Araminta Adelaide Aurelia Anne of Phantasmorani — Amy for short — who has been given the "gift" of ordinariness.

Amethyst

Your daughter will like this better at twenty than she will at fifty. 

Antiquity

Part-April, part-Felicity, but with the wonderfully whimsical feel of Serendipity. Apricity debuted in the US charts for the first time in 2022.

Apricity

Azelea

Beren

A sweet, uplifting and still fairly uncommon modern virtue name. Its single syllable makes it especially good as a middle name, but it would also make a big impact in the first spot.

Bliss

The musical word name Cadence, seemed to come out of nowhere to zoom up the charts; it rose over 700 spots between 2002 and 2004, and showed up in the Top 200 in 2007. It's gone down in the <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> list since then, though. Some might see it as a feminine relative of the popular Caden. Kadence and Kaydence are also rising.
 An early Cadence sighting was in the 1992 Armistead Maupin novel Maybe the Moon, in which the narrator heroine was a small actress called Cadence Roth, nn Cady. January Jones played a Cadence in American Wedding.

Cadence

Ceren is an excellent cross-cultural Turkish choice, bearing resemblance to names like Serena and Seren. In Turkey, it refers to a baby gazelle and was most common among Gen Z. At its height, Ceren ranked at Number 15 on the Turkish charts in 2006.

Ceren

Charity is one of the Big Three abstract virtue names, along with Hope and Faith, though far less widely used than the others. But as Faith, Grace and Hope grow more common, some parents are beginning to look at the more unusual three-syllable choices like Verity, Amity, Clarity and Charity, which sound much fresher and also have that pleasingly rhythmic 'y'-ending sound.
 In the Dickens novel Martin Chuzzlewit, there are two sisters named Charity and Mercy, who are known as Cherry and Merry.
 In the musical Sweet Charity the title character, Charity Hope Valentine, is an all too charitable girl with a heart of gold. In the novel"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Charity Burbage is a Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and in Two Broke Girls there's an Aunt Charity who's not very charitable.
 Charity was in the Top 500 in the 1880's and 1890's, remained in the Top 1000 until 1927 when it dropped from sight, then reappeared in 1968. For a period in the 1970's and eighties, Charity was a Top 300 name.

Charity

If Destiny is your daughter's destiny, she probably won't be the only one in her school: until 2009, Destiny was in the Top 50, with three of its alternate spellings in hot pursuit. It has since dipped a bit in popularity but is still widely used. Destiny Hope was the birth name of Miley Cyrus and Destiny Jones is the daughter or rapper Nas. 

Destiny

A lot to handle, but it does give a sense of openness, joy, and awe. 

Discovery

Could be a sister to Trinity, Genesis, or Heaven. 

Divinity

Eccentricity

Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.
 In the Greek myth, Echo was a nymph whose unrequited love for Narcissus caused her to fade away until all that was left was the sound of her voice. Obviously, a name with a lot of reverberations.

Echo

Eden is an attractive, serene name with obvious intimations of Paradise, one of several place names drawn from the Bible by the Puritans in the seventeenth century.
 Eden entered the Top 1000 in 1989, and got a real bump in visibility when Desperate Housewives' Marcia Cross used it for one of her twin girls. There have been also Edens on the old soap opera Santa Barbara and the shows Heroes and Extras.
 Pronounced ED-en, Eden is also a Hebrew name for boys, though as EE-den it's gaining ground in the US for boys, now given to one boy for every four girls.

Eden

Unlike Amber, which is in decline, this name still has a bit of a glow left -- though confusions between the two will inevitably arise.

Ember entered the Top 1000 in 2009 and has risen steadily in the years since. The Em beginning can make it an original route to the nickname Emmy.

Ember

Epiphany is based on the ancient Greek word for a feeling or realization that comes upon you suddenly. It often relates to the divine, as in the realization that Christ is the son of God. The Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, takes place on January 6, ranking Epiphany among the unique <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/629/71-wonderful-names-for-january-babies">January baby names</a>. 

As word names and <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/254/spiritual-baby-names">spiritual names</a> become more popular, the attractive Epiphany becomes a more viable choice.

Epiphany

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

Eternity

If January, April and August are useable and fashionable, why not February? February as a word derives from the Latin februa, which was the name of a purification feast coming at the end of winter, to prepare for the coming spring.

For our part, we like February along with December and January as <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>; we also like the possibility of Airy and Rue as nicknames.

A possible stumbling block, however, is that clumsy "bruary" sound in the middle that no one ever quite gets right.

February

Felicity is as accessible a virtue name as Hope and Faith, but much more feminine -- and dare we say, happier. The hit TV show did a lot to soften and modernize the once buttoned-up image of Felicity, and it got further notice as the red-haired Colonial doll, Felicity Merriman, in the American Girl series. A current bearer is actress Felicity Huffman.
 Two nicknames for Felicity: Flick and Fee. Other forms include Felicia and Felice.

Felicity

Fidelity is an admirable virtue, yes, but as a name it tends to sound like a financial institution.  Faith, Honor, or Patience would be easier to live with than Fidelity. 

Fidelity

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

Generosity

GENESIS
With the sounds of Jennifer and Alexis, and the vibes of Eden and Serenity, Genesis is a Biblical inspired choice that has been popular in the US since the 2000’s. 
Derived from Greek, Genesis means “birth” or “origin” and is the name of the first book in the Bible, describing the creation of the world, the fall of Adam and Eve, and Noah and the flood. 
This association could give the name a strong, powerful, and significant feeling, and may work for parents who want a Biblical name, but dislike the well-worn classics, such as Sarah or Mary. 
Alternatively, it does have the secular connotations of simply meaning the beginning of something, which may appeal to anyone hoping for a fresh start or a new chapter. 
Don’t be fooled into thinking the name is a hidden gem, however. Or rather, don’t, if you happen to live in the US. Genesis has ranked in the Top 1000 since 1988 and entered the Top 100 in the late 2000’s, where it has remained ever since. 
Peaking at #55 in 2013, Genesis is given to over 3000 girls every year, and to more than 200 boys, putting it on par with the likes of Sophie, Audrey, and Claire. 
Outside of the US though, Genesis is only popular in Chile and Mexico, meaning across the rest of the globe, it still holds sway as an unexpected option, or an update on Jennifer or Genevieve. 
Notable bearers include American actress Genesis Rodriguez and Bermudian singer and actress, Genesis Lynea. Viola Davis has a daughter named Genesis, and fans of rock music may associate it with the band of the same name. 
With its distinctive but familiar sounds, Genesis is a popular choice among Christian parents who want a non-traditional baby name. It fits in perfectly with other more contemporary Biblical choices, like Eden, Nevaeh, or Delilah, and seems set to stay in the Top US 100 for now? 
Is there something you love about Genesis but want to explore other options (or just avoid nickname Gen)? You could try Journey, Dove, Amity, Damaris, or Anastasia.

Genesis

If Melody and Lyric are on your style sheet, the peaceful Harmony, popularized by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, should be too. 

Girls names starting with the "Har" sound like Harper, Harley, and Harlow have been trending in recent years. This musical choice fits right in, and it is no wonder that Harmony has been in the Top 200 since 2014.

Harmony

Heavenly, the word that's become a name, has been flirting with the bottom of the Top 1000 for a handful of years now. Heaven and cousins like Nevaeh have been well-used so adding the popular -ly suffix, ala Everly, seems like a natural progression.

Heavenly

Honesty is one of the modern virtue names, which along with Justice and Destiny are picking up where Faith, Hope, and Charity left off. Is Honesty the most appealing name ever? No, and it's also sure to spark lots of tiresome jokes. Still, Honesty is a positive quality and a lot more appealing than negative word names such as Pistol and Rehab (which both, yes, were given to five baby girls in the US last year). Honesty is now ranking right below the Top 1000, with 233 baby girls given the name in the US in 2015. We predict that it will climb along with its meritorious sisters and brothers.

Honesty

Infinity is a name that could have a long, bright future ahead of it, with its bold meaning and fashionable sound. It's an awful lot of name to pull off, but if Destiny can do it...

Infinity

Integrity may be an outstanding quality, but Honor or True may work better as names. 

Integrity

Serene Irene, the name of the Greek goddess of peace and one of the most familiar <a href-="https://nameberry.com/list/624/gorgeous-greek-goddess-names-for-babies">Greek goddess names</a>, was hugely popular in ancient Rome and again in the United States a hundred years ago.
 One of the most <a href="https://nameberry.com/popular-names">popular names</a> of the Roman Empire and the name of several early saints, this originally Greek name (then spelled Eirene) represented a daughter of Zeus who was the goddess of peace. Often pronounced with three syllables, it spread throughout Europe in a range of variations and is a royal name in Greece, Denmark, and the Netherlands. 
 Much of Irene's popularity in England stemmed from the character Irene Forsyte in Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga (pronounced eye-reen-ee). Americans identified it with the sparkling Irene Dunne of Hollywood's Golden Age. Irene was a Top 20 name from 1915 to 1925, remaining in the Top 100 until 1945. It still highly popular in Spain.
 Some other references include the eponymous early smash hit Broadway musical, famed ballroom dancer Irene Castle (portrayed on film by Ginger Rogers), the Hollywood costume designer known simply as Irene, the Uma Thurman character in Gattaca, Irene Denholm the Harry Potter student at Hogwarts School, and the lullaby-ready song Goodnight, Irene.

Irene

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
 The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann novel, Once is Not Enough, which was later made into a movie. Then, five years later, the mother-to-be of January Jones – future Mad Men star – was inspired by that character to give the name to her baby daughter, as did enough other parents in 1978 to bring January to Number 639 on the list.
 So if you're looking for a cool namesake for an aunt Janet or Janice, January might be the perfect alternative. January, along with Snow and Frost, are also perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

January

One of the new word names, appealing to parents attracted to the idea of a spiritual -- or even an actual -- voyage. The Journee spelling is also being used. Unisex alert: Jenna Jameson used Journey for one of her twin boys, as did the Black Eyed Peas rock musician known as Taboo.
 Some might associate it with the San Francisco rock band Journey.

Journey

Legacy is proof that any attractive-sounding word can be turned into a name, and this one has the added attractions of an inspirational meaning and a cool creative namesake -- hot young artist Legacy Russell.

Legacy

Less common than other virtue names, Liberty is nonetheless a name with a long American heritage. Liberty is seeing a level of popularity not seen since the end of the First World War, but its heyday was probably the mid-19th Century when it became popular in the aftermath of the US Civil War, particularly among African-American freedmen. Liberty was also popular following the American War of Independence and even among some Puritan colonies. Some quirky parents may have considered using this name in the wake of the successful film Juno – Juno’s younger sister is called Liberty-Bell.

Liberty

Loyalty is one of the Modern Virtue Names rising precipitously for babies in recent years, used last year for nearly 200 children, about 85 percent of them girls. Loyalty may also owe some of its popularity to trendy sister name Royalty.

Loyalty

Legendaryy

A melodious choice big in the sixties, Melody is now starting to pick up tempo again. It cracked the Top 150 for the first time ever in 2015. Melody is also the name of Ariel's equally curious and more tom-boyish daughter in The Little Mermaid sequel. Read more about Melody and other <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/disney-princess-names">Disney Princess Names</a> in our featured blog.

Melody

The quality of mercy makes this lovely Puritan virtue name a quiet favorite today. Although it was most popular in the late nineteenth century, Mercy is on its way to a comeback -- it rose 143 spots between 2012 and 2013, making it one of the year's fastest-rising names. Right now, it's still stylish and distinctive, a rare and wonderful combination.
 Mercy is one of the characters with allegorical names in John Bunyan's A Pilgrim's Progress, and Mercy Pecksniff appears in Dickens's novel Martin Chuzzlewit with the nickname Merry. Mercy Lewis, in Arthur Miller's play The Crucible, was based on a real-life person, a witness at the Salem witch trials. Another historic Mercy is Mercy Warren, Revolutionary period patriot and writer of plays, books and poetry.
 Comic/sidekick Andy Richter, when he named his daughter Mercy, joked, "Just in case Puritanism comes back, we'll be ready with a real Puritan name"; Madonna renamed her Malawi-born daughter Mercy James. As a word name and modern virtue name, it's one of the most fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.

Mercy

You may never have known a Nettie personally, but there well might be one hidden in your family history, considering that she was a Top 100 name until 1901 and stayed on the Social Security list until 1962.
 Like cousins Hattie and Lottie, Nettie is a charming and nostalgic knitting and crocheting great-grandma name that just might work as a relaxed choice for a contemporary little girl, perhaps to honor an ancestral Annette or Henrietta.

Nettie

Patience is a passive virtue turned engaging name, fresher than Hope, Faith, or even Charity. Its resemblance to the trendy Payton may be one reason for its recent spike in popularity.
 Common in the seventeenth century, Patience is the eponymous heroine of a Gilbert & Sullivan comic operetta. In literature, Patience appears in Shakespeare's Henry VIII and in an Anthony Trollope novel.
In the 2004 film Catwoman, the non-superhero name of the protagonist, played by Halle Berry, is Patience Phillips--which may have caused the name's bump in popularity two years later.

Patience

A cool name, representing the Roman goddess of peace and offering a positive message to bestow upon a child. Pax is one of the most stylish new <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/411/baby-names-that-mean-peace">names that mean peace</a>.

Spaniards use Pax and Paz, Hebrew speakers Shalom, for Greeks it's Irene, so why can't we make the English word Peace a name? Peace Adzo Medie is the author of the novel His Only Wife</a>.

Peace

Promise is one of those word names with an uplifting meaning that is making inroads as a <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' name</a>, like sisters Dream and Serenity. How promising is Promise as a first name? Our try at cleverness illustrates perhaps the biggest problem with naming your baby girl Promise: It will be difficult for people to resist making bad puns on the name. We promise (argh) you'll be tired of hearing them well before your baby Promise's first birthday.

Promise

Quintessence

In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.

Sapphire goes waaaaay beyond Ruby and Pearl. This September birthstone, occasionally used a century ago, might be worth a reappraisal, perhaps as a Sophie/Sophia alternative. Sapphire is the pseudonym of Romona Lofton, who wrote the book Push, which was turned into the movie Precious. Sapphire entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, and is proving to be one of the freshest gem names for girls. Another intriguing variation is the lovely Sapphira.

Sapphire

Sera is a truly international variation heard in Hebrew-speaking, Spanish and Italian cultures. Sera can also spelled Serah. Sera might also be a short form of Seraphina.
 
While Sera may rightly be considered a fresh spin on Sarah or Sara, it will often be misunderstood as one of those more <a href="/list/653/100-most-common-names-for-girls">common names for girls</a>. Another similar idea: the Welsh Seren.

Sera

Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been largely ignored, though we believe the French vowel-sound ending will soon be more stylish than the a-endings that have predominated in <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">girls' names</a> for years.

 Another cousin, Seraphita, is the heroine of an eponymous 1837 Balzac novel.

Seraphine

Seren is a top girls' name in Wales – and a lovely choice almost unknown elsewhere. Seren, in the Sirona form, was an ancient goddess of the hot springs.
 Seren only recently fell out of the girls' Top 10 in Wales, and ranks just below the Top 100 in England and Wales combined.
Seren is also a Turkish surname and girls' name.

Seren

Serena, a name used since Roman times, was given fresh life by tennis star Williams, and then again with the leading character on Gossip Girl, Serena van der Woodsen. There have also been Serenas on soap operas and other shows from Bewitched to Law & Order.
 And pre-TV, there was the damsel in Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queen and Serena Merle in Henry James's The Portrait of a Lady.

Serena

A unique virtue name with a sound as happy and lively as its meaning. 

Serendipity

Serene

Both rhythmic and serene, Serenella is one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/505/italian-names-for-girls">Italian names for girls</a> virtually unknown in the US but definitely usable. An unusual route to Ella as a short form?

Serenella

Poppy is the most widely-used seed name, opening the door for Sesame. While Sesame has a pretty sound, it is not often used as a name -- fewer than five baby girls were given the name in the US in 2021. In kids' minds, this might be overly associated with Sesame Street. 

Sesame

Simplicity

A bold word name with a sweet meaning — Sincerely would make a stand-out middle name now that Truly is becoming mainstream.

Sincerely

A Puritan-virtue type name that could possibly work for a modern baby with its rhythmic four-syllable sound and admirable meaning.

Sincerity

Could there be a more poetic name than Sonnet? Actor Forest Whitaker was inspired to choose it for his daughter.
 The word sonnet derives from the Italian sonetto, meaning 'little song.' And although Shakespeare is the most acclaimed master of this fourteen-line form, there have been many other accomplished sonneteers, including Milton, Wordsworth and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
 Other names beyond Sonnet that can work for the child of a writer or book-lover: Story, Poet, Fable.

Sonnet

Sunday is among the most usable of the day names, with its sunny opening syllable, initially made famous when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban chose it for their daughter. Although it had been widely written that Kidman and Urban named their baby after art patron Sunday Reed, Kidman was quoted saying that was a myth, they just liked the name.
 
More recently, Sunday was chosen by influencer Savannah LaBrant for her daughter, a sister to Everleigh, Posie, and Zealand.
 
Currently, Sunday is the second most popular English day name. It closely follows Wednesday, which was boosted when actor Rupert Grint used it for his daughter.
 
Sunday carries subtle spiritual connotations, being the day of rest in Christianity. It's a rising choice among <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/769/modern-christian-baby-names">modern Christian baby names</a>.

Sunday

Name that makes a dramatic musical statement. 

Symphony

Not too long ago, Temperance was found only on lists of Puritan <a href="https://nameberry.com">baby names</a>.
 
With increased increase in virtue names, and Dr. Temperance "Bones" Brennan on long-running television series Bones, this name has experienced a surprising revival.

Temperance

Trinity bounded up the charts after the release of The Matrix, whose heroine was named Trinity. Country singer Trace Adkins used it for his daughter.

Trinity was a Top 100 name from the turn of this century until 2012. It's now off its peak, but still ranks in the top half of the US Top 1000 names for girls.

Trinity

Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity.
 Uma is one of the more than one thousand appellations for the Hindu goddess Sakti, a fact that surely inspired the father of Ms. Thurman, a Columbia University professor of Eastern religion. Her middle name, Karuna, is equally unknown outside the Indian subcontinent.
 In Hebrew, Uma means "the nation," and is therefore sometimes used for girls born on Israeli Independence Day.
 Uma shouldn't be confused with the similarly sounding Una, an ancient Irish name.

An anti-virtue name if there ever was one. GIrl names ending in -ty (think Serenity, Royalty) are currently chic, but Vanity is best avoided.

Vanity

Like Felicity, but faster. Given to 6 girls in 2020.

Velicity

Oprah's almost mononymic first name is too closely tied to her personality (and brand) for us to recommend it as a baby name in good faith. Her surname, however, is definitely name-worthy. Winfrey works as a modern update to Whitney, with the added bonus of being associated with one of the most influential women of our time.

Winfrey

Wren, a lilting songbird name, could be the next Robin. Wren entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2012 and is among the new wave of popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/501/english-names-for-girls">English names for girls</a>.
 Wren makes a particularly pleasing middle name choice, as does her newly discovered cousin Lark. But it's more popular as a middle name than you might think, the quirkier cousin of Rose.
 This petite bird was regarded in Ireland as the "magician of the birds" and the Druids considered it a bird of prophecy. Thanks to an early fable, it has also been known as King of the Birds.
 For architects there's the link to the great Sir Christopher Wren, the celebrated eighteenth century designer of London's St. Paul's Cathedral.

Wren

Typically a masculine Zulu name, Xolani is more popular among baby girls in the US, influenced by the feminine -lani ending featured in many popular Hawaiian names.

Xolani

Also spelled Yên, this simple Vietnamese name has a serene sound and meaning.

More commonly known as the Mongolian Gazelle, the Zeren is an antelope native to the steppes of Central Asia.

Zeren might be read as a creative spin on Seren, though both names are unusual in the US. If you're looking for an animal or nature name that's straightforward and easy to pronounce yet rare, the gender-neutral Zeren could be an excellent choice.

Zeren

MiaLen's list "Alternatives to Serenity" of 71 great name ideas: Affinity - Zeren!

Alternatives to Serenity

Serenity, with her four syllables, peaceful meaning, and elegant Puritan vibe, is a a top 100 name in the US. Here are some alternatives!