Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
English word name
"regard with respect"
One of the newest virtue names, given to 11 girls (and 11 boys) in the most recent year on record. Nickname Addy might make this one feel more grounded.
"strength to withstand fear"
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,…
English word name from Greek
"idea, speculation"
An unconventional route to Theo, perhaps, Theory is a bold word name which has been given to more than 200 babies since the 2000s. While it leans slightly feminine statistically, it's so rare that it…
"surprise mingled with admiration"
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. Australian singer, Sia, used it as a middle…
Latin
"luck, fate, wealth"
Fortune is a middle name choice designed to generate good luck and prosperity.
"modesty"
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.
English word name from Latin
"brave"
While still very rare, the name Valiant was given to six baby boys in the US last year. And it's an inspiring choice.
"a feeling of intense excitement or joy"
A pretty and modern word name for a daughter, expressing great happiness.
Word name
A shimmering day name, with a bit of hippie residue.
"happy, joy"
Many virtue names have long been in style or have seen a resurgence in recent years. Happy, however joyous, seems unlikely to join this trend. This could be because it doesn't have a solid history of…
"showing courage"
A striking word name for either gender. It's a safer choice when used as a middle name. Sixteen baby girls were named Brave in the US last year, the same number as were named Breezy.
English
"lighthearted, happy"
She'd better be. Merry is one of the classic names for Christmas babies .
"gray"
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.
"sincerity, truth"
A Puritan-virtue type name that could possibly work for a modern baby with its rhythmic four-syllable sound and admirable meaning.
Word name, Greek
"manifestation, striking appearance"
Spiritual in multiple senses of the word, Epiphany has been given to a handful of girls since the late 1980s, peaking in 1988 when it was given to 55 babies, following the release of the movie Angel…
"moral excellence"
The mother of all virtue names.
Otherworldly. The word -- which connote a spirit-like lightness and perfection -- originally referred to objects that were literally from the "ether," the uppermost region of space. The modern,…
Greek
"demi-god"
Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their…
"fate"
The next Destiny? Kismet seems like it might be fated for increased use.
"true"
More often spelled VERENA, this name is attached to a third century Swiss saint. But the "virtue" name VERITY, is more appealing and comes more directly to the point.
