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HelpIf you had to name a daughter one of the "Quadfecta" of stereotypical girl virtue names, which would you pick?
I was watching a movie about a girl named Hope this weekend, and it made me want to revisit the concept of stereotypical virtue names. If you had to choose one of the "Quadfecta" of traditional girl virtue names—Joy, Hope, Faith, or Grace—which would you pick?
When I was a teenager, I wrote a short story about a group of four sisters named after these virtues. It was meant to be an alternate reality version of Little Women, with my own twist on Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy. The sisters in my story were Catherine Joy, Helena Faith, (something) Hope, and Louisa Grace. But they mostly went by their virtue names: Joy, Faith, Hope, and Grace. To this day, I still think of those names as “sister” names.
Not too long ago, I wrote about running into twin girls named Faith and Hope, and that got me thinking again about which of these names I might use in real life. Theoretically, I think I still like Faith the most, but as I distance myself from my more fundamentalist religious background, the name now feels too tied to religious trauma. It no longer holds the same secular or general sense of perseverance that I once thought it did.
In practical terms, I might lean more toward Hope today—not just because of the character in the movie I watched, but because Hope can be a meaningful sentiment for anyone, regardless of background. It feels universally applicable and positive.
Grace is a beautiful name, but it feels a bit more weighted with nuance, for better or for worse. There are many interpretations of it, and some of them can be more complex or even burdened with expectations. Joy is also lovely, but I’d worry about the pressure to constantly embody happiness. It's a bit like the name Patience—there’s a societal expectation that goes along with it, and that might place more emphasis on public perception than on individual experience, compared to names like Hope, Faith, or Grace.
So, in the end, I think Hope feels the most fitting for me now—sweet, gentle and inclusive. Which would you pick?
Please rate my "Names I would Use" list & "Backup Favorites" list. Feel free to rate some of my other lists too if you have the time.
https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/223226/138473
When I was a teenager, I wrote a short story about a group of four sisters named after these virtues. It was meant to be an alternate reality version of Little Women, with my own twist on Jo, Beth, Meg, and Amy. The sisters in my story were Catherine Joy, Helena Faith, (something) Hope, and Louisa Grace. But they mostly went by their virtue names: Joy, Faith, Hope, and Grace. To this day, I still think of those names as “sister” names.
Not too long ago, I wrote about running into twin girls named Faith and Hope, and that got me thinking again about which of these names I might use in real life. Theoretically, I think I still like Faith the most, but as I distance myself from my more fundamentalist religious background, the name now feels too tied to religious trauma. It no longer holds the same secular or general sense of perseverance that I once thought it did.
In practical terms, I might lean more toward Hope today—not just because of the character in the movie I watched, but because Hope can be a meaningful sentiment for anyone, regardless of background. It feels universally applicable and positive.
Grace is a beautiful name, but it feels a bit more weighted with nuance, for better or for worse. There are many interpretations of it, and some of them can be more complex or even burdened with expectations. Joy is also lovely, but I’d worry about the pressure to constantly embody happiness. It's a bit like the name Patience—there’s a societal expectation that goes along with it, and that might place more emphasis on public perception than on individual experience, compared to names like Hope, Faith, or Grace.
So, in the end, I think Hope feels the most fitting for me now—sweet, gentle and inclusive. Which would you pick?
Please rate my "Names I would Use" list & "Backup Favorites" list. Feel free to rate some of my other lists too if you have the time.
https://www.behindthename.com/pnl/223226/138473
This message was edited 11/17/2024, 8:27 AM
Replies
Joy is the only one I really like.
Grace.
Mostly because it sounds like a name to me - I just hear a name, not an invocation of virtue. I think it's very nice sounding.
I wouldn't pick based on which virtue. But I do like the "nuance" of Grace, that you mention. Makes it seem not too sentimental or too pious.
Joy is cute, and almost namey enough. I do hear the word a little bit, though, and it doesn't strike me as a virtue name. If I intended to name a child for joy as a virtue, I don't feel like Joy would do, because of "joy" names usually meaning "child who brings [a parent] joy." But if pressed and I could not use Grace, I would consider Joia, Joya, Gioia.
Faith is pretty, and not sentimental - it leans too pious for me. I personally don't love the sounds in it, and the word is very noticeable.
Hope seems sentimental to me, and the sound of the word is totally unappealing to me. Especially since it's such a common word, and diluted meaning. "Hope it's a good one!" "Hope it won't rain!" And the way people say, "OPE" (like, oh! but cutting themselves off for kind of comic effect). I feel like it's awkward as a name, because of the sound.
Mostly because it sounds like a name to me - I just hear a name, not an invocation of virtue. I think it's very nice sounding.
I wouldn't pick based on which virtue. But I do like the "nuance" of Grace, that you mention. Makes it seem not too sentimental or too pious.
Joy is cute, and almost namey enough. I do hear the word a little bit, though, and it doesn't strike me as a virtue name. If I intended to name a child for joy as a virtue, I don't feel like Joy would do, because of "joy" names usually meaning "child who brings [a parent] joy." But if pressed and I could not use Grace, I would consider Joia, Joya, Gioia.
Faith is pretty, and not sentimental - it leans too pious for me. I personally don't love the sounds in it, and the word is very noticeable.
Hope seems sentimental to me, and the sound of the word is totally unappealing to me. Especially since it's such a common word, and diluted meaning. "Hope it's a good one!" "Hope it won't rain!" And the way people say, "OPE" (like, oh! but cutting themselves off for kind of comic effect). I feel like it's awkward as a name, because of the sound.
Joy has my favourite meaning, but it's my aunt's name and I'm not into family names as firsts especially.
I honestly find Hope quite uninspired. I understand the sentiment, but I just think there are more creative ways to go about it.
I've known a few Graces, so that's out.
So Faith it is. The word doesn't mean much to me, but I do like the sound the most. I love Fae and -th endings.
I honestly find Hope quite uninspired. I understand the sentiment, but I just think there are more creative ways to go about it.
I've known a few Graces, so that's out.
So Faith it is. The word doesn't mean much to me, but I do like the sound the most. I love Fae and -th endings.
In order of sound preference:
Faith
Grace
Hope / Joy
In order of meaning preference:
Hope
Joy
Grace
Faith
I would choose Grace if I had to use one because it balances between what I like in the virtues themselves and the actual sound of the name. I like Hope best as a virtue but the sound doesn't work for me. Joy is similar, the sound is just too bouncy for my tastes. I like the sound of Faith but I don't think it's a good enough virtue to name someone after unless you really over-explain it.
I also think Grace is common enough as a name that people don't necessarily think of it as "this person must be graceful/forgiving/etc.", it's more "just a name" than some of the others.
Faith
Grace
Hope / Joy
In order of meaning preference:
Hope
Joy
Grace
Faith
I would choose Grace if I had to use one because it balances between what I like in the virtues themselves and the actual sound of the name. I like Hope best as a virtue but the sound doesn't work for me. Joy is similar, the sound is just too bouncy for my tastes. I like the sound of Faith but I don't think it's a good enough virtue to name someone after unless you really over-explain it.
I also think Grace is common enough as a name that people don't necessarily think of it as "this person must be graceful/forgiving/etc.", it's more "just a name" than some of the others.
Grace
The only one I like, and I like it very much, is Joy. I've only known two people named Joy: one was very quiet, inoffensive, not very bright, and the other was middle-aged, very busy, always trying to put herself first. So neither of them lived up to the name, but they haven't put me off it either. I'd never consider Faith or Grace; Hope might do for a mn, but I can't see myself using it there.
Joy, I suppose, but I don't like any of them. They all feel sickly-sweet and sanctimonious.
I like Hope and Grace, but I tend to dislike virtue names.
I really like the sound of Angel, Joy, Serenity, and Felicity.
I like the sound of Destiny, Harmony, Patience, Verity and Clarity.
I don't like the way Pure, Purity, Believe, Heaven, Heavenly, Peace, Beautiful, Pretty, Gorgeous, Unique, Precious, Honesty, Loyalty, Temperance, Love, Chastity and Happy sound.
Grace and Faith sound okay.
I completely understand the need to move away from religious or societal expectations. I think of religion when I hear Faith, Temperance and Chastity, not so much when I hear Hope, Love or Joy. I think of societal expectations when I hear Beautiful, Pretty, Patience or Grace. It just seems unrealistically wishful. None of these names are bad traits to have, but there is an unspoken expectation for the bearer of the name to embody that trait all the time. It's impossible. I knew an Angel who seemed smart, mild-mannered, respectful and shy, but I have no idea who they turned out to be or where they are right now. Also, names directly evoking images of beauty cannot be a good thing because they may not fit society's standards of beauty or even their own. Its best to name a child something that you think is beautiful, a name that you think sounds pure, or a name that you think sounds smart, as opposed to calling them Gorgeous, Purity or Intelligent.
I think I would probably choose Destiny because although it does not sound the most beautiful to me, I think it states very clearly that I want my daughter to create her own destiny. She can be whatever she wants to be, and I will be along for the ride.
I like the sound of Destiny, Harmony, Patience, Verity and Clarity.
I don't like the way Pure, Purity, Believe, Heaven, Heavenly, Peace, Beautiful, Pretty, Gorgeous, Unique, Precious, Honesty, Loyalty, Temperance, Love, Chastity and Happy sound.
Grace and Faith sound okay.
I completely understand the need to move away from religious or societal expectations. I think of religion when I hear Faith, Temperance and Chastity, not so much when I hear Hope, Love or Joy. I think of societal expectations when I hear Beautiful, Pretty, Patience or Grace. It just seems unrealistically wishful. None of these names are bad traits to have, but there is an unspoken expectation for the bearer of the name to embody that trait all the time. It's impossible. I knew an Angel who seemed smart, mild-mannered, respectful and shy, but I have no idea who they turned out to be or where they are right now. Also, names directly evoking images of beauty cannot be a good thing because they may not fit society's standards of beauty or even their own. Its best to name a child something that you think is beautiful, a name that you think sounds pure, or a name that you think sounds smart, as opposed to calling them Gorgeous, Purity or Intelligent.
I think I would probably choose Destiny because although it does not sound the most beautiful to me, I think it states very clearly that I want my daughter to create her own destiny. She can be whatever she wants to be, and I will be along for the ride.
This message was edited 11/17/2024, 9:46 AM