Faith

Definition

As one of the three great Christian virtues along with Hope and Charity, Faith was popular with the Puritans. Fay or Faye was used in the past as a short form, although now used as independent names derived from the old word for "fairy". Although the French have a masculine name Foy, meaning "faith", in most other languages the adjective rather than the noun is used, as it is with John Bunyan's character Faithful, which has been recorded as a real name. Thus we find Beethoven's Fidelio (1805), while Fidel Castro illustrates the Spanish form. The mainly Irish feminine name Fidelma seems to be an elaboration of Fidel, possibly combined with Mary. (See also Vera.) Fay(e) is little used now, having been most popular at the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth century, but Faith is well used both sides of the Atlantic. Faith and Hope are a popular choice of names for girl twins.

Sex

Girls

Similar names

Fay, Faye, Fidel, Fidelma, Foy

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