Charity

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Charity

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Charity is an English word meaning “Love,” from Old French “charité,” from Latin “caritus” from “carus” meaning “Dear.”

History:
Charity is one of the names adopted by 17th century English Puritans, who were rather prone to giving naming their children after qualities. Charity was one of the more popular, being part of the “three theological virtues” or “three heavenly virtues” along with Faith and Hope. The phrase “Faith, Hope, and Charity” was originally used in the King James Bible (1st Corinthians, 13:13). Previously, the phrase was Faith, Hope, and Love.”

Other quality names favored by the Puritans included words like Love, Patience, Mercy, Temperance, Joy, and Prudence.

When the Puritans settled in the Americas, they brought the name Charity with them, and it remained a popular name in the United States for centuries.

However, as the 20th century approached, Puritan names slowly began to fall out of favor. Charity declined, and by the 1920s, had become quite rare.

Charity was revived in the 1960s, possibly as a replacement for the fading names Cherie, and Cheryl. Or quite possibly use was inspired by the 1966 broadway show Sweet Charity and the 1969 movie which starred Shirley MacLaine as Charity Hope Valentine.

Pronunciation: chair-it-ee.

Diminutives: Cherri, Cherry, Cherrie, Chattie, Chattie.

Alternates: Charitee.
Finnish: Karita.
Portuguese: Caridade.
Scandinavian: Karita.
Spanish: Caridad.

See also: Cherry.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.018 % named Charity
0.009 named Cherry
0.006% named Caridad
0.003 named Cherrie
0.003 named Cherri

Popularity of Charity:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 50th most popular.
1850: 115th most popular.
1875: 216th most popular.
1880: 282nd most popular.
1881: 346th most popular.
1882: 323rd most popular.
1883: 331st most popular.
1884: 358th most popular.
1885: 459th most popular.
1886: 346th most popular.
1887: 338th most popular.
1888: 347th most popular.
1889: 405th most popular.
1890: 350th most popular.
1891: 404th most popular.
1892: 460th most popular.
1893: 487th most popular.
1894: 437th most popular.
1895: 455th most popular.
1896: 462nd most popular.
1897: 449th most popular.
1898: 434th most popular.
1899: 537th most popular.
1900: 509th most popular.
1901: 520th most popular.
1902: 559th most popular.
1903: 573rd most popular.
1904: 493rd most popular.
1905: 499th most popular.
1906: 465th most popular.
1907: 521st most popular.
1908: 511th most popular.
1909: 705th most popular.
1910: 641st most popular.
1911: 636th most popular.
1912: 672nd most popular.
1913: 621st most popular.
1914: 757th most popular.
1915: 756th most popular.
1916: 769th most popular.
1917: 804th most popular.
1918: 819th most popular.
1919: 770th most popular.
1920: 907th most popular.
1921: 996th most popular.
1922: 979th most popular.
1923: N/A
1924: 907th most popular.
1925: 946th most popular.
1926: N/A
1927: 923rd most popular.
1928-1967: N/A
1968: 958th most popular.
1969: 653rd most popular. - The movie musical Sweet Charity opens.
1970: 547th most popular.
1971: 533rd most popular.
1972: 371st most popular.
1973: 261st most popular.
1974: 186th most popular.
1975: 182nd most popular. - Peak!
1976: 204th most popular.
1977: 211th most popular.
1978: 231st most popular.
1979: 219th most popular.
1980: 244th most popular.
1981: 255th most popular.
1982: 284th most popular.
1983: 289th most popular.
1984: 302nd most popular.
1985: 274th most popular.
1986: 286th most popular.
1987: 332nd most popular.
1988: 372nd most popular.
1989: 432nd most popular.
1990: 480th most popular.
1991: 469th most popular.
1992: 522nd most popular.
1993: 512th most popular.
1994: 532nd most popular.
1995: 509th most popular.
1996: 504th most popular.
1997: 526th most popular.
1998: 541st most popular.
1999: 530th most popular.
2000: 462nd most popular.
2001: 491st most popular.
2002: 511th most popular.
2003: 531st most popular.
2004: 572nd most popular.

Selected Sources:
The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, Withycombe, 1977, 3rd ed.
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)