Meaning
The meaning of Faith
Faith comes from the English word faith, ultimately connected with Latin fides, meaning trust, belief, reliability, or confidence. As a given name, it belongs to the English virtue-name tradition, where moral and theological qualities became personal names.
Virtue name
Why Faith became a Christian name
Faith is not a biblical character name, but it is deeply biblical in vocabulary. The New Testament uses faith as a central word for trust in God, confidence in Christ, and faithful response to grace.
That makes Faith unusually direct. Parents choosing it are not borrowing a symbolic meaning from a story; they are naming the virtue itself.
Sound
How to pronounce Faith
- Phonetic
- FAYTH
- IPA
- /feɪθ/
1 syllable · stress: FAYTH · ends in a consonant
Forms
Variants and nicknames
Alternate spellings
- Faythe
Short forms and nicknames
- Faye
- Fay
- Faithy
Languages
Faith in other languages
- Latin
- FidesFides is the Latin source word, used in Roman religion as a personified virtue and adopted into the medieval Christian saints' calendar as Saint Faith (Sainte Foy).
- Spanish
- Fe
- Italian
- Fede
Christian background
Christian and biblical background
Faith has been used by English-speaking Christian families for centuries, especially in Protestant contexts where virtue names such as Grace, Hope, Charity, Mercy, and Joy became familiar. The name is simple, devotional, and immediately understandable.
Bearers
Notable people named Faith
historical
Saint Faith of ConquesThird-century Christian martyr venerated in southern France, whose relics drew medieval pilgrims to the abbey at Conqueshistorical
Faith RinggoldAmerican painter, writer, and quilt artist known for the Tar Beach story quilt, 1930 to 2024modern
Faith HillAmerican country singer, born 1967modern
Faith EvansAmerican R&B singer and songwriter, born 1973
Saint
Saint Faith of Conques
- Traditions
- Catholic, Anglican
- Patron of
- pilgrims, prisoners, soldiers
Saint Faith (Sainte Foy) was a young Christian woman martyred at Agen in Gaul under the late third-century Roman persecutions. Her relics at the abbey at Conques in southern France made it a major medieval pilgrimage stop on the route to Santiago de Compostela.
Naming history
Naming tradition and history
Faith became especially visible in English naming after the Reformation and Puritan periods, when virtue names were used to express Christian commitments plainly. In modern use it feels gentle and familiar without being rare.
Recent US use
Faith in recent US use
- Rank in 2025
- #254
- Peak rank
- #48 in 2002
- Recent trend
- declining over the last 5 years
- Years in the SSA records
- 145 (since 1880)
Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.
Sibling fit
Sibling name suggestions
For families
For families looking at Faith
For a Christian family, Faith is direct and devotional. It may suit families who want a name that is short, clear, and tied to trust in God rather than to a specific biblical figure.
Common questions
What does Faith mean?
Faith means trust, belief, or confidence.
Is Faith a biblical name?
Faith is not the name of a biblical person, but faith is one of the central ideas in the Bible.
Is Faith a Christian name?
Yes. Faith is a classic Christian virtue name.
Sources
Sources for Faith
- The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, E. G. Withycombe (3rd edition)Supports: English virtue-name etymology (from Latin fides); meaning trust, belief, confidence.
- The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Saint Faith of Conques (Sainte Foy); feast day (October 6).
Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.
Read next