The baby name Felicity combines a gentle, antique appeal with an upbeat meaning.
Thanks to Katharine for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day, and to Saranel for suggesting an update.
FELICITAS
At heart, the baby name Felicity belongs with the virtue names. It’s not quite as familiar as Grace, Hope, and Faith.
But neither is Felicity a newcomer, a new age virtue like Destiny or Journey.
Instead, like Felix, this name comes from the Latin felicitas, which means – as any Harry Potter fan knows – lucky or happy.
A minor Roman goddess known as Felicitas served as a symbol of Imperial Rome’s success.
Then there are the saints:
- Legend tells us of saint Felicitas or Felicity, a wealthy Christian widow and mother to seven sons. It is said that they were all martyred in the second century.
- Another enduring story is of the noblewoman Perpetua and her slave, Felicity. Both were martyred in Carthage, in the arena with wild beasts, leaving behind young children. It is believed that some of the writings about their experience were taken from an autobiographical account authored by Perpetua herself.
All of this lends cheerful Felicity quite a bit of substance.
FELICE AND FELICIA
The saints’ renown ensured that the names endured.
In the Middle Ages, the name became Felice in English. The Latin Felicia was also heard.
The lacy, elaborate Felicity developed a little later. We can thank the Puritans for this one. As they searched out names to set them apart from the rest of society, virtues appealed to them.
FELICITY MERRIMAN
Data on given names pre-1880 is elusive. But we tend to think of Felicity as a historical favorite. That’s probably thanks to Felicity Merriman, the American Girl character introduced in a series of books in 1991.
And, of course, the American Girl doll was released the same year. The character grows up during the American Revolution. She’s a fiercely independent, horse-riding ten-year-old.
UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Just a few years later – right as those American Girl fans grew up and headed for high school – another fictional Felicity captured our imaginations.
In 1998, fictional Felicity Porter ditched Stanford to move clear across the county to New York. For four seasons, we followed her adventures at the University of New York on Felicity, a break-out hit for The WB and for actor Keri Russell.
It pushed the name into the US Top 1000 for the very first time.
The baby name Felicity debuted in 1998 at #818. A year later, it reached #390.
1999 also gave us Heather Graham as a Bond girl-esque character named Felicity in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
FALL AND RISE
After all of those late-90s pop culture references, the name peaked in 1999, only to slowly decline.
But then it made a comeback, rising again. Today it ranks in the 300s – meaning the baby name Felicity is at its most popular.
Actors including Felicity Jones, of Star Wars: Rogue One fame, have raised the name’s profile. There’s also Oscar-nominated, Desperate Housewives alum Felicity Huffman … though she’s better known for a college admissions scandal these days.
Overall, Felicity combines so many appealing traits. Take a great meaning, add in a stylish sound, and make it all nicely familiar, but still relatively uncommon. What’s not to love?
Would you consider the baby name Felicity? Do you think it will be more popular in the future?
Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 2, 2008, and substantially revised and re-posted on June 4, 2012. Thanks to Saranel for the suggestion! Additional revisions took place on June 4, 2020.
Three years on and I’m still a fan of Felicity; I like the idea of Fliss as a nickname too. The nagging doubt is that she might be a rather serious sort but when do you meet someone and think that their name doesn’t suit them? Almost never. So all things considered, I think choosing Felicity would be worth that minor gamble and little Felicity would just have to be a happy soul!
I suggested Felicity during one of my pregnancies — I honestly can’t remember which now — but Mark said he thought it was too tied to the TV character (please note that I’ve never seen the show). It’s still on my list of possibilities. I love it. It makes me think of the Road to Avonlea shows and it’s less common now than Felix, which I also love.
I just love the sound of Felicity. It’s so beautiful. I’m also very connected with the show– it’s one that I always wanted to watch as a ‘tween, but our television was unreliable. So last year, I decided to connected with my inner 13 year old and watch the whole show on Netflix. Due to the timing, the name Felicity and the theme songs will forever take me back to when I’m preparing my first Thanksgiving with my husband. Sounds like a good backstory to a future daughter’s name, perhaps 🙂
Felicity is one of the few ends-in-y names I truly love. I do have an incredible soft spot for virtue names. I also like the American Girl doll connection. I really love names that one can easily imagine on girls and women throughout history yet still sound modern. Felicity definitely fits the bill.
As for nicknames, I’m drawn to Lissa. Perhaps a more staid middle name like Maud would be good in case the child is not a happy one?
Oh, and congrats Saranel on your upcoming Felicity!
Felicity is the name I would choose, without hesitation, for another daughter, if only my husband would agree to it. It fits so perfectly for us! Caleb, Annabel, and Felicity. *sigh* I’m still working on him to see the light of Felicity’s loveliness. If I used a nickname for Felicity, I think it would be Lissie, but only occasionally. I love it for exactly what you said, “Felicity is that most elusive of names – one that feels instantly familiar, but is not burdened by her history.” It is a sentiment I feel fits my daughter’s name as well, Annabel.
Caleb, Annabel and Felicity would be lovely together….old style and modern at the same time.
I don’t think I would personally use Felicity, but I adore the sound and meaning. It’s sweet and spunky, and I would love to meet a little Felicity.
Congrats, Saranel, for your future Felicity!
I love Felicity! I used to have a no-virtue name policy but Felicity is too darn cute. If you were hurting for a nickname, you could call her Felix, which I think is unexpectedly fun on a girl, or just let the lovely name stand by itself.
Thank you thank you thank you! I love the update!
How do you request a name to be re-run? We have a little Felicity due in July and I would love to see this post updated. 🙂
I know I’m 3 years behind on this post but I just found your blog and I, of course, had to look at the name we chose for our daughter. She is 9 months old and we call her Fliss or Flissy for short which everyone loves, and it fits her happy personality so well.
I also had to do a double take when I saw so many people mention Penelope as a good name for a sister because that is one of the ONLY names I’ve been able to come up with for a sister as well! They are both equally distinct and familiar without being overused, and they born of a cheery feel to them. Fliss and Poppy would just be too perfect together!
Penelope and Felicity! So perfect and lovely, I’m inspired. With Anabelle as well, really sweet.