Charity is an English feminine given name derived directly from the English word charity, which comes from Late Latin caritas meaning "generous love", itself from Latin carus "dear, beloved". The Latin form Caritas was used as an early Christian name among Romans. The English name arose as a Puritan virtue name after the Protestant Reformation, alongside other virtue names like Faith, Hope, and Prudence.Etymology and HistoryThe virtue of charity corresponds to the theological virtue of love (agape in Greek), and the name Charity has been used to represent this concept in many languages. For instance, the Spanish equivalent is Caridad, and in Scandinavian countries variants such as Carita or Karita (Swedish) and Karítas (Icelandic) are found.Saint CharityCharity is also the English form of the name of Saint Charity, an early Christian child martyr from the 2nd century, who was tortured and killed together with her sisters Faith and Hope. Their feast day is celebrated on August 1 in the Western Church and September 17 in the Eastern tradition. The trio of sisters embody the three theological virtues, and their names (Faith, Hope, Charity/agape) have been passed down in many languages.Cultural SignificanceDue to the association with the three theological virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity have traditionally been given together to triplet girls. A well-known example is the Cardwell triplets (Faith, Hope, and Charity) born in 1899 in Texas, who were recognized in 1994 by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's longest-lived triplets. In general, the name Charity has been in consistent use in English-speaking countries, though it has never reached the top-tier popularity of Faith or Hope. Currently, the name is most common in parts of English-influenced Africa.Meaning: generous love, charityOrigin: English, from Late Latin caritasType: virtue namePopular Regions: English-speaking world, especially AfricaRelated Names: Caridad, Carita, Karita, Karítas