Honor

Honor is the American English spelling of Honour, an English virtue name meaning "honour, esteem, dignity." Derived from the Latin word honor, it was adopted by Puritans in the 17th century as part of a trend of naming children after abstract moral qualities, alongside names such as Grace, Hope, and Faith. The name can also be viewed as a short form of Honoria or Honorata, both ultimately derived from the same Latin root, Honorius, meaning "honour, esteem, dignity." In Roman times, Honorius was a fairly common late Latin name, borne by several early saints, four popes, and an emperor of the Western Roman Empire.

Cultural Significance

The concept of honour itself has deep historical and cultural significance, representing a quality that encompasses valour, chivalry, honesty, and compassion. In his A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), Samuel Johnson defined honour as "nobility of soul, magnanimity, and a scorn of meanness." The choice of Honour or Honor as a personal name, particularly within Puritan communities, reflected the high value placed on this moral principle. While Honour remains more common in British English contexts, the spelling Honor has gained prevalence in the United States, where it has been used as both a given name and, less commonly, a surname.

Historically, Honoria, the feminine form from which Honor is drawn, was notably borne by the sister of Emperor Valentinian III in the 5th century. After she was forced into an unwanted engagement, she famously reached out to Attila the Hun for help, an act that Attila interpreted as a marriage proposal, leading to his subsequent invasion of the Western Roman Empire. This story illustrates the dramatic historical associations carried by names in Honour's name chain.

Today, Honor (or Honour) remains a distinctive choice, appealing to parents drawn to elegant, virtue-inspired names. Its elegance and brevity have kept it modestly popular, especially in celebrity circles as both a first name and occasionally as a middle name.

• Meaning: honour, esteem, dignity
• Origin: Latin; adopted by Puritans in the 17th century
• Type: Virtue name
• Usage regions: English-speaking world, especially the United States (spelling Honor) and the Commonwealth (spelling Honour)