How popular is the baby name Abstinence in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Abstinence.

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Popularity of the baby name Abstinence


Posts that mention the name Abstinence

How did “Bones” influence baby names?

Characters Seeley Booth and Temperance "Bones" Brennan from Bones.

The TV series “Bones” was on the air from 2005 to 2017, though the most popular years were 2008-2011 (seasons four, five and six).

I’ve never seen the show, but the first names of the two main characters — Seeley Booth (male) and Temperance'”Bones” Brennan (female) — are intriguing, and they made me wonder: did Bones inspire parents to use these names more often for their babies?

Yup, it would seem so!

Here are the numbers for Seeley since 2005:

  • 2018: 38 baby boys and 7 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2017: 36 baby boys and 14 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2016: 40 baby boys and 15 baby girls named Seeley [peak]
  • 2015: 37 baby boys and 15 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2014: 28 baby boys and 7 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2013: 38 baby boys and 8 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2012: 36 baby boys and 11 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2011: 32 baby boys and 12 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2010: 34 baby boys and 9 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2009: 10 baby boys and 8 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2008: unlisted
  • 2007: 7 baby girls named Seeley
  • 2006: unlisted
  • 2005: unlisted

And here are the numbers for Temperance since 2005:

  • 2018: 163 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2017: 190 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2016: 233 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2015: 250 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2014: 322 baby girls named Temperance [rank: 854th]
  • 2013: 289 baby girls named Temperance [rank: 889th]
  • 2012: 320 baby girls named Temperance [rank: 835th]
  • 2011: 274 baby girls named Temperance [rank: 943rd]
  • 2010: 213 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2009: 165 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2008: 88 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2007: 76 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2006: 20 baby girls named Temperance
  • 2005: 8 baby girls named Temperance

I’m a bit surprised by Temperance. Short virtue names like Faith, Grace, Hope and Joy are alive and well, but most of the long virtue names — especially those like Temperance (e.g., Abstinence, Experience, Deliverance, Diligence, Innocence, Obedience, Perseverance, Providence, Reliance, Repentance, Silence) — are not. Only Patience, Constance and Prudence are still around, and they aren’t exactly stylish right now.

How do you feel about the name Temperance?

Sources: Bones (TV series) – Wikipedia, SSA

[Latest update: June 2020]

Eccentric Puritan-era baby names

puritan baby names

The Clapp family of 17th-century Dorchester, Massachusetts, was headed by parents Roger and Johanna, both of whom had been born in England. They married in 1633 and welcomed at least 14 children, some of whom were given moderately eccentric Puritan-era names:

  • Samuel, born in 1634
  • William, b. 1636
  • Elizabeth, b. 1638
  • Experience, b. 1640
  • Waitstill, b. 1641
  • Preserved, b. 1643
  • Experience (#2), b. 1645
  • Hopestill, b. 1647
  • Wait, b. 1649
  • Thanks, b. 1651
  • Desire, b. 1652
  • Thomas, b. 1655
  • Unite, b. 1656
  • Supply, b. 1660

After coming across the Clapp family, I was inspired to search for other over-the-top Puritan baby names. Here are a bunch of examples, all from England:

  • Abstinence Pougher, baptized in 1679
  • Abuse-not Ellis, bap. 1592
  • Accepted Frewen, bap. 1588
  • Aid-on-hye Vynall, bap. 1596
  • Anger Bull, died in 1680
  • Be-steadfast Elliard, bap. 1636
  • Be-strong Philpott, bap. 1592
  • Be-thankfull Gyles, bap. 1601
  • Continent Walker, bap. 1594 – here, continent refers to the adjective, meaning “exercising self-restraint, especially sexually.”
  • Deliverance Fennyhouse, bap. 1605
  • Depend Outtered, bap. 1587
  • Doo-good Fuller, died 1628
  • Faynt-not Browne, bap. 1585
  • Faith-my-joy Grey, 1600-1602
  • Fare-well Hamlen, bap. 1589
  • Feare-God Couper, bap. 1588
  • Fear-not Browne, bap. 1589
  • Flie-fornication Andrewes, bap. 1609 – born out of wedlock
  • Forsaken Walton, bap. 1598 – born out of wedlock
  • From-above Hendley, bap. 1582
  • Free-gift Bishopp, bap. 1621
  • Give-thankes Cunsted, bap. 1587
  • God-helpe Cooper, both father and son, 1600s
  • Godly Fauterell, bap. 1579
  • Goodgift Gynninges, bap. 1633
  • Handmaid Johnson (married name), 1600s
  • Hate-evill Greenhill, bap. 1660
  • Have-mercie Stone, bap. 1613
  • Help-on-high Foxe, 1600s
  • Hope-full Wheatlye, bap. 1604
  • Hope-still Peedle, bap. 1611
  • Humiliation Hinde, both father and son, 1600s
  • Increased Helley, bap. 1587
  • Joye-in-Sorrow Godman, bap. 1595
  • Lament Foxe, bap. 1594
  • Lamentation Chapman, 1500s
  • Learn-wysdome Ellis, bap. 1589
  • Live-well Chapman, 1600s
  • Love-God Walker, bap. 1596
  • Magnyfy Freeland, bap. 1591
  • More-fruite Stone, bap. 1587
  • Much-mercie Harmer, bap. 1598
  • My-sake Hallam, bap. 1586
  • No-merit Vynall, bap. 1589
  • Obey Larkford, bap. 1587
  • Peaceable Sherwood, bap. 1597
  • Praise-God Barebone, born in 1598
  • Preserved Holman, bap. 1588
  • Purifie Presse, bap. 1584
  • Refrayne Wykes, bap. 1595
  • Rejoyce Lorde, bap. 1621
  • Renewed Hopkinson, bap. 1588
  • Repentance Benham, bap. 1597
  • Repent Boorman, bap. 1586
  • Safe-on-Highe Hopkinson, bap. 1591
  • Sin-denye Tebb, bap. 1592
  • Sory-for-sine (Sorry-for-sin) Coupard, bap. 1589
  • Stand-Fast-On-High Stringer, 1600s
  • Stedfast Bell, bap. 1587
  • Thankfull Frewen, bap. 1591
  • What-God-will Crosland, both father and son, 1600s

Which one is your favorite?

Sources: