Given name & surname
Faith
“having a belief and trust in God”
Faith is used as a given name and a surname. One English interpretation is “having a belief and trust in God.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One English interpretation is “having a belief and trust in God.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Faith through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 148,142
- 291 boys · 147,851 girls
- Most popular year
- 2003
- 5,612 babies
- 2025
- 1,220
- #254 for girls · #9,169 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −43%
- Cooling
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 1,212 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 254 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 43.2% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 5,597 in 2003. It also appeared in 8 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (150). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 119,725 as a first name in 2020; 3,758 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Faith’s family of names
In English usage, Faith has an affectionate form in Fay. In English usage, Faith shares a linguistic root with the Russian form Вера. Faith has a related form in Fe.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Faith has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Englishwhere Faith comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Faypet form · English
- Faythvariant
- Faithfulvariant
- Fevariant
- Faithevariant
- Faythevariant
- Fealtyvariant
- Fayanevariant
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Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 9
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Вяраequivalent
- ܗܝܡܢܘܬܐequivalent
- Вераcognate · Russian
- WiaraPolish
- VěraCzech
- Vyaraequivalent
- Fidesequivalent
- Fedeequivalent
Show 1 moreShow fewer
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Faith
- Faith HillAmerican country singer (born 1967)
- Faith KipyegonKenyan middle- and long-distance runnerborn 1994
- Faith EvansAmerican singer (born 1973)
- Faith FordAmerican actress (born 1964)
- Faith RinggoldAmerican artist and author (1930–2024)
- Faith CherotichKenyan athletics competitorborn 2004
- Alberta WatsonCanadian actress (1955–2015)
- Faith LeechAustralian swimmer, Olympic gold medallist, former world record-holder1941–2013
- Faith DomergueAmerican actress (1924–1999)
Characters named Faith: Faith (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Faith, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Hope
“enclosed valley” · “one who has expectations through faith”
1% boys · 99% girls
Patience
“one who is patient; an enduring woman”
1% boys · 99% girls
Charis
“having grace and kindness”
3% boys · 97% girls
Rayann
“an innocent woman full of grace”
>99% girls
Harmony
“unity; musically in tune”
>99% girls
Temperance
“having self-restraint”
>99% girls
Grace
Grace is an English word name with religious roots and later associations with both public figures and everyday naming traditions.
>99% girls
Eternity
“lasting forever”
>99% girls