Charity
Charity is an English feminine given name derived from the English word charity. It was used by the Puritans as a virtue name. An earlier form of the name, Caritas, was an early Christian name in use by Romans.
Meaning & Origin of Charity
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Charity is an English feminine given name derived from the English word charity. It was used by the Puritans as a virtue name. An earlier form of the name, Caritas, was an early Christian name in use by Romans.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Charity
Charity first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 29 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 1,420 Charitys were born — ranking #183 that year. As of 2026, Charity ranks #2,157 for baby girls with 88 births, falling sharply (-40%). In total, more than 36K Charitys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Charity
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Charity Anderson (born 2000), American dancer
- Charity Adule (born 1993), Nigerian footballer
- Charity Angya , Nigerian vice chancellor
- Charity Bick (1925–2002), English civilian dispatch rider during the Second World War and youngest ever recipient of the George Medal
- Charity Brown (born 1951), Canadian film actress and singer
- Charity Bryant (1777–1851), American writer
- Charity Kathambi Chepkwony , Kenyan politician
- Charity Clark , American politician
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Charity
Phonetically similar names — useful when Charity is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Gerrity
- Charities
- Certi
- Geraghty
- Verity
- Varity
- Surety
- Certa
- Certo
- Cheroot
- Cerruti
- Cerutti
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Charity
What does the name Charity mean?
How popular is Charity in 2026?
When was Charity most popular?
In which U.S. states is Charity most popular?
Is Charity a unisex name?
What names go well with Charity?
About the name Charity
Charity is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 36K births in the dataset. Charity's peak popularity came in 1975 when it ranked #183. Use the chart and map above to compare Charity's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1975 →
- Names of the 1970s →
- Names starting with "C" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.