Righteous

Meaning & origin

Righteous is a modern virtue name that entered the U.S. naming landscape in 2001, the first year it was recorded by the Social Security Administration. As of 2025, it holds rank 3,513 and is given to approximately 1 in 53,377 newborn boys, reflecting its rarity. The name has shown a rising trajectory in use since 2004, with its peak year so far in 2025. Unlike traditional virtue names such as Grace or Faith, Righteous remains uncommon and has no recorded top states, suggesting it is used sporadically across the country. Its direct appeal to moral uprightness places it within a contemporary trend of abstract concept names.

Righteous is a modern coinage derived directly from the English word 'righteous,' which itself comes from the Old English 'rihtwīs,' meaning 'just, upright, virtuous.' The word has been in use since before the 12th century, but its adoption as a given name is a very recent phenomenon, first recorded in the United States in 2001. The name likely emerged as part of a trend of virtue names in contemporary American naming culture.