Home › Baby Names Directory › Felicity

Felicity

♀ Girl

Pronounced fuh-LIS-ih-tee /fəˈlɪs.ɪ.ti/High

Meaning: From Latin 'felicitas' meaning happiness, good fortune, or bliss; derived from 'felix' (happy, fortunate); a virtue name with roots in Roman culture and early Christian sainthoodHigh

In 30 seconds: Felicity is a radiant Latin virtue name meaning 'intense happiness.' Uplifting and elegant, it has been used as a given name since the early Christian era and has staged a charming modern revival.

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighLatin

MeaningFrom Latin 'felicitas' meaning happiness, good fortune, or bliss; derived from 'felix' (happy, fortunate); a virtue name with roots in Roman culture and early Christian sainthood

U.S. rank (2025)#473 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births653 girls (0.04% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2017

Total births (all-time)≈ 18,552

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Felicity derives from the Latin felicitas (happiness, good fortune), which itself comes from felix (happy, fortunate). Felicitas was also a Roman goddess of luck and good fortune. The name entered Christian tradition through Saint Felicity, martyred in 203 AD alongside Saint Perpetua. The English form Felicity developed from the Latin through medieval usage.

Felicity was used in Puritan England as a virtue name and has been used sporadically in English-speaking countries ever since. It gained new momentum through the American TV series Felicity (1998–2002), and continues to grow in the 21st century as parents rediscover bright, optimistic virtue names.

Did you know? Saint Felicity was an early Christian martyr executed alongside Saint Perpetua in 203 AD in Carthage — her story, preserved in the Passion of Perpetua and Felicity, is one of the earliest first-person accounts in Christian literature written by a woman.

Overall data confidence 96%

Behind the Name — Felicity — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

FeliciaFelicitasFelice

Nicknames

FeliFlickLissy

Famous Bearers

★Saint Felicity (c. 203)
Early Christian martyr executed in 203 AD in Carthage alongside Saint Perpetua

If you like Felicity…

Verity— shares the Latin virtue name tradition and the same uplifting, sunny quality

Serenity— another positive virtue name with a similarly flowing, multi-syllable elegance

Harmony— shares the aspirational word-virtue name feel and the same warm optimism

Clarity— another Latin-rooted virtue name with the same bright, positive meaning

Frequently Asked

What does Felicity mean?

Felicity means 'happiness,' 'good fortune,' or 'intense happiness,' from Latin 'felicitas' and the root 'felix' meaning happy or fortunate.

How do you pronounce Felicity?

Felicity is pronounced fuh-LIS-ih-tee /fəˈlɪs.ɪ.ti/ — four syllables with stress on the second.

Is Felicity a virtue name?

Yes. Felicity is a classic Latin virtue name meaning happiness, in the tradition of names like Verity, Prudence, and Charity.

Is Felicity popular?

Felicity has been growing in the U.S. and ranks in the top 300 girls' names, valued for its uplifting meaning and elegant four-syllable sound.