Agnes
Agnes comes from the Greek "hagne," meaning pure or chaste. There is a lovely accidental pun in Latin: "agnus" means lamb, so for centuries Agnes has been depicted in art holding a lamb. Saint Agnes was a young Roman martyr killed around 304 CE for refusing to marry a pagan prefect — she was perhaps twelve or thirteen. Her feast day, January 21, is still observed. The name was hugely popular in the late 19th century — it was #47 in the US in 1880. Then it collapsed. By the 1970s it was considered the quintessential "old lady name," right up there with Gertrude and Ethel. But names like Agnes are exactly what come back when the vintage-revival cycle reaches the deeper layers. Agnes is climbing again in the UK and parts of Scandinavia, and I suspect it will continue. What I find compelling is the sound: "AG-nes" has a hard opening, then a soft landing. It does not sound frail the way some old-fashioned names do. The actress Agnes Moorehead (Endora on Bewitched) gave it a theatrical, slightly witchy edge that I think suits it. Agnes is a female name of Greek origin that means "Pure, holy (also "lamb" in Latin)". Steady, principled, and quietly artistic. The name sounds like someone with strong convictions. Agneses do not bend easily. Outside US top 1000 since 1973. Returning in UK and Scandinavia. Well-known people named Agnes include Saint Agnes of Rome, Agnes Moorehead (actress), Agnes Varda (filmmaker), Agnes Martin (painter). Common variations and related forms of Agnes include Inès (French), Inés (Spanish), Agnieszka (Polish), Agneta (Scandinavian).