Temperance
TEM-per-ance
Temperance is a virtue name with deep roots in Puritan New England, where parents chose names reflecting moral qualities they hoped their children would embody. The name gained further prominence through the 19th-century temperance movement, which advocated for abstinence from alcohol. Today it has enjoyed a revival as a distinctive vintage name, with pop culture exposure through the TV series Bones, whose lead character goes by 'Bones' but is formally named Temperance.
At a glance
Temperance is a striking virtue name with centuries of history behind it. Rooted in classical philosophy and beloved by Puritan settlers, it carries a quiet moral authority alongside genuine vintage beauty. Its recent television exposure has introduced it to a new generation of parents who appreciate its rarity, depth, and the elegant nickname Tempe.
Etymology & History
Temperance derives from the Latin 'temperantia', itself from 'temperare', meaning to moderate, blend, or restrain. In classical philosophy, temperantia was one of the four cardinal virtues alongside prudence, justice, and fortitude, representing the ideal of balanced, self-controlled conduct. The word entered Middle English through Old French and was in use as a common noun long before it became a given name. It was the Puritan settlers of seventeenth-century New England who most enthusiastically adopted virtue names for their children, believing that naming a child after a moral quality would shape their character and honour God. Temperance, along with Faith, Patience, Grace, and Prudence, became a staple of Puritan naming culture on both sides of the Atlantic. The name fell out of fashion during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries except among particularly devout communities, though it gained new cultural currency through the temperance movement of the Victorian era, which lent the word strong public associations with moral seriousness. Its revival in the twenty-first century reflects a broader appetite for forgotten vintage names with genuine substance.
Cultural Significance
Temperance has a layered cultural history spanning theology, social reform, and popular entertainment. As one of the classical cardinal virtues, it represented an ideal of measured, disciplined living that resonated deeply with Protestant communities from the Reformation onwards. The Women's Christian Temperance Union, founded in 1874, became one of the largest women's organisations in American history, playing a key role in both the Prohibition movement and in campaigning for women's suffrage, and it brought the word into everyday political discourse for generations. The name was given a modern boost by the Fox television series Bones, which ran from 2005 to 2017, whose forensic anthropologist protagonist was formally named Temperance Brennan, played by Emily Deschanel. The character's combination of intellectual brilliance and social awkwardness made the name feel fresh and compelling to new audiences. Historical bearers include Temperance Flowerdew, among the earliest English colonists in Virginia, giving the name a genuine place in the founding story of the English-speaking world.
Famous people named Temperance
Temperance Brennan (fictional)
The forensic anthropologist protagonist of the long-running Fox TV series Bones, played by Emily Deschanel, which helped revive interest in the name.
Temperance Flowerdew
A 17th-century English woman who was one of the early colonists at Jamestown, Virginia, and is among the first recorded bearers of the name in the New World.
Temperance Lloyd
One of the last women to be executed for witchcraft in England, hanged at Exeter in 1682, making her name one of the earliest documented in English records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where you'll find Temperance
Temperance shows up in these curated collections across Namekin.