Here's some information about the history behind "virtuous" first names in Europe and America.

The ancient Greeks and Romans personified the Virtues as Goddesses, and less commonly as Gods. Children were named after these deities in the hopes that they would develop these 'divine' traits. Here's
a short list of the deified "virtues" from Roman times (taken from Gregory Flood's on-line library at this link):

Virtues and Personifications

Aequitas, Aeternitas, Annona, Concordia, Felicitas, Fides, Honos, Justitia, Lars Militaris (Luck of the Army), Libertas, Liberalitas, Mens (mind), Pax, Providentia, Ques (rest), Securitas, Spes (hope), Victoria, Virtus

It's interesting to note that women were most often named after and used as symbols for the finer aspects of human personality and social life. This link gives some very interesting historical/social data from the French revolution regarding the discrepancy between the public status of women and the use of the female figure to symbolize "Liberty, Equality and Freedom".

Enjoy!    daylia

PS - I picked a flower for my Mudcat name - can you get more virtuous than a flower????

PPS - Michael, according to the World Book Dictionary of names, "Michael" means "Who is like God". Sounds pretty virtuous too (depending on which god, I guess)!