Biblical Baby Names: 22 Names to Consider, and How to Choose
Biblical names are not one style. Eve and Ruth are plain and short, Abigail and Elizabeth are long and formal, Silas and Gideon sound like modern surnames, and Jonah or Amos sound almost rustic. This page picks 22 that work well for a child born today and says how each one is used in practice: the usual nicknames, what it sits well beside, and how common it is.
Reviewed
For the full lists, with who each person was and where to find them in scripture, see the separate pages for biblical girl names and biblical boy names. Meanings are the standard scholarly readings; where scholars disagree, we say so.
Our top picks
Girl names (10)
- AbigailHebrewmy father is joyAbby is the usual nickname, and Gail the old-fashioned one. It has been consistently popular in the US, so expect other Abigails in class.
- EveHebrewlife (from Chavah)Short, and distinct from Eva and Evelyn, which have different roots. It works well with a longer middle name.
- HannahHebrewgrace, favourA palindrome (it reads the same backwards), with the variants Hanna and Anna. It has been consistently used for decades.
- LydiaGreekfrom Lydia, a region of western Asia MinorA New Testament name with an old-fashioned feel. Lyddie and Liddy are the nicknames.
- NaomiHebrewpleasantnessThree syllables, and the soft ending pairs well with a short surname. Used by Jewish, Christian and secular families alike.
- PhoebeGreekbright, radiantShort and bright. Paul commends a Phoebe to the church in Rome, and the same Greek name belonged to a Titaness associated with the moon.
- RachelHebreweweA classic, with Rae as a nickname and Rachelle as a variant.
- RuthHebrewcompassion, friendOne syllable and one of the oldest names on the list. It works equally well as a first or a middle name.
- TabithaAramaicgazelleTabby is the obvious nickname. It is more distinctive than its Greek twin Dorcas, which is rarely used today.
- ZipporahHebrewbirdRare. Pronounced zih-POR-uh, with Zippy or Zippa as possible nicknames.
Boy names (12)
- AmosHebrewcarried, borneShort and old-fashioned, which is part of its appeal.
- AsherHebrewhappy, blessedEasy to say, and pairs with almost any surname.
- CalebHebrewwhole-hearted, faithful (the Hebrew word also means 'dog')Cal and Cale are the common nicknames. It has been in the US top 100 for decades.
- DavidHebrewbelovedThe most-used biblical boy's name in English, with Dave, Davey and Davy as nicknames and Dewi as the Welsh form.
- ElijahHebrewmy God is YahwehEli and Lij are the nicknames. It has been in the US top ten in recent years.
- EzraHebrewhelpTwo syllables with a hard z, and it sounds modern even though it is very old. Ez is the nickname.
- GideonHebrewhewer, one who cuts downGid is a possible nickname. It has a firmer, more formal feel than Asher or Micah.
- JonahHebrewdoveA gentle sound; the story of the great fish is the part people remember.
- LeviHebrewattached, joinedCasual, thanks to the jeans brand. It works well with a formal middle name such as Levi Alexander.
- MicahHebrewwho is like Yahweh?Pronounced MY-kuh. Sometimes used for girls too.
- NoahHebrewrest, comfortA top-three US name for years, so it is the least distinctive on this list.
- SilasGreekof the forest (a short form of Silvanus)A companion of Paul in Acts. Si is a possible nickname, and it is far less common than Elijah or Noah.
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How to choose
Read the ending to read the meaning
Hebrew names often end in -el, which is El, 'God' (Daniel, Samuel, Gabriel, Ezekiel), or in -iah, -jah or -yahu, which is Yahweh (Isaiah, Elijah, Josiah, Zechariah). Daniel is 'God is my judge'; Isaiah is 'Yahweh is salvation'. Once you can spot the ending, most of the meanings explain themselves.
Pick the language you want the name in
The same person has several forms. Joshua, Yeshua and Jesus are one name in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek; Elijah and Elias, Miriam and Mary, Jacob and James, Judah and Jude are all pairs. The Greek and Latin forms (Elias, Maria, Timothy) are the ones most often used in the New Testament and in Europe, and the Hebrew forms (Eliyahu, Miriam, Yaakov) are the ones used in Jewish families.
Read the story before you commit
Some famous names belong to people with a bad reputation. Jezebel and Judas are effectively off the table, Delilah and Herod are controversial, and Cain and Ahab are almost never chosen. A few names have a worse reputation than the story supports, so read about the person before you rule a name out.
Mind which Bible you mean
Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include books that most Protestant Bibles leave out. Tobias (the book of Tobit), Judith and Susanna's story in Daniel come from those books, so a name that is biblical for one family may be unfamiliar to another.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most popular biblical baby names?
For boys, Noah, Elijah, James, Samuel and Daniel are the most commonly used biblical names in the US. For girls, Abigail, Hannah, Eve and Naomi are the best-known. Names such as Asher, Micah and Silas are less common but follow the same patterns.
What are rare biblical baby names?
Zipporah, Keziah, Huldah and Tirzah for girls and Jedidiah, Hosea, Barnabas and Nehemiah for boys are all genuine scripture names that are uncommon today.
Do biblical names have to be religious?
No. Many families choose names like Ruth, Eve, Noah or Ezra for their sound, their history or their meaning, without any religious intent. The names are shared by Jewish, Christian and Muslim families, and many have equivalents in Arabic (Yusuf for Joseph, Ibrahim for Abraham).
What does the ending -iah or -el mean in a biblical name?
The ending -el stands for El, 'God' (Daniel means 'God is my judge'). The ending -iah, -jah or -yahu stands for Yahweh (Isaiah means 'Yahweh is salvation'). Together they make a large share of Hebrew names theophoric, meaning they carry the name of God.
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