Names That Mean Praise

This unusual and spunky biblical name was one of the Kings of Israel as well as one of Judah's grandsons and has a wonderful meaning. We'd like to see Zimri being used more, and we think it has potential — "traveling lite" names, or 2 syllable names ending in -i, such as Zuri, Ezri, and Rafi are red-hot right now.

Pretty Hebrew name that would create a strong but feminine impression, as well as a variant of the Germanic name Odilia or Ottilie.

Ukrainian figure-skating champion Oksana Baiul made it known here.

Older Japanese name given new life in the anime series One Piece.

Names with the del element, such as Adeline, Adelaide, Adele, and Della, are currently en vogue, but old-fashioned Odella didn't get the memo.

Short form of Dumisani

Mahelet, Mahlet or Mahilet is a chant performed to praise god in the Ethiopian Orthodox church, also used as a female name.

Variation of Ejiroghene

Joab is the biblical name of an advisor of David, who led many military victories, and is surely much more usable than the burdened Job. A similar option is Joah, a possible replacement for Jonah or Noah.

Hallel is derived from the Hebrew word halall, meaning "praise."

In its native Cornwall, Mawgan is identical in pronunciation to Morgan, a Welsh name of separate origins. Mawgan comes from the Old Welsh mawl, meaning "praise," and is the name of a Cornish saint.

Cute nickname with multicultural appeal — in addition to Yoav, Yovi could be short for names such as Yovan and Yovani.

Tehila may at first appeal as a distinctive choice. Danger: might tend to sound like a mispronunciation of tequila.

Variation of Ejiroghene

May rise along with other spiritually inclined names, but Americans might find it too close to Osama.

Yoav is a variation of Joab, a name featured prominently in the Old Testament.

A name from ancient legend: Amlodd (also spelled Amlawdd) Wledig is recorded as being an early British chieftain. Some sources name him as the father of Igraine, the mother of King Arthur. It has been co-opted as a suitable fantasy-sounding name into the online game Runescape.

Anglicized as Judah, this name of a biblical patriarch is given symbolically to boys born on Chanukah; a form of it was spotlighted by violin virtuoso Yehudi Menuhin.

Confusion with English male name Zan could cause pronunciation problems.