Hebrew Names

We've been hearing a lot more of Silas and even of Cyrus, which means the obscure Tiras may have a shot at resurrection as a same-but-different name. And you can call him Ti. The Old Testament Tiras was a grandson of Noah.

Biblical name -- he was an ancestor of Abraham's -- rarely used today but registered on the U.S. popularity list at the end of the 19th century. With the rise of other obscure Old Testament names, just might have a shot at revival.

Maoz is a symbolic name given to boys born at Hannukah because of the song "Maoz Tzur," "Rock of Ages," which is sung at that time.

One of the less attractive Hebrew choices.

Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move on from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms like Jed and Zeb.

Sharp and sleek, it refers to Benjamin being compared to a wolf in Genesis.

Panna is a name with many allusions — in addition to those above, a serene and sacred city in India and the Italian word for cream. Panna might make a fresh alternative to Anna or Hannah.

Another rarely heard biblical name, with some possible pronunciation confusion.

Phinnaeus is the antique spelling of the antique name single-handedly revived by Julia Roberts. Finn is the nickname she uses that you might find appealing too.

Old World Jewish name that could travel to the New.

Lem is a corn-cob pipe-smoking, back porch-rocking nickname name. But we predict as Sam and Gus become ho-hum, more parents will look to Lem.

This is most familiar here as a musical name, via Indian Parsi conductor Zubin Mehta, but it certainly could be used by others.

Less than zero chance of crossing into the mainstream. It shockingly appeared for the first time on the US Top 1000 in 2017.

Jadon is the original Biblical form of this name, but Jayden is by far the most popular spelling, currently in the Top 20. Jaydon is borrowing from both versions, but not improving the name in the process. At Number 999 in 2015, it's in danger of dropping of the charts for good.

An important biblical name, being the wife of Moses in Exodus. Has a number of spelling variations, including Tziporah, Zipora(h), Zippora(h), Tzipor and Tzipori. The Yiddish forms are Tzeitl and Tzertel.

Tanya with a G.

Long forgotten Old Testament name with modern potential.

Famous violinist-conductor Pinchas Zuckerman is the most famous modern bearer; the biblical Pinchas was the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron -- both preferable name choices.

An alternative to the more familiar Aviva.

Its meaning refers to the rich wood that lined the walls of King Solomon's temple. Well used in modern Israel, it's pronouced ah-REE-zuh.