Names That Mean My

A fast-rising variation of Abigail that was shooting up the popularity charts a few years ago, but whose star is now falling now that Abigail is not quite as hot as she once was.

An unusual spin on Mila and Milena.

What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.

Eliot is the sleekest spelling of the original, very occasionally used for girls, perhaps to honor novelist George Eliot.

The name of the late husband of Naomi in the Bible.

Four-syllable names can be tricky, but this rarely used Old Testament appellation has considerable potential. In the Bible, Eleazer is a son of Aaron and nephew of Moses who succeeds his father as High Priest.

Spirited unisex Hebrew name.

The sharp and unusual name of an archangel associated with mercy in Jewish and Christian tradition, sometimes cited as the angel who stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Its crisp sound makes it an interesting alternative to the likes of Ezekiel and Azriel.

Probably most familiar to English-speakers as Zsa Zsa Gabor's last name, the rise of other Eastern European boys' names like Casimir, Milo and Laszlo make Gabor an increasingly wearable option.

The name of a High Priest in the Hebrew Bible.

Angad is a name of Sanskrit and Hindi origin, that can be used to refer to an ornament or a bracelet, but when given as a name, is more likely chosen to reflect the idea that a child is part of their parents. The name is significant to both Sikhs and Hindus with Guru Angad Dev Ji being the second of the ten Sikh Gurus responsible for leading Sikh tradition after the death of its founder, and also appearing as a figure in the Hindu Epic Ramayana to fight the Demon King Ravana.

Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.

Attractive African name with a meaning that honors mom.

While Malakhi might appear to some as a modern twist on the more familiar Malachi, it is in fact closer to the Biblical Hebrew form, Mal'akhi.It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2019, but now sits just outside it, received by around 180 boys each year.

Moab is a Biblical name and an ancient place name. In the Old Testament, Moab was the son of Lot. The Kingdom of Moab, in modern-day Jordan, was Biblically significant for often being in conflict with Israel.

In Slovenia, Gaber is used as both a nickname of Gabrijel and a nature name. Gaber is the Slovene word for the hornbeam tree.

Abijah, which you might think of as Abigail with rhythm, is the name of both female and male personages in the Bible. A biblical Queen Abijah was the daughter, wife, and mother of kings. The name is pronounced with a long i, to rhyme with Elijah.

A rare alternative to Tobias, with a lesser-known Biblical story.