415+ Hebrew Boy Names
- Nissan
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"miracle"Description:
Though the accent falls on the second syllable, people will mistake this name of the first month of the Jewish calendar or for the Japanese car.
- Shiron
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"songfest"Description:
Associated with music; don't be surprised to see it on collections of Hebrew songs.
- Tzvi
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gazelle"Description:
Tzvi is a Top 100 pick in Israel. It's a cool, sharp-sounding name which would make for a great distinctive alternative to Levi.
- Cager
Origin:
Short form of Micajah, HebrewMeaning:
"Who is like God?"Description:
Sounds a bit like a nickname in a Dickens novel, but this short form was used in New England a few centuries ago, back when names like Micajah were popular. Both short and long forms are now ripe for revival.
- Zohar
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"light, brilliance"Description:
Though this name is used for both boys and girls in Israel, in the U.S. it sounds decidedly masculine, with Zohara the feminine form. Has a futuristic macho feel.
- Nimrod
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"we shall rise up, we shall rebel"Description:
Our kids laughed when they saw this name. Enough said.
- Japheth
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"expansion"Description:
This name of a son of Noah, whose descendants were said to have populated Europe, was well used by the seventeenth century Pilgrims. Pronunciation challenges would seem to hinder its chances for resurgence today, but "Ja" names and obscure Old Testament names are both trendy these days, so you never know.
- Zerah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"to arise; dawn"Description:
The Biblical Zerah is etymologically related to such names as Zora, which also means dawn. While the vowel sound at the end of the name does not sound as feminine to our modern ear as it once did, thanks to such popular choices as Noah and Joshua, but the downside of Zerah is that it is quite similar to such girls' names as Zara and Sarah.
- Shem
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"name"Description:
This down-to-earth Bible name is surprisingly little-used, considering the popularity of other Old Testament names. Shem was Noah's eldest son, and is the origin of the term Semitic (as in the language family).
- Chaim
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"life"Description:
Despite being one of the rare boy names that mean life, Chaim barely survived early Jewish immigration, being watered down to Hyman and Hymie. Today, the original seems like the most promising form of the name, familiar thanks to bestselling author Chaim Potok.
- Pazel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"peace"Description:
Pazel's abbreviated version, Paz, is far more modern and attractive.
- Barak
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"lightning"Description:
An Old Testament warrior whose name still sounds tough.
- Omer
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"sheaf of corn"Description:
A symbolic name for boys born during a period between Passover and Shavuot.
- Michaiah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"who is like God"Description:
The name of five men and one woman in the Bible, this name has so far escaped much notice but its similarity to popular choices such as Michael and Michaela/Mikayla, along with the long-running penchant for Old Testament names, may propel it to prominence. Also spelled Micaiah.
- Asaiah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"the Lord hath made"Description:
Like Isaiah but looking for a name that's more unique? Asaiah is a name found several times in the Old Testament. Think of it as a blend of Asa and Josiah and a possible substitute for Isaiah. Asaiah entered the Top 1000 in the US for the first time in 2022, and is looking like one of the fresher Biblical choices today.
- Zia
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"light"Description:
While this is an ancient male name, it's too similar to modern girls' choices like Mia and Pia to work for a boy today.
- Jonathon
Origin:
Spelling variation of Jonathan, HebrewMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"Description:
Like many spelling variations of popular names, Jonathon's star rose and is now falling along with that of the original Jonathan. Jonathon occupied the very last spot on the boys' US Top 1000 in 2016, at Number 1000. Parents in search of an Old Testament boys’ name today tend to look for more original choices, from Ezra to Abraham to Moses.
- Meshach
Origin:
AkkadianMeaning:
"who is what Aku is?"Description:
Derived from Aku, the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a furnace but saved by God. Meshach Taylor is an actor who has been featured on several sitcoms.
- Beriah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"in envy"Description:
Unusual biblical name that may be too close in sound to the feminine Mariah.
- Tuvia
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is good"Description:
Tuvia is the Hebrew cognate of Tobias or Tobiah, found in the Bible and used in this form in Israel. The film "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind" included a character named Tuvia, who was female, pointing to the biggest downside of this name to the English-speaking ear: It sounds quite feminine.