873+ Names That Mean God

A name mentioned in the Old Testament as the wife of a king of Edom. A curious blend of clunky biblical style, and a "bel" ending that mirrors the feminine sound of names like Isabel and Annabel. Hettie and Belle / Bella are nickname possibilities.

A cool spiritual word name à la Psalm.

A modern version of the dated Betty. You might want to consider varying Elizabeth, too, to the Italian Elisabetta.

This variation of Ivan, itself a form of John, entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2022. Double As are trending across the states, such as Saanvi and Aarush, and Ivaan is running right along with them — all the way into the Top 1000 in 2022.

Dutch diminutive of Elizabeth

Obadias, with its appealing 's' ending, could be an even fresher way to spin the biblical Obadiah.

An Indian boy name most commonly used amongst Sikh families — also spelled Harvinder.

Sambo went from being a short form of the venerable name Samuel to being a racial slur after the popularity of the children's book Little Black Sambo, first published in 1899 but by the 1930s decried by such esteemed critics as Langston Hughes as being racist. While some measures have been taken to rehabilitate the image of the book, the name Sambo seems terminally tainted.

Irish form of Johnny

Too much teasing potential for an English speaker.

Unisex name from the Old Testament, perhaps an underused alternative to Isaiah.

An Indian boy name most commonly used amongst Sikh families — also spelled Harwinder.

Nickname form Gaber is currently the more fashionable variation in Slovenia.

A common unisex name in Nigeria. Kerry Washington used it as the middle name for her son Caleb.

Once upon a time, Lye was used as a nickname for Elijah. These days it feels too deceitful — try Eli as a nickname, or if you prefer something truly vintage, Lige.

Popular Irish name brought here by singer Sinead O'Connor, could make a striking choice for a child with deep Irish roots.

In Exodus, a son of Aaron: an interesting, undiscovered Old Testament name.

This classic Italian Samuel variation is just as compelling as the original, especially if you have Italian heritage.