25 Perennially Popular Bible Names for Boys
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Of the profusion of male names in the Old Testament, only 25 of them seem to have been consistently in the US Top 1000, year after year after year. And even those have fluctuated in popularity: a prime example being today’s Number one boy name Noah, which fell to as low as #693 in the early 1960s.
I thought it would be interesting to track these 25 names and trace the paths of their popularity from the time records started being kept, in 1880, beginning with current top-rated Noah and moving down to #878-ranked Reuben (which was far more common in 1880, at 147). I’ve also included the current Nameberry ranks, where Levi is tops at #16, to show where our community stands on this.
Current US rank: #1
High point: #1 since 2013, entered the Top 100 in 1995
Low point: 694 in 1963
Nameberry rank: 109
Current US rank: #6
High point: right now
Low point: 155 in 1960
Nameberry rank: 28
Current US rank: #7
High point: was the top boy name in the US from 1999 to 2012
Low point: 368 in 1962
Nameberry rank: 53
Current US rank: #9
High point: 2016, entered Top 100 in 1995
Low Point: 680 in 1968
Nameberry rank: 35
Current rank: #13
High point: #5 in 1985 and 2007-08; always in the Top 100
Low point: 55 from 1914 to 1916
Nameberry rank: 67
Current rank: #19
High point: #1 in 1960
Low point: #33 in 1903
Nameberry rank: #90
Current rank: #20
High point: #5 from 1912 to 1917; almost always in the Top 20
Low point: #22 In 2011
Nameberry rank: 78
Current rank #21
High point: in 2005 and 2016
Low point: #91 in 1960, so always in the top 100
Nameberry rank: #60
Current rank: 31
High point: #29 in 2013
Low point: #378 in 1967
Nameberry rank: #57
Current rank: 35
High point: #3 from 2002 to 2006; entered Top 10 in 1979
Low point: 730 in 1929
Nameberry rank: 114
Current rank: #42
High point: 42 since 2015; entered Top 100 in 2009
Low point: 724 in 1965
Nameberry rank: 16
Current rank: 43
High point: 20 in 2004-05
Low point: #273 in 1947
Nameberry rank: #95
Current rank: #49
High point: 28 in 1994; entered Top 100 in 1968
Low point: 269 in 1945
Nameberry rank: 145
Current rank: #52
High point: #43 in 2013: entered Top 50 in 2012
Low point: 700 in 1964 and 1969
Nameberry rank: 45
Current rank: 56
High point: 15 in 1988; entered Top 100 in 1962
Low point: 843 in 1907
Nameberry rank: 68
Current rank: 58
High point: 51 in 2010-11, re-entered Top 100 in 2001
Low point: 734 in 1965
Nameberry rank: 202
Current rank: #75
High point: #18, 1983-84, in the Top 100 since 1970
Low point: #428 in 1954
Nameberry rank: 93
Current rank: 158
Highest point: 124 in 1911
Low point: 499 in 1967
Nameberry rank: 354
Current rank: 166
Highest point: 65 in 1981
Low point: 380 in 1900
Nameberry rank: 257
Current rank: 174
High point: 26 in 1882 and 1887
Low point: 178 in 2015
Nameberry rank: 599
Current rank: 243
High point: 139 in 1886
Low point: 556 in 1965
Nameberry rank: 81
Current rank: 307
High point: 63 in 2000
Low point: 905 in 1930
Nameberry rank: 347
Current rank: 369
High point: 196 in 1880
Low point: 712 in 1963
Nameberry rank: 197
Current rank: 462
Highest point: 119 in 1880
Lowest point: 600 in 1964
Nameberry rank: 445
Current rank: 878
Highest point: 147 in 1880
Low point: 995 in 2010
Nameberry rank: 119
Note: Saul was only briefly off the list. If I’ve missed any names that have been on consistently since 1880, I’m sure you’ll let me know!
If you’re wondering about the female names in the Old Testament—a much smaller number– only ten have had a constant presence in the Top 1000:
Hannah—now #33, #2 from 1998 to 2000
Leah—now 37
Sarah—57–#3 in 1993
Naomi—74
Rachel—173–#9 in 1996
Esther—183
Rebecca—207–#10 in 1973-74
Miriam—293
Deborah—815–#2 in 1955!
Judith—889–#4 in 1940