Rare Bible Names for Boys
Once the preserve of deeply religious parents, historically unique Bible names for boys are becoming an increasingly mainstream trend.
Just look at Noah, Elijah, Levi, Ezekiel, Asher and Ezra: six contemporary Biblical favorites, all in the current US Top 50 for boys, none of which had ever ranked in the Top 100 before the 1990s.
Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's second son has the rare and stylish Biblical name Phineas. His big brother’s name is the equally stylish Biblical Silas. They join other celebrity sons, including Moses Martin, Gideon Burtka Harris, and Noah and Elias Bublé in the cool Biblical boy name Hall of Fame.
Bible Names for Boys: The Stats
Recent research carried out by Christianity Today reveals that it’s not just our imaginations: previously obscure Biblical picks like Ezra and Elias — or even Obadiah and Ozias — really are getting more attention in today’s nonconformist society. Religious parents, and even some non-religious parents, are increasingly willing to look beyond the old Biblical stalwarts like James and John, Daniel and David, in search of overlooked gems to unearth.
The research reveals that rare Bible names for boys rose from just 0.5% of all names registered in the 1950s to 6.5% today. And uncommon Biblical names now account for around 17% of all unusual boy names registered in the US — the highest proportion since records began.
Unusual Biblical Baby Names: The Next Wave
Clearly, these parents are onto something.
More than 2500 Biblical names were tracked in CT’s study, of which only around 800 had ever appeared on the SSA baby names list. That’s a huge mine of unique baby name potential for religious parents — or simply lovers of unique, yet established, names — who are willing to think outside the Biblical box.
We can’t see Nebuchadnezzar or Mahershalalhashbaz gaining ground any time soon (sorry, Mr Ali!) But we’ve taken a look at the Biblical names swimming just below the current Top 1000, the fastest-rising boy names, as well as those popular here on Nameberry, to highlight twenty of the coolest rare Biblical boy names right now.
Cool Biblical Boy Names Below the Top 1000
Adlai: Sharing its dynamic ending sound with fashionable favorites like Kai and Levi, this ancient name has a decidedly modern flair.
Benaiah: Lovers of Ben who find Benjamin too popular, and Benedict too papal, might appreciate this overlooked option.
Eben: Long form Ebenezer might have a harder time shaking off its Scrooge-ish image, but Eben feels like a natural successor to the likes of Ethan and Evan.
Eliel: All the strength and softness of Elias and Gabriel, with none of the popularity… yet. It leapt almost 500 places up the charts in the last year on record.
Esai: An obscure Spanish variant of Isaiah, with a cool and compact sound reminiscent of Eli and Levi.
Ishmael: The famous narrator of Moby Dick makes this handsome Old Testament option also a literary baby name par excellence.
Jethro: A little bit hipster hillbilly, a little bit rock ’n’ roll, thanks to British 60s prog rock band Jethro Tull. Edgy Jethro is one of the Top 500 most searched boy names on Nameberry.
Joah: Considering its similarity to Biblical megastar Noah, it’s a wonder this strong and simple choice is still relatively unknown.
Lazarus: With weighty options like Atticus and Augustus back on the baby naming table, we think Lazarus (and its zippy Spanish variant Lazaro) is due a second look.
Linus: Clunky cute and retro, Linus is ready to move beyond the Peanuts and rejoin the playground.
Noam: Another Noah soundalike we can’t believe isn’t more popular — especially considering the fame of its best known modern bearer, Noam Chomsky.
Obadiah: Nehemiah and Hezekiah were once considered too outlandish to use, but both are now well within the US Top 1000. Could Obadiah be next?
Omri: This Old Testament king’s name has an appealingly cool and calming sound — like a Biblical Bodhi.
Ozias: A funky route to fun nicknames Ozzy or Oz!
Phineas: One of the Top 20 most searched boy names on Nameberry, Phineas is a stylish choice with double celebrity cred, thanks to the new Timberlake baby and Julia Roberts’ son Phinnaeus.
Zebedee: We challenge you to find a name more fun to say. Full of energy and pizzaz, the nickname Zeb feels more down-to-earth.
Zephaniah: A bold and breezy Biblical choice with literary links to boot: Benjamin Zephaniah is a contemporary British poet, playwright and novelist.
Zimri: An unusual and spunky name of one of the Kings of Israel, with a beautiful meaning to top it off: "my music".