Old Testament Names

Often stands alone in Israel, but rarely here.

Biblical name from the Old Testament, and a nice full form of the sweet nickname Jory.

A rare Old Testament name that, although short, is resoundingly biblical. It belonged to name the tenth king of Israel, who seized power violently and reigned from about 841 to 814 BCE.

In the Bible, daughter of King Saul and wife of King David.

Our kids laughed when they saw this name. Enough said.

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.

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).

An Old Testament warrior whose name still sounds tough.

Balaam is a character mentioned in the Torah, said to have told King Balak how to get the Israelites to commit sin by enticing them with sexual immorality and food sacrificed to idols. He is described as a "wicked man".

As Ezra becomes more popular, so is Esdras being rediscovered. Los Angeles chef Esdras Ochoa was recently named one of the top chefs in the US.

Adonijah was one of King David's sons in the Old Testament; this name (the accent is on the "ni" syllable) is waiting to be rediscovered.

Uzziah was an Old Testament king of Judah, among other personages. The initial U is a bit funky for modern tastes; we don't see this one enjoying a revival ala Isaiah and Noah anytime soon.

An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.

The name of two Old Testament kings that seems as ripe as you can get for modern use, given the popularity of sound-alike Biblical brethren Jadon and Jacob (and even mythological Jason). Note that different sources give wide-ranging meanings for Jabin, but we think "perceptive" is the most authoritative, not to mention appealing.

This name of an Old Testament king is reminiscent of the woodsy nature name Hazel. Given to just 22 boys in 2023, it could make a similar but less popular option than Top 1000 Azael.

Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image.

A rarely heard biblical name, Zadok is borne by no less than nine Old Testament men.

This quirky Old Testament name has potential, as parents are digging deeper into the Bible to find names for their children. It has also been used as a nickname for Obediah.

Not a traditional biblical choice, but the Philistine giant isn't a bad character as such, just a champion fighter who lost to the underdog. He has given his name to everything from insect species to roller coasters. In a time when we're seeing more biblical names with chequered associations — Leviathan and Cain spring to mind — Goliath may appeal to some.

Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews.