240+ Unusual Biblical Baby Names

  1. Moab
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "from my father"
    • Description:

      Moab is a Biblical name and an ancient place name. In the Old Testament, Moab was the son of Lot. The Kingdom of Moab, in modern-day Jordan, was Biblically significant for often being in conflict with Israel.
  2. Zilpah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "frailty"
    • Description:

      The biblical Zilpah was a handmaiden of Leah who had two sons with Jacob, Gad and Asher. Zilpah is a one-hit wonder, appearing on the US Top 1000 only one year, 1881. No baby girls were named Zilpah in the US last year.
  3. Philetus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "beloved"
    • Description:

      Obscure name from the New Testament.
  4. Ephrath
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "fruitful place"
    • Description:

      Place name and feminine given name in the Old Testament.
  5. Tobit
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "my good"
    • Description:

      A rare alternative to Tobias, with a lesser-known Biblical story.
  6. Haggith
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "festive"
    • Description:

      One of the wives of King David in the Old Testament.
  7. Abital
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "my father is dew"
    • Description:

      Abital is popular for boys as well as girls in Israel, but we rarely hear it here. In the Old Testament, Abital was one of King David's wives and the mother of his fifth son.
  8. Nadab
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "generous"
    • Description:

      Biblical name from the Old Testament.
  9. Herod
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "song of the hero"
    • Description:

      Greek name featured in the New Testament.
  10. Menahem
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "the comforter"
    • Description:

      Menahem derives from a Hebrew word meaning "the comforter" King Menahem of the Old Testament did not live up to his name — he was one of Israel’s cruelest kings.
  11. Bilhah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "bashful"
    • Description:

      Biblical name from the Old Testament.
  12. Kandake
    • Origin:

      Greek variation of Candace
    • Meaning:

      "white, pure, sincere"
    • Description:

      Greek variation of Candace used in the Bible.
  13. Shulammite
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "peace"
    • Description:

      Derivative of Shalom and one of the unique baby names featured in the Old Testament.
  14. Rosh
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "chief"
    • Description:

      Rosh is not Ross, not Rush, but an improvement on both of those more familiar names. The Biblical Rosh was a son of Benjamin, so you might consider it to honor a father or otherwise ancestral Benjamin. Very much associated with the Jewish New Year holiday, Rosh Hashanah.
  15. Hillel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "greatly praised"
    • Description:

      Hillel the Great was a famous Talmudic scholar, the spiritual and ethical leader of his generation, and his name is greatly honored by parents in Israel and, to some extent, here.
  16. Habakkuk
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "embrace"
    • Description:

      A minor Old Testament prophet, and a (deservedly) even more minor name.
  17. Orpah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "a fawn"
    • Description:

      Old Testament name of the daughter-in-law of Naomi, now eclipsed by the originally misspelled Oprah.
  18. Mattan
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "gift"
    • Description:

      Old Testament name that would make a nice alternative to Matteo.
  19. Ehud
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Description:

      Biblical judge from the Old Testament.
  20. Herodias
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "song of the hero"
    • Description:

      Feminine form of Herod.