240+ Unusual Biblical Baby Names

Rarely heard New Testament name -- he was a friend of Saint Paul -- that might conceivably stand up to modern usage.

Sharing an etymology with Cleopatra, this masculine form of the name also has biblical ties. Cleopas was one of the men who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus following his resurrection. As a child's name, it has been a rare sight. While it does have an interesting history, it's connection to Cleopatra and obvious nickname Cleo could make it seem too feminine for some.

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

Used in Serbia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, and Croatia, Milka derives from the popular Slavic element milŭ, and is a diminutive form of feminine names containing that element such as Milena, Milanka, and Militsa. Alternatively, in Poland and Finland, it is used as a short form of Emilia, while as a Hebrew name, it might be a variation of Milcah, Malka, or Melech, meaning "royal" or "queen".

In the Old Testament, Merari is one of Levi's sons.

Attractive name from the Old Testament. Adino was one of David's "mighty men," though texts do disagree on his name.

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.

In the Bible this was the name of a midwife who helped deliver Moses.

Sounds like a name from an old science fiction movie -- but this god of letters invented writing, and so might interest parents who are writers or professors.

Biblical woman from the Old Testament whose unique name is largely unknown in the modern world.

Unique baby name featured in the New Testament.

The Biblical Addar was a son of King Bela. This obscure name is simple and strong and well-suited to modern life.

Uncommon biblical name from the Old Testament.

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

Amal is the name of a male figure in the Bible, a member of the tribe of Asher. Not, in this case, Mrs. George Clooney.

A potential hero name: Crispus Attucks, an African and Native American man, was the first colonist to die for independence in the Boston Massacre.

Biblical name from the Old Testament.

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

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.