390+ Biblical Names (with Meanings and Popularity)
- Nebo
Origin:
Babylonian mythology nameDescription:
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.
- Rahab
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"spacious"Description:
Biblical woman from the Old Testament whose unique name is largely unknown in the modern world.
- Milka
Origin:
Slavic, Finnish, Polish, HebrewMeaning:
"gracious, dear; rival; queen"Description:
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".
- Ithai
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"with me"Description:
Uncommon biblical name from the Old Testament.
- Shifra
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"handsome, good"Description:
In the Bible this was the name of a midwife who helped deliver Moses.
- Adino
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"ornament"Description:
Attractive name from the Old Testament. Adino was one of David's "mighty men," though texts do disagree on his name.
- Merari
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"bitter"Description:
In the Old Testament, Merari is one of Levi's sons.
- Laban
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"white"Description:
An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.
- Jabin
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"perceptive"Description:
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.
- Syntyche
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"common fate"Description:
Unique baby name featured in the New Testament.
- Helah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"rust"Description:
Biblical name from the Old Testament.
- Naphtali
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"wrestling, struggling"Description:
Rarely used biblical choice -- he's a son of Jacob -- with a bit of a white-bearded image.
- Amal
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"laborer"Description:
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.
- Abiah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is my father"Description:
Abiah is a gentle, rarely used Old Testament name belonging to Samuel's second son. This makes a good choice for the parent who wants a traditional biblical name that is not overly familiar.
- Avital
- Jedediah
Origin:
Variation of Jedidiah, HebrewMeaning:
"beloved of the Lord"Description:
Blink and you’ll miss that the first I in Jedidiah was swapped for an E.
- Penuel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"facing God"Description:
Biblical name from the Old Testament.
- Obed
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"servant of God"Description:
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.
- Goliath
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"exile"Description:
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.
- Baruch
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"blessed"Description:
Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews.