Modern Christian Baby Names

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus appears to two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus after his death, burial and resurrection.

Transferred from the geographical name, Jerusalem is a sacred city in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is given to around a dozen babies of each sex per year in the US.

Generally used in conjunction with another name to form a religious phrase -- for instance the daughter of rapper DMX is called Praise Mary Ella.

A modern word and virtue name which first appeared on the US baby name charts in 2013, when it was given to 6 boys. Usage peaked in 2019, with 18 boys and seven baby girls, no doubt thanks to the enigmatic Credence Barebone from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise.

Chosen is officially a baby name thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who chose (can't resist) the word as the name of his newborn son. While it may inspire bad puns, Chosen is actually a pretty good word name: It's got the two-syllable, n-ending sound that is so fashionable for names, plus a positive, affirming meaning. Chosen is rising on the girls' side too now, given to 74 baby girls in 2022.

There's something about the K initial that modern parents just can't resist and Kruz is a trendy reboot of the already very cool Cruz. Derived from the Spanish word for "cross", Kruz could be included in the new generation of Christian word names with a twist, joining Kross, Tru, Zyon, and Chozen on future class rosters. Given to around 170 boys in a recent year, the traditional spelling is used nearly six times as often.

Omega is an unusual name used now equally for boys and girls, though the a ending is conventionally feminine. More popular boys' names, like Omega, end in the a sound these days: Joshua, Noah, Micah.

Cruz might be a sister for Concepcion and Corazon, although its masculine side was emphasized when the high profile David Beckhams chose it for their son.

Rare word name, and an unexpected way to get to Tess.

Omega is a perfect choice for a youngest child.

A Puritanical virtue name and also a place name, belonging to the state capital of Rhode Island and several other towns and cities in the US.

This bold musical word name is given to just a handful of baby girls per year in the US, but it has a very contemporary sound. Hallie and Lou/Lulu would make for more mainstream nicknames. Lovers of the music and lyrics of Leonard Cohen might also appreciate the link to one of his most successful hits.

Rise joins the latest class of modern Christian names for its uplifting spiritual associations. Rise may be especially appropriate for an Easter baby. We expect it will, erm, rise now that Nick Cannon and Brittany Bell have used it for their son, born in 2022.

One of the new literalist religious names, like Blessing, Heavenly and Neveah. More male than female, but essentially unisex.

In the Bible, Calvary is the hill outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. This religious significance, along with a pleasant sound, have led some parents to begin using it as a name for their daughters.

Whether you like Cardinal for its connections to the songbird, religious connotations, or even sports ties, this unique new name fits in with today's name landscape. Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden used it for their son, born in 2024, but it could just as easily be used on a daughter — perhaps with the nickname Cardi.

Fortitude is the kind of virtue name the Puritans favored, but would not be easy for a modern boy to carry. Stick with something a little simpler than Fortitude, like Justice or True.

A warm and positive English word name, used by the Puritans for both sexes but now given to only around a dozen baby girls each year.

With its sharp Z initial and similar sound to Ryan, Zion has shot up the charts in singer Lauryn Hill used it for her son in 1997. Following on in its footsteps, spelling variant Zyon entered the Top 1000 in 2019 and was given to around 270 babies in a recent year.