Names That Mean My

Makes a Biblical favorite new and interesting.

A fast-rising variation of Abigail that was shooting up the popularity charts a few years ago, but whose star is now falling now that Abigail is not quite as hot as she once was.

Chic and lively Afrikaans variant of Elizabeth.

What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.

Attractive African name with a meaning that honors mom.

The sharp and unusual name of an archangel associated with mercy in Jewish and Christian tradition, sometimes cited as the angel who stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Its crisp sound makes it an interesting alternative to the likes of Ezekiel and Azriel.

Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.

The name of the late husband of Naomi in the Bible.

Probably most familiar to English-speakers as Zsa Zsa Gabor's last name, the rise of other Eastern European boys' names like Casimir, Milo and Laszlo make Gabor an increasingly wearable option.

Eliot is the sleekest spelling of the original, very occasionally used for girls, perhaps to honor novelist George Eliot.

The name of a High Priest in the Hebrew Bible.

In Slovenia, Gaber is used as both a nickname of Gabrijel and a nature name. Gaber is the Slovene word for the hornbeam tree.

While Malakhi might appear to some as a modern twist on the more familiar Malachi, it is in fact closer to the Biblical Hebrew form, Mal'akhi.It made a brief appearance in the US Top 1000 in 2019, but now sits just outside it, received by around 180 boys each year.

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.

This Punjabi boy's name is used in India.

Abijah, which you might think of as Abigail with rhythm, is the name of both female and male personages in the Bible. A biblical Queen Abijah was the daughter, wife, and mother of kings. The name is pronounced with a long i, to rhyme with Elijah.

A rare alternative to Tobias, with a lesser-known Biblical story.

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.