873+ Names That Mean God

This spelling is almost exclusively feminine, but is occasionally given to boys as a variation on Ariel — to 6 baby boys in 2020, for instance.

The name of the mother of Miriam, Aaron and Moses in the Old Testament. Yocheved was also the name of one of the three daughters of the medieval Talmudic scholar, Rashi.

In Nigeria, Chibuike is seen as a surname as well as a given name for both girls and boys. John Chibuike is a notable Nigerian footballer.

Anno is an extreme rarity: a simple, familiar-sounding name with deep history that is completely unknown in the US and rare in its native Germany. Anno is the name of a saint also known as Hanno, a 10th century archbishop of Cologne also known as Hanno of Worms.

With more parents turning to biblical names like Ezekiel and Isaiah, this could prove a quasi-unique alternative in a similar -- if more Orthodox -- vein.

Feminine form of Gottlieb

The Irish form of Elizabeth is properly spelled with a fada (Eilís) and pronounced with a long vowel sound accordingly: EYE-leesh. But Billie Eilish has popularized the anglicized spelling and pronunciation of this name.

Jerusalema is the name of a viral song released by Master KG, a South African DJ, in 2019. The #JerusalemaChallenge was an international sensation during Summer 2020, and in 2021, Jerusalema debuted on the baby name charts when it was given to six baby girls.

A Scandinavian short form of Johanna, properly pronounced with a Y sound at the start, but would likely be read as the more prosaic "John-a" in an English-speaking context.

Alternative spelling of Dennis, and the usual transliteration from Ukrainian. Used (though rarely) for both sexes.

Militaristic.

Natty short form of Nathan, Nathaniel or even Ignatius.

An unusual Biblical name with modern appeal, borne by the father of Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King Ahab of Israel.

Nitasha sounds exactly like Natasha but has a different origin and meaning. This makes it a good choice for parents looking to bridge Christian and Muslim or European and Arabic or Indian cultures. Down side: Endless and inevitable spelling confusion, but this is far outweighed by the name's cross-cultural grace.

Dutch diminutive of Elizabeth

A name mentioned in the Old Testament as the wife of a king of Edom. A curious blend of clunky biblical style, and a "bel" ending that mirrors the feminine sound of names like Isabel and Annabel. Hettie and Belle / Bella are nickname possibilities.

Sambo went from being a short form of the venerable name Samuel to being a racial slur after the popularity of the children's book Little Black Sambo, first published in 1899 but by the 1930s decried by such esteemed critics as Langston Hughes as being racist. While some measures have been taken to rehabilitate the image of the book, the name Sambo seems terminally tainted.

A modern version of the dated Betty. You might want to consider varying Elizabeth, too, to the Italian Elisabetta.

Nigerian-born supermodel Oluchi Orlandi brought this little-known (to non-Nigerians), lovely choice into the lexicon.

This classic Italian Samuel variation is just as compelling as the original, especially if you have Italian heritage.