Names That Mean Jehovah

An alternative to the formerly male Ariel, which is now in the grasp of "The Little Mermaid."

A unisex Scandinavian name. Joa is more common for boys in Finland but equally split between sexes in Sweden and Denmark.

The Hebrew version of Joel has a pleasant, almost jolly sound.

Gioele is among the Top 50 names for boys in Italy, though the Italian version would cause pronunciation and spelling problems for English speakers. In the US, UK, or Australia, stick with the sleek and simple Joel.

Eliyahu is the Hebrew form of the increasingly popular Biblical prophet name Elijah, also found in forms Elias and Eli. There were 100 boys given the name Eliyahu in the U.S. in 2012. Its upside is that it's one of the most distinctive forms of the name, but that final yahoo may prove difficult.

Cute nickname with multicultural appeal — in addition to Yoav, Yovi could be short for names such as Yovan and Yovani.

There is much disagreement about the origin, meaning, or even existence of this name. Some sources cite Jesiah as the name of several minor Biblical figures, others say it's a variation of Josiah, still others call it a modern conflation of Josiah and Jesse.

Long forgotten Old Testament name with modern potential.

Seosaimhín is the Gaelic form of Josephine, most notably borne by traditional Irish singer Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaoich.

This alternate spelling of Yusuf leads the way in Spain, where it is among the 100 most popular baby names. In the US, streamlined Yusuf reigns.

The German, Scandinavian and Czech variant of Joseph, borne by several notable European artists and athletes, as well as the brutal Soviet dictator Josef (or Iosif) Stalin.

The origins of Jesiah are uncertain — is it biblical? A Josiah-Jesse mashup? We don't have the answer (sorry!), but we can tell you that Jesiah is a relatively rare alternative to Josiah, with the added benefit of being unisex in use.

Greek variation of Joseph used in the New Testament.

Some people may prefer this spelling to clarify the name's connection to John, but it could be one h too many, exemplified by its steady decline over the past two decades.

Yoav is a variation of Joab, a name featured prominently in the Old Testament.

The Finnish form of Joseph, sometimes used as a nickname for Juuseppi.

A fresh take on Jessica, Jessel is currently borne in the public eye by Jessel Taank, a Real Housewife of New York City.

The final letter makes the name more unusual and adds some zest. Downside: Sure to be confusion with Elias.

Also spelled Bethia and Bithiah, this Old Testament name could wear well today. Bethea might make an original way to honor an ancestral Elizabeth or get to the nickname Beth.