Boaz

Now that such Old Testament patriarchs as Elijah and Moses fill the playground, Boaz seems downright baby-friendly, having more pizzazz than many of the others, perhaps as a successor to Noah. A name that was used by the seventeenth century Pilgrims and is still

heard in Israel, but is a rarity in the U.S., Boaz is associated with the Jewish holiday Shavuot, as that is when the Bible story of Ruth is read in the synagogue, and Boaz was Ruth’s wealthy and generous second husband, making it logical for Boaz to sometimes be given to boys born at that time.

Extra added attraction: one of the all-time great nicknames — Bo.