Names That Mean Praised

Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity, in the US at least. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.

Judah is the strong, resonant Old Testament name of the son of Jacob who was the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel, and from whom the word Jew is derived. Some of the names' popularity might be attributable to the similarly named Jude Law.

The biblical Judith, the fourth most popular name in 1940, may be getting ready for a comeback in its full, elegant, if somewhat solemn form. Many of those earlier Judiths were called Judy—some after Judy (born Frances) Garland—preferring it over their more formal proper name. Today, Judith, like Deborah, may have shaken off just enough to appeal to parents looking for a traditional, yet under-the-radar biblical name. And Jude would be a likelier nickname these days than the Judge Judy connection.

Jude may be a popular boys' name, thanks to Jude Law, but boyish nicknames for girls - like Frankie and Teddy - are on trend and Jude is also a new way to spin Judy or Judith. It's long been used quietly for girls as well as boys, and may start to pick up steam, though as of 2024, it was given to just shy of 90 girls in the US compared to over 2000 boys.

Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned.

In Greek and Roman mythology, Aeneas was the legendary son of Venus (or Aphrodite) who was the hero of Troy and Rome. Appearing in the Aeneid by the poet Virgil, he goes on to found the Roman state and break the heart of Queen Dido of Carthage.

Enea is derived from Aeneas, the name of a Roman mythological hero with strong ties to the city of Rome. It's no surprise then, that Italians have embraced Enea, a more modern variation of his name.

This variation of Ahmad is one of the most popular Arabic names among Muslim families the world over and is now the most used spelling in the USA. It shares the same root as other popular Arabic names, including Muhammad and Hamid.

Samiya is a name used by parents of both Arabic and African ancestry. Spelling variations include Samiyah, Samiah, and Samia.

Samiyah hovers near the bottom of the US Top 1000, used expecially by Arab-American and African-American families. Variations include Samiya, Samiah, and Samia.

A cross-cultural name which derives either from the Arabic jada "excellence" or from the Hebrew name Yehudah/Judah, meaning "praised".

Sami is cute if overused in its more familiar Sammy form.

This variation of Muhammed is not as popular as some, but it still is a widely used choice.

Hillel the Great was a famous Talmudic scholar, the spiritual and ethical leader of his generation, and his name is greatly honored by parents in Israel and, to some extent, here.

An interesting cousin of Natalie (the 'h' is silent) found in the Louisiana Cajun community, Athalie is the name of a tragedy by classic French playwright Racine.

Kaena is a pleasant sounding unisex Hawaiian place name, the westernmost point of the island of Oahu. In the computer-generated fantasy movie Kaena: The Prophecy, the character of Kaena is voiced by Kirsten Dunst.

This name found in the fantasy series Endymion/Rise of Endymion has a slightly physiological feel to it.

Interesting name with a cool, upbeat sound.

A pretty Thai name famously borne by Thai musical artist Lisa (full name: Lalisa Manoban), whose name was changed in childhood from Pranpriya to Lalisa after she had her fortune told.

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.