By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 42 pages
of 42
Hebrew
"I have a light"
Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar,"…
"pledged to God"
Elisheva was the original name of Aaron's wife in the Book of Exodus; Elisheva gains strength and distinction via the v sound.
Anglicized spelling of Shea or Shai, Irish, Hebrew
"dauntless, fine, hawk; gift"
Gentle yet rugged, cool but well established, Shay is straightforward and memorable. An anglicized spelling of the Irish Shea ("dauntless, fine, good" "hawk") and the Hebrew Shai ("gift"), Shay…
"my light"
Friendly but substantial.
"Yahweh is his brother"
A simple and streamlined Biblical name, Joah borne by several figures in the Old Testament. Meaning "Yahweh is his brother" or "brother of God", it could be an unexpected way to honor a family Joe or…
"devoted to God"
Lemuel is a neglected Old Testament name, with the friendly nickname Lem, that we're surprised hasn't been picked up on by parents who have known too many Samuels. In the Bible, Lemuel is mentioned…
"highest point"
A Biblical place name and a unisex choice that has been on the rise in the US in recent years. With its bright sound and cool, zippy Z beginning, it blends religious significance and trendiness.…
Latin diminutive of Judith or variation of Judah, Hebrew, Arabic
"praised; to be generous and good to others"
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…
Variation of Aaron, Hebrew
"high mountain; exalted, enlightened"
Aharon is one of the many variations of the Old Testament Aaron, one of the first Biblical patriarch names to become trendy in the modern world.
"follower of Marduk"
Mordecai, although it has a noble heritage, has never caught on in this country, because of its rather weighty image. Nevertheless, with parents searching for rarer Biblical names that work as…
"the Lord is exalted"
Athalia was an Old Testament daughter of Jezebel and a king's powerful wife with a gory history. You don't wanna know -- and you probably don't wanna name your kid after her either. Pretty name,…
"sheaf of corn"
A symbolic name for boys born during a period between Passover and Shavuot.
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
Lizzie was commonly used as an independent name in the last half of the nineteenth century. Today Lizzie is still one of the most stylish short forms of Elizabeth, but few U.S. parents put it on the…
"salvation"
Since so many of the biblical prophet names -- Daniel, Jonah, Nathan, Samuel -- are overused, you might want to consider this distinctive alternative. Hosea was the author of the book of prophesies…
English
"of the sea"
A retro short form of Marina, dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous, Marnie is beginning to feel fresh again — or rather, it is in the UK. Appearing in the Top 100 there in a…
English variation of Sadie, from Sarah, Hebrew
"princess"
When aspiring British writer Sadie Smith decided to change her name to the more distinctive and zippy Zadie at the age of fourteen, this attention-magnet name was born. But though it might sound like…
Hebrew, Arabic
"leopard"
A worldly choice that translates well, Namir is an animal-related choice in Hebrew and Arabic.
Spelling variation of Jayden and Jadon
Jadon is the original Biblical form of this name, but Jayden is by far the most popular spelling, currently in the Top 20. Jaydon is borrowing from both versions, but not improving the name in the…
Short form of Jessica, Hebrew
"behold or wealthy"
Once rare, this streamlined form of Jessica has been boosted by two very different television figures: the Jemima Kirke character on HBO series Girls , and reality television daughter Jessa Duggar.…
"my power is Yahweh"
Uzziah was an Old Testament king of Judah, among other personages. The initial U is a bit funky for modern tastes; we don't see this one enjoying a revival ala Isaiah and Noah anytime soon.
