Hebrew Names

The name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including a leader of the Tribe of Simeon and a priest involved in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, Elioenai is a rare Biblical choice.
 
Elionenai has the spiritual meaning of "my eyes look to Yahweh" or "my eyes look towards God" and despite its rarity, it has familiar sounds. It could make an interesting alternative to Malachi or Elias — and a way to nicknames Nai, Leo, and Elio. 
 
The name was given to 12 babies in a recent year: the highest number on record.

Elioenai

The spiritual sounding Kiva has a number of other-worldly associations. Kiva is a "Stargate" character who becomes a commander in the Lucian Alliance, as well as a planet in "Star Wars." Kiva is also the name of a room used by the Hopi for spiritual ceremonies.

Kiva

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. 

Hazaiah

A son of Simeon in the Old Testament whose name is largely unknown in modern times -- though that may change as parents look for a substitute for the overused Jacob and Jadon.

Jachin

Shamira

More modern options: Shaw, Shay, or even Sean. 

Shauna

Tallie is a seldom-heard nickname name that, with the ascendance of Hallie and Callie, we might just be hearing more of. 
 
In Colonial times, Tallie was also a nickname for Natalie.

Tallie

Lovely name that's been overshadowed by sister ZAHARA, which was chosen by Brad and Angelina for their oldest daughter. 

Zohara

Possibly created as an elaboration of Otho or Otto, Othello is almost exclusively associated with Shakespeare's 1603 tragedy of the same name. Borne by a Moorish General who is tricked and manipulated by the cunning Iago, Othello is also the name of a classic board game.
 
The name has been appearing in the US stats since the early 20th-century and is given to a small handful of babies most years. The most recent count saw it given to 16 babies: the highest number in over a century. We've spotted at least one birth announcement for an Othello in 2026 saw far, with "Ottie" given as an everyday nickname. 
 
The exact meaning of the name is unknown, as it may relate to a Roman family name of unknown origins (borne by emperor Marcus Salvius Otho), or to the Germanic Otto, Odo, or Odilio meaning "wealth, fortune" or "heritage", perhaps via the Greek form, Othon. Additionally, it could have been inspired by the Biblical Othniel, another name with uncertain etymology, though "strength of God" or "lion of God" are often suggested.

Othello

Abijah is a truly unusual, truly unisex, truly appealing biblical name. There were several male Abijahs in the Bible, one of them, known as Abijah of Judah, was the fourth king of the House of David, and also a couple of females. 
 A Colonial era favorite with an energetic, modern aura, Abijah is a possible Elijah replacement. A short form found in historical records: Bige, though Abe can work too.

Abijah

A spelling variation of Marty and Martie, this form has the retro charm of Joni, Patti, and Suki, and the contemporary feel of Remi, Romi, and Kaeli. Derived from the more classic Martin/a and Martha, it is predominantly given to girls, though only 10 babies were called Marti in a recent count.

Marti may also be considered a Javanese name, used as a feminine form of Marto, meaning "soft-natured, patient" or "refreshing".

Marti

All too likely to be confused with the ultratrendy Nevaeh. 

Neviah

Adinah or Adina was a male figure in the Old Testament, though it's also used as agirls' name in modern Israel. It can be considered the grandmother of Dina or Dena.

Adinah

Simply a Dutch and German form of Mike, said the same. 

Maik

Eliorah

Derived from Aku, the name of the Babylonian god of the moon. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament this is the Babylonian name of Mishael, one of the three men cast into a furnace but saved by God. Meshach Taylor is an actor who has been featured on several sitcoms.

Meshach

Gila and its variants have joyous meanings in Hebrew, but other kids might connect them to the monster. 

Gila

The name of an angel in the Zohar, Nuriel is related to the Arabic name Nur.

Nuriel

Hephzibah is an Old Testament name that came into use in the 17th century, but is not often used today. It does have less formal nicknames Eppie and Hepsie, which seem revivable. Hephzibah "Eppie" Cass/Marner is the heroine of George Eliot's novel Silas Marner and Hepzibah (the condensed spelling) Smith is a witch in the Harry Potter series.

Hephzibah

Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab in the Hebrew Book of Kings, has long had a bad girl reputation. But in the modern secular world, this is somewhat mitigated by the feminist perspective of her as a strong woman, the power behind the throne. Previously avoided as a baby name, Jezebel is now, along with the also previously avoided Delilah and Desiree, coming into use, helped by its relation to other 'bel' name such as Isabel and Bella.
 
The popular feminist celebrity blog Jezebel upped the name's cool factor. Jezebel is the title of one of Bette Davis's best known early films.

Jezebel

Hebrew names used widely in the modern world include Noah, Isabella, Elizabeth, Sarah, Asher, Elijah, Jacob, Leah, James, John, Michael, Mary, and Eva. 

 include Ariel, Delilah, Eliana, Eva, Maya, and Naomi. For boys, 

 include Asher, Elijah, Jacob, Levi, and Noah. In Israel, popular names include Tamar, Shira, Uri, and Noam.

 are some of the best-known as well as the most interesting Hebrew baby names today.

 often have Hebrew origins. Recommended choices include Delilah, Dinah, Keziah, Esther, and Susannah.

 include such appealing Hebrew boy names as Amos, Asher, Eli, Ezra, and Moses.

Hebrew is spoken in modern Israel, so it's both an ancient and a living language. Names popular in modern Israel include many Hebrew names but some modern Israeli names as well. 

If you’re searching for Hebrew names for your baby or simply want to survey all the options with roots in ancient languages and cultures, here is the full range of Hebrew name choices in our database, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Hebrew names including Hebrew boy names and Hebrew girl names for jewish babies with meaning and popularity (Page 32)