Updated November 2023
Across 11 pages
of 11
Hebrew
"God is my father"
Abiah is a gentle, rarely used Old Testament name belonging to Samuel's second son. This makes a good choice for the parent who wants a traditional biblical name that is not overly familiar.
"son of my sorrow"
What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.
Scandinavian & Dutch variation of Daniel
"God is my judge"
Dan with a little something extra.
Russian variation of Eliyahu
"the lord is my god"
Intriguing Russian possibility, even though proper pronunciation would not be obvious. Ilya might be a more manageable option.
Romanian variation of Elias
"the Lord is my God"
Has never left its native milieu.
Diminutive of Gabriel
"God is my strength"
For English speakers, Gabi is usually short for Gabrielle. Elsewhere - such as Spain, Latin America and Israel - it can also be a male nickname for Gabriel. For rock musician Gabi Hun, it's short for…
"my joy"
Spirited unisex Hebrew name.
"my lion cub"
When considering the playground years, might be too close to gory.
African
"my people"
Ibo is short but striking. Another, unrelated but equally appealing name is Ivo.
Variation of Lazarus
"God is my helper"
Four-syllable names can be tricky, but this rarely used Old Testament appellation has considerable potential. In the Bible, Eleazer is a son of Aaron and nephew of Moses who succeeds his father as…
Scottish nickname
"my pet"
Mungo is one of the most classic Scottish names but perhaps also among the most difficult names to carry. There is a St. Mungo whose proper name was Kentigern; he is the patron saint of Glasgow. It…
"my hearing"
This Old Testament name borne by a grandson of Jacob would not rate high in the classroom.
"my song, my joy"
Too bad everyone in this country will tend to hear Ronnie.
"Jehovah is my strength"
Despite its biblical pedigree and popularity in Israel, it has far too many ties to the lethal submachine gun to find many fans here.
Short form of Abijah, Hebrew
The Biblical Abijah might be temporarily lost to time, but this antiquated short form could move with it into the modern era.
"my vineyard"
This rarely heard name belonged to a son of Reuben in the Bible. Might be too close to karma.
African, Swahili; Hebrew
"occupation, activity; my work"
This multi-cultural name has a pleasant, delicate sound. Variations include Amali and Amalya,both of which mean industrious.
"my father is judge"
In the Old Testament, Abidan was indeed a judge, head of the tribe of Benjamin and a leader at the time of the Exodus. Dan and Ab could work as nicknames. In 2015, there were only five boys in the US…
"my crown is God"
An unusual name which feels familiar, thanks to its similarity to other names containing the Hebrew element el "God", like Daniel and Gabriel. It was originally a masculine name, but is now used for…
Diminutive of Myfanwy, Welsh
"my precious little one"
If Liv can stand on it's own, why not Miv?