Hebrew Names for Boys

A variation or short form of the popular Biblical boy name Jacob that has a totally different feel to it. Contemporary, modern, and zippy, it blends the cool air of Kade, Kai, Kace, and Karter, with cosy Toby and Alby.  Popular in the UK where it ranks in the Top 500, other forms include Coby and Kobe, which are also high ranking in England and Wales. In the US, only Kobe makes the charts. 

Koby

A worldly choice that translates well, Namir is an animal-related choice in Hebrew and Arabic. 

Namir

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 process. At Number 999 in 2015, it's in danger of dropping of the charts for good.

Jaydon

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.

Uzziah

The name given to Jacob/Yaacov after wrestling with God's angel, most often used without the initial Y. 

Yisrael

Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews. 

Baruch

Not one of the five hundred names of Muhammad, but that of his uncle. 

Abbas

Jacobi is a masculine name derived from Jacob, which has Hebrew origins meaning "supplanter". This form represents a Latin genitive case of Jacobus, essentially meaning "of Jacob" or "son of Jacob." Particularly used in Germanic and Jewish naming traditions, Jacobi carries scholarly and religious significance. 

While less common than Jacob or Jakob, Jacobi (also spelled Jacoby) has gained modest popularity in recent decades as parents seek distinctive variations on traditional names. The name projects intelligence and sophistication while maintaining connection to the biblical patriarch Jacob. Jacobi Jupe is the young star of Hamnet.

Jacobi

Joab is the biblical name of an advisor of David, who led many military victories, and is surely much more usable than the burdened Job.  A similar option is Joah, a possible replacement for Jonah or Noah.


Joab

An underused Biblical name borne by a New Testament prophet, Nahum feels like a good option for parents looking for a rare but traditional name that fits in with current trends. Derived from the Hebrew naḥam meaning "console" and "comfort", it has a gentle and amiable feel.
 
A relative of the names Nehemiah and Nechama, in Hebrew, Nahum would be pronounced as nah-OOM. In English, it would be more like NAY-uhm (or NAY-huhm), making it a possibility for those who like Noah, Nathan, and Graham. Given to just 60 boys in the US in a recent year, it isn't entirely unknown but it would still be unexpected.
 
Variations of the name include the Russian and Bulgarian Naum and the Hebrew Nachum.

Nahum

More familiar to English speakers as Reuben, Jacob and Leah's first son and a founder of one of the Tribes of Israel.

Reuven

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.
 Another route to Bram is Bramwell, as in early actor Bramwell Fletcher, who was noted for his mad scenes in the 1932 film The Mummy.
 
Something of a Nameberry gem, Bram was given to less than 50 boys in the US in a recent year, while in England and Wales, it was chosen for just 13. Nevertheless, with renewed interest in Stoker's classic novel (thanks to the Dracula Daily project), Bram may still find favor in the future.

Bram

Dave is the ultimate good guy name, but where father name David is still holding onto a spot in the Top 20, Dave -- widely used as an independent name in the middle of the last century -- dropped off the Top 1000 a few decades ago and shows no signs of a comeback.  

Baby Davids today, often named for dad or grandpa, are more likely to be called David than Dave.

Dave

Not a biblical name, but one with authentic Hebrew roots that's used in Israel; would fit in with the current trend for two-syllable J names. Jaaron, Jairon, Jaran, Jaren, Jarin, Jarone, Jarran, Jarren, Jarrin, Jarron, Jaryn, Jayron, Jayronn, Je Ronn, J'ron. 

Jaron

When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan. 

Elan

Prince of the tribe of Zebulon in the Exodus, everyone will misunderstand this as Elias, with a stuffed nose.

Eliab

Famous violinist-conductor Pinchas Zuckerman is the most famous modern bearer; the biblical Pinchas was the son of Eleazar and the grandson of Aaron -- both preferable name choices. 

Pinchas

Ebenezer is the name of a biblical place --the stone set up by Samuel to mark his victory over the Philistines--rather than a person. It was adopted by the British Puritans as a first name and then exported to America, where it had some early popularity, even entering the Top 1000 in the 1880s.
 After appearing in Walter Scott's novel Waverly and Robert Louis Stevenson's Kidnapped, it made its most lasting impression as Dickens's miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, pretty much annihilating the name, but since Scrooge did reform at the end of A Christmas Carol, maybe there's some slight hope for the old name yet. If you have a sense of humor, you might consider it one of the darker <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/412/christmas-baby-names">Christmas baby names</a>.
 The good news: the appealing short form Eben--so if you find Ebenezer too loaded and quirky for your taste, you might skip straight to the nickname.

Ebenezer

One of the relatives on the widely-branching family of John names, Yanis is in the French Top 50 and was a fast rising choice in the UK in 2022, when it went from being outside the Top 1000 to within the Top 700.

Yanis

Amiel is a biblical name with lots of connections to  those with a creative spirit, including director Jon Amiel, French pop singer Thierry Amiel, and medieval troubadour Gaubert Amiel. Ami (which means friend in French) is an obvious (and beautiful) nickname option.

Amiel

Hebrew boy names have been in continual use for thousands of years, and with good reason: such 

 are all Hebrew boys’ names. In fact, many of the most widely-used boys’ names in English-speaking countries are Hebrew in origin, include recent Number one names Noah and Jacob. 

Along with Noah and Jacob, other 

 include Adam, Asher, Caleb, Elijah, Isaac, Levi, Nathan, and Samuel. 

origins include James, Joseph, and John.



 popular in Israel include Uri — especially among Jewish Israelis — Ariel, Noam, and Eitan.


But some Hebrew boy names are still far off the beaten track. 

Hebrew boy names including meaning and popularity, with Old Testament boy names such as Isaac and Moses and top Hebrew boy names such as Noah and Jacob. (Page 11)

Hebrew Boy Names