Hebrew Names for Boys

Eilon, a fraternal twin of the name Elon, was the Biblical grandson of Jacob. A rare name, Elon is getting some recent notice thanks to Tesla maker Elon Musk.

Eilon

The name of five men and one woman in the Bible, this name has so far escaped much notice but its similarity to popular choices such as Michael and Michaela/Mikayla, along with the long-running penchant for Old Testament names, may propel it to prominence.  Also spelled Micaiah.

Michaiah

In Exodus, a son of Aaron: an interesting, undiscovered Old Testament name. 

Elazer

One of many Hebrew Y names kept alive in Israel and in American religious communities. 

Yakim

Anyone who ever saw "Seinfeld" wouldn't be able to resist adding a couple more "yada" 's. Also a bit too close to Yoda. 

Yada

Whether you're looking for an unexpected nickname for the imposing Abraham or a fresh spin on the Biblical classic, this highly unusual variation might appeal to namers with a sense of adventure.

Abush

The Biblical Abijah might be temporarily lost to time, but this antiquated short form could move with it into the modern era.

Bige

Drawn from old record books, Kiah is an antiquated nickname that feels perfectly appropriate for modern times -- maybe more so than father name Hezekiah.

Kiah

If you think there are too many Zachs around, you can use this historic nickname for Zachariah instead, though it does have a somewhat feminine feel.

Riah

Sounds a bit like a nickname in a Dickens novel, but this short form was used in New England a few centuries ago, back when names like Micajah were popular.  Both short and long forms are now ripe for revival.

Cager

Related to the Arabic Warda, Vered is a strong sounding nature name with a sweet floral meaing.

Vered

Alef was brought into the spotlight when Natalie Portman chose the alternate spelling Aleph for her son.  This is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, similar to calling your child Alpha or Primo.

Alef

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid. 

Bart

Despite its biblical pedigree and popularity in Israel, it has far too many ties to the lethal submachine gun to find many fans here. 

A variation of Tobit in Hebrew and a form of Tobias in Belarusian, Tovi ultimately comes from the Hebrew <em<tov</em> meaning "good".

Tovi

The Biblical Addar was a son of King Bela. This obscure name is simple and strong and well-suited to modern life. <br></br> It feels almost like a cross between Adlai and Asher, two better-known boys' names from the Old Testament that also start with A -- though the near-homonym with the word "adder," a family of poisonous snake, adds a touch of danger.

Addar

Another culture's version of the month-naming tradition: this is the sixth month of the Jewish calendar.

Elul

Rosh is not Ross, not Rush, but an improvement on both of those more familiar names.  The Biblical Rosh was a son of Benjamin, so you might consider it to honor a father or otherwise ancestral Benjamin. Very much associated with the Jewish New Year holiday, Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh

We've been hearing a lot more of Silas and even of Cyrus, which means the obscure Tiras may have a shot at resurrection as a same-but-different name.  And you can call him Ti.  The Old Testament Tiras was a grandson of Noah.

Tiras

The Biblical Zerah is etymologically related to such names as Zora, which also means dawn.  While the vowel sound at the end of the name does not sound as feminine to our modern ear as it once did, thanks to such popular choices as Noah and Joshua, but the downside of Zerah is that it is quite similar to such girls' names as Zara and Sarah.  

Zerah

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 20)

Hebrew Boy Names