By Pamela Redmond · Updated October 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Hebrew
"the Lord is salvation"
Jesus -- pronounced hay-SOOS -- is used exclusively and extensively among Spanish speakers, though JEE-zus as in the first name of Christ is never used in the Anglophone world. Jesus Quintana was a…
"praised"
Judah is the strong, resonant Old Testament name of the son of Jacob who was the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel, and from whom the word Jew is derived. Some of the names' popularity might be…
"God is with us"
Emmanuel--spelled with one or two 'm's'-- was popular with early Jewish immigrants, until overused nickname Manny caused it to fade. Now, this important biblical name is being revived in its full…
"God exists"
King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of…
Hebrew, Sanskrit, Latin, Yoruba
"eternal, goddess, loved, strength"
Amari is a name that's rising in popularity for both boys and girls in the US, used last year for about 2000 baby boys and 1000 baby girls. It's among the Top 20 gender neutral names. The range of…
"God is my strength"
The name of a musician in the Old Testament, this once rare Biblical name entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 and has shot up the charts since. Given to less than 50 boys a decade ago, Aziel was chosen…
"father of multitudes"
Abraham is among the most classic baby names that's still widely-used today, popular for its references to both the Bible and American history. The Biblical Abraham was the first of the Old Testament…
"the Lord has remembered"
Zachary, a Top 20 name throughout the 90s, is now sliding down the rankings though it remains in the Top 200. With its ancient roots and modern feel, it's easy to understand why Zachary has been such…
Spanish; German; Croatian; Portuguese, variation of Raphael, Hebrew
"God has healed"
Energetic, sunny, and slightly romantic, Rafael is a popular choice in Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. Used internationally, Rafael is a Spanish variation of Raphael, that lends itself easily…
"Jehovah is his God"
In the Old Testament, Joel was one of King David's 'mighty men' and the name was taken up by the Puritans of the sixteenth century. In the mid 1960s, Joel entered the Top 100, and stayed there for…
"priest"
Cohen is a common last name among Jews and an important spiritual name in the Jewish religion, associated with the hereditary priests who claimed descent from the biblical Aaron. As a result of its…
Hebrew, Greek
"he has heard; flat-nosed"
Simon is pure and simple (not in the nursery rhyme sense), and an appealingly genuine Old and New Testament name that's not overused. These factors make Simon a stylish yet classic choice. In the…
"breath"
Abel, the name of Adam and Eve's unfortunate younger son, compensates with positive connotations: capable, competent, ready and willing. Abel has literary connections to the novels of Dickens and…
Arabic, Hebrew
"flourishing, thriving; eloquent"
A multicultural choice with an appealing open O sound, Omar blends stately strength with familiarity. Also transcribed as Umar, it is a popular choice among Muslim families and features in the name…
"tranquil"
Haunting biblical and Civil War place-name; now unisex—especially after the mega-high-profile Brangelina couple picked it for their daughter. It debuted in the Top 1000 for boys in 2015. Many people…
Greek from Hebrew
"God is good"
Tobias is one of a number of s-ending boys' names that are riding a wave of popularity. With its Old Testament-Dickensian feel, it's a name with a distinguished pedigree. Tobias is the Greek form of…
English form of Jeremiah, Hebrew
"appointed by God"
This one-time trendy form of Jeremiah hovered just outside the Top 25 throughout the 1970s and 80s. Though off its peak, it's still in the Top 300 in the US for baby boys, and might be considered a…
Spelling variation of Caleb
"devotion to God"
Kaleb is one of several boys' names starting with k that started life as a classic C name, Caleb. Kevin Federline named his boy Kaleb Michael Jackson.
"God is my nation"
Eliam is less common Biblical alternative to Liam, Elliott, Elias, and Eli, but maybe one that's faster-rising. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021 and was sky-rocketed in 2024, when…
"he who struggles with God"
Though it was used by the Puritans in the sixteenth century, the founding of the modern Jewish state in 1948 transformed Israel from a traditional favorite into an icon of Judaism. In the Bible,…
