Updated October 2026
Across 5 pages
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Greek variation of Sapphire, Hebrew jewel name
"sapphire"
Sapphira is a lovely name which unfortunately has an unsavory Biblical history. The New Testament Sapphira was killed by God for lying about a tax payment. There's a Willa Cather novel called…
Aramaic
"little girl"
Talitha appears in the Bible as words Jesus says to awaken a young girl whose parents feared she was dead. It has been used in the US since colonial times. Talitha is also the name of two stars in…
Biblical place-name
"to dance"
Though there are a few (male) people named Havilah in the Bible, it's also a Biblical place-name that can work as an original choice for modern girls.
Hebrew
"the province"
Galilee is a highly unusual place name, Galilee being a large region in northern Israel, the home of Jesus during at least thirty years of his life, and also where he cured a blind man. The Sea of…
Greek
"doe, gazelle"
Classic name used by the Romans, the Puritans, and the Bard, but pretty much taboo today due to the objectionable connotations of both its front and back ends.
"she who brings victory"
Rarely heard today-- it fell off the list around 1980--Bernice is a biblical name of Greek origin. In the Bible, she is a sister of King Agrippa. Bernice was a Top 100 name in the US for more than…
"God will judge"
Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…
"who is like God?"
Spelling variation of Michaiah, an obscure but attractive name used for both men and women in the Bible.
"brook"
In the Bible, daughter of King Saul and wife of King David.
Greek from Hebrew
"bountiful"
Biblical name from the New Testament. The Book of Philemon mentions Apphia as a Christian woman in Colossae.
French
"little rock"
While Rochelle may sound like a twist on Rachel, it has a different origin entirely. Rather than having Biblical and Hebrew ties, it comes from the name of a city on the west coast of France, La…
A name with a surprising amount of history--it was the name of the wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt, occurs in the New Testament, and belonged to a fourth century saint. In the US, it has long been spelled…
"incense"
Keturah, the Old Testament name of Abraham's second wife, is a possibility for anyone seeking a truly unusual and interesting biblical name; certainly a lot more distinctive than that of Abraham's…
"garden"
Carmel is a biblical place-name that is often used by Catholic parents around the world. It is given in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is the name of a mountain ridge on the Mediterranean near…
Akan, Ghanaian
"born on Friday"
Though often Anglicized as Phoebe, Phebe has separate roots. It originated as a variation of Afua, an Akan day name, and commonly used among enslaved people in America.
"married"
A name with a sound that is both unique and familiar, Beulah is a Biblical name, reminiscent of Bella, Luna, and Selah. In the Bible, Beulah is a place, applied to the land of Israel by the prophet…
"opportunity"
Calah, also called Nimrud, is one of four ancient cities of Assyria, Noah's great-grandson. This unusual name suggests a woman open to opportunity.
"my father is dew"
Avital is a feminine Hebrew name that appears in the Bible as the name of one of King David's wives. The name symbolizes freshness, renewal, and natural beauty. Avital has gained moderate popularity…
English
"woman from Magdala or high tower"
Biblical name long associated with the fallen-yet-redeemed Mary Magdalen, now rising improbably into the ranks of the fashionable among parents hungry for classic yet distinctive girls' names. The…
"shade"
A light, bohemian-sounding biblical name, mentioned in the bible as a wife of Lamech, one of the first men.