Names That Mean God

Thanks to two cultural influences, January has joined March, April, June and August as a plausible month name.
 The first was a character named January Wayne in a bestselling 1973 Jacqueline Susann novel, Once is Not Enough, which was later made into a movie. Then, five years later, the mother-to-be of January Jones – future Mad Men star – was inspired by that character to give the name to her baby daughter, as did enough other parents in 1978 to bring January to Number 639 on the list.
 
More recently, January was used by Emily Henry in her popular contemporary romance novel, Beach Read, which might inspire parents-to-be in coming years. As of 2024, it was only used on 11 girls in the US, making it a very rare choice.
 So if you're looking for a cool and unusual namesake for a Janet, Janice or Joanna – or for someone with a birthday in the first month of the year , January might be the perfect alternative. January, along with Snow and Frost, are also perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

January

Together with the more common (in France) Jeannine spelling, this feminine form of Jean was most popular in the 1930s in its home country, and in the 1960s in the US. It's fallen off the Top 1000 list since, but perhaps cute retro nickname Jeannie could tempt some vintage-loving parents back.

Jeanine

This feminine form of Jean was most popular in the 1930s in its home country, and in the 1960s in the US. It's fallen off the Top 1000 list since, but perhaps cute retro nickname Jeannie could tempt some vintage-loving parents back.

Jeannine

With the familiar feel of Raphael, Gabriel, and Daniel, Roniel blends the elements ron and El to create a name with an uplifting feeling. Predominantly used in Brazil and the Philippines, it is most often used as a masculine name, with boxer Roniel Iglesias being a notable bearer.

Roniel

The Russian and Bulgarian variant of Samuel.

Samuil

Michel is usually the French form of Michael, where the feminine forms take an extra e and sometimes an extra l. While Michel and Michele are pronounced nearly identically by English speakers, using the Michel spelling for a girl might make people assume that it was pronounced differently from its more popular sisters.

Michel

This female form of Nathan can be pronounced with three syllables or four, and could make an interesting alternative to Natalia.

Natania

This rare Biblical place name refers to a river bank in Jordan where Jacob wrestled with an angel and changed his name to Israel.

Peniel

Adlai is an Old Testament name long associated with 1950's liberal presidential candidate Stevenson, who was named after his grandfather, who was Grover Cleveland's vice president in the nineteenth century. Now it's an unusual Biblical choice ripe for rediscovery.
 In the Bible, Adlai was a minor character, the father of one of King David's herdsmen. Adlai is a contracted form of the Hebrew name Adaliah.

Adlai

Ultimately derived from the Old Norse Ásmundr, Asmund is the Scandinavian and Manx form, predominantly used in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. In the case of Norway, however, it is much more popularly written as Åsmund, though Aasmund and Asmund are both used too. 
 
Compromised of the Old Norse elements ás and mund, it means "God is protector" and is a cognate of the Old English Osmond.

Asmund

This evocative name of a dramatic tropical Indian fig tree is ready to move west. 

Banyan

A short form of Yianna which is an alternative transcription of the Greek Gianna, which is ultimately a feminine form of the Biblical John. It might also be used as a form of other John variations too, such as Johanna, Yanka, and Yanna. Given to 19 boys and 14 girls in the US, it was a fast-rising gender-neutral name in 2023, seemingly escaping from its association to the Yanny or Laurel auditory illusion from 2018.

Yanni

Abiah is a Biblical name that appears for both female and male figures. It may be considered the same as the name Abijah in the Bible; one female Abijah was a queen and ancestor of Christ. Abiah may also be considered a relative of the Arabic name Abia. However you spell or pronounce it -- a - BY -a or a - BEE - a -- this name can be an original way to the nickname Abi.

Abiah

A lively and more usable Latinate form of Dionysus.

Dionisio

Analiese is the rarest form of this increasingly popular German smoosh name, at least in the US. Only 26 baby girls were named Analiese in one recent years, versus about 75 called Annaliese, 100 named Analiese, and 750 given the popular Annalise spelling.
 
The Liese part of the name is the German form of Lisa, a short form of Elizabeth.

Analiese

A Latin American variation of the compound name, Anneliese. 

Annaliz

Strong and unusual Nordic name that would make a cool addition to the N-ending boy name trend.

Esben

A surprisingly rare choice, given the popularity of Ezekiel, Elias, Ezra, and Ozias, this name is a form of the Hebrew Hezekiah, found in the Greek Bible, and in some English translations. Borne by an influential king in the Old Testament king, Ezekias derives from Hizqyahu meaning "Yahweh strengthens" or "God gives me strength".
 
In Greek, the name would be pronounced as ehz-uh-KEE-as, whereas in English, it might be eh-ZEE-kee-us or ehz-uh-KYE-us. First appearing in the US stats back in 2011, a more recent year saw it given to just 8 boys.

Ezekias

The Yiddish form of the Hebrew name Chasiah, also spelled Chasye.

Chasya

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear. 

Hannibal

Names that mean God are plentiful, as God and all things related to a supreme power are at the root of the creation of many names.

Isabella, a variation of Elizabeth, is the top girl name meaning God. Along with Isabella, 

girl names in the US Top 1000 meaning God

 include Elizabeth, Danielle, Gabrielle, Samantha, Michaela, and Jane.



Elizabeth and Jane have dozens of popular variations that also mean God, including Elsie, Eliza, Elise, Janet, Jean, and Joan.



Elijah is the most popular boy name that means God. Along with Elijah, other 

 include Daniel, Matthew, Jack, Jeremy, Nathaniel, Caleb, Samuel, Oscar, and Shane.



John and Michael, two of the most widely-used male names of the last several centuries in the Western World, have God in their meanings.



Here is our full roster of names that mean God, ordered by current popularity on Nameberry.

Baby names for girls and boys that mean god or names that have meanings related to God, with meanings, origins, and popularity. (Page 33)

873+ Names That Mean God