Names That Mean God

Sam has long been used on its own for boys, as accepted standing by itself as it is as a short form of Samuel. Straightforward and down-to-earth, Sam is the name of the son of the co-stars of The Americans, Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys.

Sam is one of the most popular <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/baby-names-starting-with/s">names that start with S</a> in the Western world, ranking higher in several European countries than it does in the US, where it's trended downward since the 19th century, though it's always been in the Top 1000.

A perfectly respectable Old Testament name ruined forever through its association with the odious Uriah Heep in David Copperfield. Some people also find this name just too close to the word urine. These negative connotations may be wearing off, however. (Perhaps because people don't read as much Dickens as they used to.)

Uriah

This is the name of Angel of Death in Jewish and Muslim tradition, but that isn't putting contemporary parents off. With its cool letter Z and popular -ael ending, Azrael has been in the US Top 1000 since 2019 and has continued to rise since then.
 
Deriving from the Hebrew azar and el meaning "help" and "God", Azrael can meaning "my help is God" or "help of God", which may help some parents see beyond its links to death — although that might be exactly what appeals about it for others.
 
Given to 354 baby boys in 2024, when combined with the popularity of Asriel, Aziel and Azael, it might feel even more popular than it already is.

Azrael

A widely used Hebrew form of Joseph, with a sophisticated and continental air. 

Yosef

Shawn is a phonetic spelling of Sean that may be past its peak – it was a Top 30 name in the early 1970s – but is still quite popular for boys: over 500 baby boys were named Shawn in the US in the most recent year counted vs 800 given the original Sean spelling.
In its heyday, Shawn was also used quite often for girls, though last year it was given to only 14 baby girls in the US.

Shawn

Jasiel and its alternate spelling Yasiel are gaining a following thanks to superstar baseball player Yasiel Puig, a Cuban native who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Biblical Jasiel was a warrior in David's army. As of 2023, Jasiel is amongst the newest additions to the US Top 1000, given to over 200 baby boys that year.

Jasiel

Although it has come to sound Irish, Dennis is one of the most widely-used <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/162/french-names">French names</a> (St. Denis is the patron saint of France) and harks back even further to Dionysius, the Greek god of wine and debauchery. It was introduced to England by the Normans.
 Dennis was considered cool when it was near the top of the charts in the 1940s and 1950s, but has been slipping ever since, thanks in part to the devilish Dennis the Menace.
 Dennis Barlow is the main character in Evelyn Waugh's satirical 1948 novel The Loved One. Some prominent namesakes also include Dennis Hopper, Dennis Rodman, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Leary and Dennis Wilson. Denis is a secondary spelling.

Dennis

A cool Biblical option that entered the US Top 1000 for the first time ever in 2024, Ozias gets extra points for its user-friendly nicknames Oz and Ozzie or Ozzy. Given to around 280 boys in 2024, it is five times more popular than it was in 2014.

Deriving from the Hebrew Uzziah, Ozias is the name of several minor figures in the Greek and Latin Bible, most notably the king of the ancient Kingdom of Judah. It also has a literary connection in the form of the wonderfully named Ozias Midwinter from Wilkie Collins' 19th century sensationalist novel Armadale. Several characters in the novel describe the name as "horrible", claiming that "no sane human being would assume such a name as Ozias", but we — and a growing number of parents —would disagree.

With its in-style letter Z and nickname potential, Ozias could work as a (currently) less popular alternative to Ezra, Silas, Oscar, or Orion, and parents are certainly catchy on to it. Ozias was one of the fastest rising names of 2024.

Ozias

Theodora is one of the most revival-worthy of the charmingly old-fashioned Victorian valentine names, softly evocative but still substantial, as is the reversed-syllable Dorothea. 
 
The name Theodora was borne by several saints and by the beautiful ninth wife of the Emperor Justinian, who became the power behind his throne. A later royal was Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark, the older sister of the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. 

 Theodora offers a menu of neat nicknames, from the classic Teddy to trendy Thea to the vintage Dora. Theodora also has some cool international variations as well: Theodosia, Feodora and Teodora. It re-entered the US Top 1000 in 2019 for the first time in over 60 years and for a while seemed destined to follow brother name Theodore toward the top of the list. 2024 saw it fall in popularity, though time will tell if this downward trend continues. 
 
 Keith Richards named his daughter Theodora back in 1985, while Robbie Williams did the same in 2012, and affectionately calls her Teddy. It was also chosen by content creators Jessica and Claudia Kellgren-Fozard for one of their daughters, born in 2025, a twin to Augusta. In TV's Grey's Anatomy Dr. Theodora "Teddy" Altman was a surgeon.

Theodora

Amos is a robust biblical name that's being discovered by a new generation of parents in a major way. Similar to other popular choices like Amias, Asa, Moses, and Thomas, it has a contemporary air with plenty of history. 
 
Derived from the Hebrew amas meaning "burden", it is sometimes interpreted more figuratively to mean "carried by God". It is notably associated with the Jewish prophet and author of the Old Testament book named after him. Popular among the Puritans, it has ranked in the US charts nearly consistently since the 1880s, excepting 2006, 2008, and 2010. 
 There are characters named Amos in novels by George Eliot and Thomas Hardy, and its most famous contemporary bearer is Israeli author Amos Oz. The name has also been associated with Famous Amos cookies, a company founded by Wally Amos.
 
The name may be pronounced as AY-mohss (to rhyme with cross or boss) or AY-muhs (to rhyme with famous) in English.

Amos

Old Testament name all but unknown outside the Latino community, it is nonetheless in the US Top 1000, where it has been since 1990.

Misael

While Yusuf is the more popular Arabic form of Joseph, Yousef is the Persian variant and is sometimes used as an Arabic transcription. Currently in the Top 500 in the UK and the Top 1000 in the US, it is still a familiar choice.
 
In the Quran, Yusuf had the gift of prophecy via dreams and his account is said to be one of the most detailed given.

Yousef

Less-traditional variation of Michaela that's found more popularity than the original.  The appeal for many parents is that this spelling clarifies pronunciation and also offers two names in one, incorporating the popular Kayla. While Makayla is the most popular version, all forms of the name are now dropping in the polls.

Mikayla

With Mateo making its first ever appearance in the US Top 10 in 2023, its Scandinavian variant Matheo borrowed some of its spotlight and appeared in the Top 1000 for the first time. 
 
Popular in France, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, this could (letter-wise) be an alternative way to get to the nickname Theo if Theodore isn't your thing, but in terms of pronunciation, it lends itself more to Matt, Matty, or Teo.

Matheo

Azari is a rising unisex name invented as a variation of Azariah or Azhari. With its I-ending and prominent Z, we see Azari going places — this is one to watch, especially with Azariah, Azaire, and Azair rising on the boys' side and Azaria and Zariah on the girls'. 
As a variation of Azariah, this name has its origins in Hebrew, and means "helped by God", however, it may also be a form of the Malay Azhari, which ultimately derives from the Arabic Zahra meaning "shining".
 
Currently more popular for girls, it appeared in the latter end of the US Top 1000 in a recent year, when it was chosen for 307 girls compared to 92 boys.

Azari

Izael was one of the fastest-rising boys' names in the US in 2023, evidencing trends for the letter Z and the angelic-feeling -ael ending.

Pronunciation is like father name Israel, without the R.

Izael

Creative name whose only limitation is that it looks like it would be pronounced akin to Alicia and Elissa — although as a Biblical <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a>, it is traditionally pronounced ee-LIE-shah. 

 With Elijah a Top 10 choice, Elisha seems like a natural alternative for those preferring a slightly more unusual – but still super traditional – boy name. In fact, in the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and disciple of similarly named Elijah.

Elisha

An international take on Theo that would be easily wearable for a child in the US or any European culture, Teo is a simple but versatile choice. It's popularly used across a number of countries, including Georgia, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Czechia, Italy, England, and Bosnia and Herzegovina too. 
 
Traditionally a nickname for international variations of Theodore or Matthew, such as Matteo and Teodoro, Teo may be said to mean "gift of God". It is pronounced as TAY-o or TEH-o, depending on region and accent. It can also be written as Téo in Portuguese and French, and as Teó (teh-OW) in Hungarian. 
 
In recent years, Teo has also been climbing the US charts, first appearing in 2022. In the latest count, it made the Top 800 and was given to more than 330 boys.

An alternative form of Hazael, a King in the Old Testament, or a diminutive of Jahaziel, a Levite prophet, this quietly used Biblical name shares sounds with rising choices such as Azrael, Aziel, and Jaziel. There's also a hint of the vintage and nature-inspired Hazel, which may appeal to those who enjoy softer feeling names for boys.
 
Also used as the name of the guardian angel of mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation in astrology, Haziel is nearly five times more popular than it was in 2020, and made its debut in the US Top 1000 in 2025 when it was one of the fastest rising names of the year.

Haziel

Thaddeus, a distinguished, long-neglected name, has several areas of appeal: a solid New Testament legacy, a nice antique feel, and the choice of several more modern nicknames and international variations.
 In the Bible, Thaddeus was one of the original Twelve Apostles.
 Thaddeus has made quite a few screen appearances, ranging from Spongebob Squarepants to Police Academy to Get Smart (it was the given name of the Chief) to Harry Potter. As Tadzio—the Slavic version—he played a leading role in Thomas Mann's Death in Venice.
 In real life, Thaddeus Stevens was a dominant political figure during the Civil War. Mia Farrow has a son named Thaddeus.

Thaddeus

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 7)

873+ Names That Mean God