Updated November 2023
Across 4 pages
of 4
Hebrew
"my sheaf"
Old Testament name of a king of Israel, related to the harvest.
"praise Jehovah"
Joab is the biblical name of an advisor of David, who led many military victories, and is surely much more usable than the burdened Job. A similar option is Joah, a possible replacement for Jonah or…
Variation or diminutive of Joseph
"Jehovah increases"
Quintessentially sweet and innocent unisex name of the 1960s and 70s, now gone the way of hot pants and disco balls.
"daughter of Jehovah"
Long forgotten Old Testament name with modern potential.
"Jehovah is his God"
The Hebrew version of Joel has a pleasant, almost jolly sound.
Spelling variation of Jonathan, Hebrew
"gift of Jehovah"
Like many spelling variations of popular names , Jonathon's star rose and is now falling along with that of the original Jonathan. Jonathon occupied the very last spot on the boys' US Top 1000 in…
"Jehovah is my strength"
Despite its biblical pedigree and popularity in Israel, it has far too many ties to the lethal submachine gun to find many fans here.
Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms, like Jedidiah and Zebediah. Zebediah, or Zebadiah, is the New…
English diminutive of Elias, Greek
"Yahweh is God"
Elliot is another traditional boy name used for girls" , a trend led by political commentator George Stephanopoulos and his actress wife Ali Wentworth. Variously spelled Eliot, Elliot, Elliott and…
Feminine variation of Joel, Hebrew
Joel is one of those boys’ names that's never been super-popular yet has never been UNpopular either -- it's been in the Top 400 in the US since we started keeping statistics in 1880. So it's…
Diminutive of Jonathan
Jaunty, to say the least, Jonty might be an option if Johnny feels too old school. It has been noticed most often on the playing fields, as in U.K. rugby player Jonty Parkin (born Jonathan) and South…
"light of Jehovah"
Neriah is a biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Jeremiah as the father of Baruch and Seraiah ben Neriah. According to the Talmud, Neriah and his sons are all prophets. The name is traditionally…
"Daughter of Jehovah"
Also spelled Bethia and Bithiah, this Old Testament name could wear well today. Bethea might make an original way to honor an ancestral Elizabeth or get to the nickname Beth.
Italian variation of Joel
Gioele is among the Top 50 names for boys in Italy, though the Italian version would cause pronunciation and spelling problems for English speakers. In the US, UK, or Australia, stick with the sleek…
Greek variation of Joseph, Hebrew
Greek variation of Joseph used in the New Testament. Joses is one of those names that feels at once novel and familiar, perhaps because it also sounds like Moses. An intriguing option.
Hungarian variation of Joseph, Hebrew
"Jehovah exists"
The origins of Jesiah are uncertain — is it biblical? A Josiah-Jesse mashup? We don't have the answer (sorry!), but we can tell you that Jesiah is a relatively rare alternative to Josiah, with the…
German, French, or English surname
"gift; Jehovah increases"
A fresh take on Jessica, Jessel is currently borne in the public eye by Jessel Taank, a Real Housewife of New York City. As a surname, Jessel is derived from the given names Joseph (via pet form…
Turkish from Arabic
"blessed Jehovah increases"
In its double-barreled form, a Top 100 boy name in Turkey.
Finnish variation of Joseph
The Finnish form of Joseph, sometimes used as a nickname for Juuseppi.