Names That Mean Jehovah

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.

Cute nickname with multicultural appeal — in addition to Yoav, Yovi could be short for names such as Yovan and Yovani.

Yusuf is the Arabic form of Joseph, used in the Middle East, as well as internationally from France and the US, to the UK, Turkey and Azerbaijan - where, as of 2023, it ranked in the Top 100.

Not long ago, Peppa may have been at risk for confusion with the name Pepper. But thanks to the British children's TV series Peppa Pig, Peppa is now a household name. If your household contains preschoolers, that is.

Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.

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 associated with Hanukkah, the festival of lights.

The German, Scandinavian and Czech variant of Joseph, borne by several notable European artists and athletes, as well as the brutal Soviet dictator Josef (or Iosif) Stalin.

Some people may prefer this spelling to clarify the name's connection to John, but it could be one h too many, exemplified by its steady decline over the past two decades.

Jose is as widespread in the Hispanic community as Joseph and Joe are elsewhere in the U.S., though its numbers here are starting to decrease somewhat. Jose is one of those Spanish baby names that has never crossed over into the Anglo naming culture.

Eliyahu is the Hebrew form of the increasingly popular Biblical prophet name Elijah, also found in forms Elias and Eli. There were 100 boys given the name Eliyahu in the U.S. in 2012. Its upside is that it's one of the most distinctive forms of the name, but that final yahoo may prove difficult.

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 Noah.

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 2016, at Number 1000. Parents in search of an Old Testament boys’ name today tend to look for more original choices, from Ezra to Abraham to Moses.

Despite its biblical pedigree and popularity in Israel, it has far too many ties to the lethal submachine gun to find many fans here.

A fresh take on Jessica, Jessel is currently borne in the public eye by Jessel Taank, a Real Housewife of New York City.

Sleekened spelling.

Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.

Seosaimhín is the Gaelic form of Josephine, most notably borne by traditional Irish singer Seosaimhín Ní Bheaglaoich.

As a male name, Joni is a nickname for Jon or Jonathan, akin to Johnny or Jonny. It's more commonly used as a girl name, where it originated as a nickname for Joan.

Josepha is less heard in this country than in other parts of the world, seen as a slightly awkward feminization a la Ricarda and Benjamina. In the U.S., Josephine or Joanna is the more usual feminine form of Joseph, though you might consider Josepha if you want to break rank.