By Linda Rosenkrantz · Updated September 2026
Across 8 pages
of 8
Hebrew
"laborer"
Amal is the name of a male figure in the Bible, a member of the tribe of Asher. Not, in this case, Mrs. George Clooney.
"the Lord is perfect"
Jotham is an Old Testament name that today would certainly be the only one in his class, having something of an urban feel via its similarity to the word 'gotham'. In the Bible one Jotham is the sole…
Diminutive of Zebediah or Zebulon, Hebrew
"gift of God, exaltation, or little dwelling"
Short and to-the-point, it turns an ancient biblical name into a friendly cowboy.
"my music, my praise"
This unusual and spunky biblical name was one of the Kings of Israel as well as one of Judah's grandsons and has a wonderful meaning. We'd like to see Zimri being used more, and we think it has…
Biblical place name
"place of strong trees"
In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and…
Hebrew or Navajo
"fortune; juniper tree"
Simple Biblical name with an auspicious meaning. There are two men named Gad in the Old Testament — one the first son of Jacob and Zilpah, and the other a prophet of King David. Gad can also be used…
Persian
"lovely"
This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was…
"lightning"
An Old Testament warrior whose name still sounds tough.
Latin
"wood; forest"
In Roman mythology, Silvanus was the god of the forests. He protected farmers and fields and was credited with developing a system for marking field boundaries. Silvanus is the name of a disciple in…
"my God is fine gold"
This unusual Biblical name includes the popular Eli- and the on trend letter Z, which could make it an unexpected alternative to Elijah, Elias, Azariah, or Azriel. Derived from the Hebrew elements el…
Spanish from Hebrew
"to blossom"
The newest surname names move beyond the Waspy, and this is an excellent example, associated these days with gossip blogger Perez (born Mario) Hilton.
"not exalted"
Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab in the Hebrew Book of Kings, has long had a bad girl reputation. But in the modern secular world, this is somewhat mitigated by the feminist perspective of her as a…
"God is just"
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…
Feminine variation of Abraham, Hebrew
"father of multitudes"
Abra is soft, sensitive feminine form of Abraham that was the name of a soft, sensitive character in the John Steinbeck book and movie, "East of Eden." In the bible, Abra was a favorite of King…
"inheritance"
This biblical name of the mother of King Jotham of Judah has an appealing soft Russian accent.
English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic
"son of consolation"
Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…
"eagle"
An evocative ancient word that's used as a first name in the New Testament, among other places. It's also the name of an eagle-shaped constellation. That said, contemporary interest in the name…
Greek
"reward, honor"
Kids would be more likely to associate this name with the hyperactive meercat in "The Lion King" than with the ancient Greek philosopher or Shakespearean character, which could cause playground…
"Persian woman"
Parents seeking a distinctive New Testament name might consider this one. Adopted by some Puritans in the seventeenth century, Persis was used in the William Dean Howells novel The Rise of Silas…
"curly-haired"
A potential hero name: Crispus Attucks, an African and Native American man, was the first colonist to die for independence in the Boston Massacre.
