Cool Biblical Baby Names

Elisha (ee-LYE-sha) is an Old Testament male name, sometimes borrowed for girls. Pronouced eh-LEE-sha, it is also used as a spelling variant of Alicia or Elysia.

Eliezer is a Biblical name with an air of antiquity, a distinctive sound, and hint of mystery. The name has been in and out of the US Top 1000 since the 80s, with its most recent appearance being in 2023, when it was given to more than 200 babies.

Biblical name from the Old Testament.

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 surviving son of Gideon after the massacre of his brothers, the other is a king of Judah who was an enthusiastic builder. Jotham Riddle is a character in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Pioneers, while Jotham Powell appears in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome.

A rare Biblical name, perhaps due to its slightly gloomy meaning, Chilion was one of Naomi's two sons, referred to alongside his brother Mahlon (meaning "sickly"), the husband of Ruth. He was married to Oprah.

Although this Old Testament name is soft and delicate, it runs the risk of conjuring up the monstrous Godzilla.

Hard to think of this name without "Captain" in front of it.

Israeli-born singer Keren Ann introduced this traditional Hebrew name to the US, where it could well be mistaken for Karen. Nevertheless, 100 girls were given the name in a recent year.

One of the most familiar, and assertive, names found throughout the Middle East and India, Ram has an assertive and solid air about it. Derived from a number of different origins, in English speaking countries, it may also be considered a word name, associated with a horned male sheep — or a form of computer memory.

This unisex Biblical name is born by multiple men and women in the Bible, and, when spelled with an "h", it's also a Biblical place name. Typically pronounced as teem-NAH in Hebrew, it may also be said as TIM-na in Austria, where singer Timna Brauer made it a more familiar choice.

Abraham's brother and Caleb's son in the Old Testament, also known as Aran. Haran is one simple and virtually unused Biblical name.

A potential hero name: Crispus Attucks, an African and Native American man, was the first colonist to die for independence in the Boston Massacre.

Not a traditional biblical choice, but the Philistine giant isn't a bad character as such, just a champion fighter who lost to the underdog. He has given his name to everything from insect species to roller coasters. In a time when we're seeing more biblical names with chequered associations — Leviathan and Cain spring to mind — Goliath may appeal to some.

The newest surname names move beyond the Waspy, and this is an excellent example, associated these days with gossip blogger Perez (born Mario) Hilton.

Dionysius derives from Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, revelry and fertility. This Romanized spelling has been used for poets, soldiers, and saints throughout the centuries, but is hardly ever seen today.

A modern Greek form Ion, a name that belonged to a mythological Greek king of Achaea. It is said that the Ionians, the region of Ionia, and the Ionian Sea are all named after him. Less commonly, Ionas is used as the Greek form of Jonah – in which case it's pronounced with emphasis on the last syllable instead of the first.

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.

Greek name featured in the New Testament.

Variation of Hosea.

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.