Boy Names Lists · Historic and Vintage Names · Classic Baby Names
Bible Names for Boys (with Meanings & Popularity)
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About this list
Biblical boy names have dominated the US popularity list for its entire history, with Bible names for boys James, Michael, and Joseph ranking among the most-used male names ever. Biblical names Jacob and Noah took the top spot for nearly twenty years until recently, when Liam took over.
What are the top Biblical boy names in the US?
Along with Noah and Jacob, other Bible baby boy names in the US Top 25 include James, Benjamin, Elijah, Lucas, Ethan, Samuel, David, and Asher. Unique biblical boy names gaining visibility — in the UK and Australia as well as the US — include Felix, Cyrus, Ezra, and Thaddeus.
Faith and religion have always been important components of why parents choose Bible names for their sons. Boys' names from the Bible that have ranked highly in the US since the 19th century include John, James, Joseph, and Thomas. These and many other Bible boys' names have been so widely used over so much time that many people may forget their biblical antecedents.
What are the top Old Testament names for boys?
Old Testament names for boys once considered too antiquated for the modern world have become more popular in recent years. More and more baby boys are being given such Old Testament names as Abraham, Moses, Micah, Jonah, and Abel, going far beyond Biblical boy names like Adam, Zachary, and Samuel which were among the first Old Testament boy names to be revived.
**Old Testament names** are the only Biblical names that Jewish parents consider, whereas Christian names for boys can come from both the Old Testament and New Testament, which includes Jesus Christ.
What are the top New Testament names for boys?
New Testament boy names becoming more popular include Silas, Jude, Titus, and Luke. James, a classic boys' name from the New Testament, is popular as both a first and a middle name and is beginning to be used for girls. A names from the Bible are popular today for boys: Asher, Abel, Abraham.
What are some unique Biblical names for boys?
As parents are searching for uncommon but meaningful names for their sons, the Bible can be a great source of inspiration. Unique boy names from the Bible we are hearing more of include Abiah, Azariah, Boaz, Lazarus, Lucius, Phineas, and Rufus.
Biblical names for boys are widely used outside the US, too. In the UK, the top Biblical boy names are Noah, Jacob, and Thomas. In Germany, Paul and Elias are the top Bible names for boys, while in France Gabriel and Adam are the most popular boys' names from the Bible.
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The names
Noah
Hebrew
"rest, repose"
Noah is nearly a patriarch of popular baby names at this point, going from Old Testament graybeard to Top 10 name in 2009, hitting Number 1 in 2013, and now settled into second place in the US for…
James
English variation of Jacob, Hebrew
"supplanter"
James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys'…
Elijah
Hebrew
"Yahweh is God"
The Top 10 boys' name Elijah is derived from the Hebrew name Eliyahu, composed of the elements ’el and yah , both of which refer to God. In the Old Testament, Elijah was the prophet who went to…
Lucas
Latin form of Luke
"man from Lucania"
Lucas is a Top 10 boys' name with a slightly-less-popular almost-identical twin brother, Luke. Like Elijah and Elias, Lucas and Luke come from the same root and have the same meaning and so feel even…
Benjamin
Hebrew
"son of the right hand"
Benjamin is a biblical name that has enjoyed widespread favor for decades, ranking in the US Top 50 for almost half a century and the Top 10 from 2015 until 2023. One of those golden boys' names that…
Levi
Hebrew
"joined, attached"
Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. Now it's being…
Samuel
Hebrew
"told by God"
Samuel has been so popular for so long that it's hard to believe it's still climbing, at its highest point since the 1890s. This biblical name's popularity is somewhat propelled by the likability of…
Ezra
Hebrew
"help"
Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined…
Michael
Hebrew
"who is like God?"
Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 baby boy names , it's still widely used. How has Michael racked up this phenomenal…
Daniel
Hebrew
"God is my judge"
Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real…
John
Hebrew
"God is gracious"
John reigned as the most popular of all boys' Christian names for 400 years, from the time the first Crusaders carried it back to Britain until the 1950s. Then American baby namers finally seemed to…
Ethan
Hebrew
"strong, firm"
Ethan is a name that succeeds in being at once classic and fashionable, serious and cheery, strong and sensitive. Given a big boost via the name of the Tom Cruise character in the Mission Impossible…
Asher
Hebrew
"fortunate, blessed, happy one"
Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite. Asher's ascent is especially amazing given that the took a…
Joseph
Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Joseph is one of the most classic names in American nomenclature, popular with parents from many ethnic backgrounds and having dual-religious appeal. The warm and friendly nickname Joe is the…
Matthew
Hebrew
"gift of God"
Matthew was the third most popular boys' name in America throughout the 1980s and '90s, and is still one of the top boy names starting with M . The New Testament Matthew is the epitome of the…
Luke
Greek
"man from Lucania"
Luke is a cool-yet-strong Biblical name with a relaxed cowboy feel, which has been on the rise since the advent of Luke Skywalker. Today, the Luke constellation of names is more popular than ever,…
Thomas
Aramaic
"twin"
A solid classic with plenty of history, Thomas strikes the balance between strength and gentleness. A favorite in the UK, a staple in France, and Australia, and never absent from the US Top 100,…
David
Hebrew
"beloved"
David is an enduring worldwide classic, used from ancient times to the present day. David is derived from the Hebrew name Dawid, believed to come from the root dôwd , meaning "beloved". The first…
Gabriel
Hebrew
"God is my strength"
Gabriel is a Biblical favorite, an angelic choice that's lighter and less patriarchal than some of his Old Testament brethren. Derived from the Hebrew name Gavri'el, Gabriel combines the elements…
Jacob
Hebrew
"supplanter"
Biblical Jacob ceded his Number 1 spot to biblical Noah, in 2013, after holding first place on the list of baby boy names from 1999 to 2012, given a huge boost by the Twilight phenomenon. Jacob has…
