Bible names for boys have dominated the US popularity list for its entire history, with Biblical names Jacob and Noah taking the top spot for nearly twenty years until recently, when Liam took over. 

Along with Noah and Jacob, other Bible baby names in the Top 25 for boys include James, Benjamin, Elijah, Lucas, Ethan, Samuel, and David. Unique biblical boy names gaining visibility – in the UK and Australia as well as the US – include Asher, Cyrus, Ezra, and Thaddeus. 

Faith and religion have always been an important component 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 Biblical boys' names have been so widely used over so much time that many people may forget their biblical antecedents.

As parents are searching for uncommon but meaningful names for their sons, the Bible can be a great source of inspiration. Unique Bible names for boys we are hearing more of include Abiah, Azariah, Boaz, Lazarus, Lucius, Phineas, and Zion.

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.
The first 50 names below, shown in extended versions, are ranked in order of current popularity on Nameberry. More unique names are listed alphabetically below the top bible names for boys.

Access the full range of names for boys via our master page of <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boy names</a>.

Biblical Boy Names

There are four figures named Ammiel in the Bible. The most notable was the father of Bathsheba.

Ammiel

Old Testament name that could work as an alternative to Dakota.

Nekoda

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.

Neriah

This rarely used New Testament name could make an unusual route to the cool nickname Nico. Borne by the person who helps to entomb Jesus following his crucifixion, it has the powerful meaning of "victory of the people" and is the Latinized form of the Ancient Greek Nikodemos. 
 
A literary choice, it is given to the character Nicodemus (Noddy) Boffin in the Dickens novel Our Mutual Friend, while in the real-world, it is chosen for a small but substantial number of boys in the US each year, with 35 born in a recent count. 
 
The English pronunciation is nik-uh-DEE-muhs, while in Latin it would be nee-ko-DEH-moos. Nikodem is the more popular Polish form, also heard in the UK and in the Netherlands.

Nicodemus

A masculine name from the Old Testament, but would likely be confused for Amy.

For the seriously audacious biblical baby namer who wants to move beyond Elijah and Josiah, this name has considerable old-fangled charm. Obadiah, who gave his name to one of the shortest books in the Bible, was a rich man who had the gift of prophecy. There are several other men named Obadiah in the Bible, as well as a Saint Obadiah. 
 More recently, star basketball player Obi Toppin's formal name is Obadiah, after his father. There have been two prominent U.S. senators named Obadiah.
 In literature, there is an Obadiah in Laurence Sterne's novel Tristan Shandy, one in Tobias Smollett's The Expedition of Humphry Clinker, and another in Anthony Trollope's Barchester Towers--as well as a villain in the Iron Man series.

Obadiah

This quirky Old Testament name has potential, as parents are digging deeper into the Bible to find names for their children. It has also been used as a nickname for Obediah.
 
In the Old Testament, Obed was the son of Ruth and Boaz and the grandfather of David.

Obed

Amasa is a rare Biblical name borne by two figures. One is the son of Abigail and nephew of King David, who named him commander of the rebels. This Amasa met a tragic end when he was murdered by Joab. 

The other Biblical Amasa was one of the Children of Ephraim.

Amasa

Old Testament name of a king of Israel, related to the harvest.

Omri

Biblical place name and masculine given name in the Old Testament.

Ophir

Oshea

Othniel is mentioned in the Bible and Tanakh (in the Book of Judges) where he is the first of the biblical judges mentioned. Othniel was related to Caleb, which might make these two names a nice biblically themed sib-set.

Othniel

Pallu

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.

Amal

Penuel

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


Perez

There is some disagreement whether there are one or two figures named Alpheus in the Bible. There's an Alpheus who's the father of James and an Alpheus who's the father of Levi, and if James and Levi are brothers, then that's the same Alpheus. Or not.

Alpheus

Pharez

Rarely heard New Testament name -- he was a friend of Saint Paul -- that might conceivably stand up to modern usage. 

Philemon

Philetus

Biblical boy names, from both the Old Testament and the New Testament, with popularity and meanings, pictured by a boy holding a Bible

Biblical boy names

Bible names for boys including Old Testament boy names and New Testament biblical boy names, with meanings, origins, and current popularity (Page 10)

Bible Names for Boys (with Meanings & Popularity)