Bible Names for Boys (with Meanings & Popularity)

Phineas

English, Egyptian

"the Nubian, the bronze-colored one"

Phineas is the English variation of Phinehas, a Hebrew name likely derived from the Egyptian name Pa-nehasi. Pa-nehasi, meaning "the Nubian" can also be translated as "the bronze-colored one." The…

Pontius

Roman

"fifth"

This Roman name is featured in the New Testament as that of the governor of Judea.

Ram

Arabic, Sanskrit, Hebrew

"archer; pleasing; exalted"

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…

Ahab

Hebrew

"uncle"

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

Reuel

Hebrew

"friend of God"

This soft-yet-sturdy Biblical name belonged to Moses’ father-in-law (also called Jethro) and was the second middle name of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Rufus

Latin

"red-head"

Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…

Aeneas

Greek

"the praised one"

In Greek and Roman mythology, Aeneas was the legendary son of Venus (or Aphrodite) who was the hero of Troy and Rome. Appearing in the Aeneid by the poet Virgil, he goes on to found the Roman state…

Adlai

Hebrew

"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…

Sargon

Hebrew

"true king"

Name of a king featured in the Old Testament.

Seraiah

Hebrew

"Yahweh is ruler"

Seraiah is an Old Testament name attached to several minor Biblical figures. The father of Ezra the scribe was named Seraiah, as was the father of Joab. While Seraiah sounds somewhat feminine to the…

Sharar

Hebrew

"enemy"

Biblical name from the Old Testament.

Shem

Hebrew

"name"

This down-to-earth Bible name is surprisingly little-used, considering the popularity of other Old Testament names. Shem was Noah's eldest son, and is the origin of the term Semitic (as in the…

Adino

Hebrew

"ornament"

Attractive name from the Old Testament. Adino was one of David's "mighty men," though texts do disagree on his name.

Silvanus

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…

Simeon

Hebrew

"he [God] has heard"

Could Simeon be the next Gideon? Parents seeking a less simple form of Simon might consider this biblical appellation that was chosen by Wynton Marsalis for his son. Simon is actually the Greek…

Zerah

Hebrew

"to arise; dawn"

The Biblical Zerah is etymologically related to such names as Zora, which also means dawn. While the vowel sound at the end of the name does not sound as feminine to our modern ear as it once did,…

Stephan

Variant of Stephen

If you wanted to try to get people to pronounce your son's first name the way Stephen Curry does, this might be a way to do it.

Talmai

Hebrew

"furrowed"

Talmai is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Maacah, the wife of King David, and one of Anak’s three giant sons. The name Bartholomew can be…

Tammuz

Semitic variation of Dumuzid, Sumerian

"loyal child"

Tammuz is the Semitic variation of Dumuzid, a name from Sumerian mythology. Tammuz is the name of fourth month on the Hebrew calendar, corresponding with June and July on the Gregorian calendar. A…

Tekoa

Hebrew

"stockade or horn trumpet"

Both a place name and a masculine given name in the Old Testament.