270+ Biblical Boy Names
- Obadiah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"servant of God"Description:
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. There have been two prominent U.S. senators named Obadiah.
- Dionysius
Origin:
Greek mythology nameMeaning:
"god of Nysa"Description:
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.
- Azel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"reserved"Description:
Place name from the Old Testament.
- Gadiel
Origin:
Hebrew, ArabicMeaning:
"God is my fortune"Description:
A lesser-known archangel, but the name is probably best known today on comedian Gadiel Del Orte. Thanks to him, and the trend for biblical-sounding names, Gadiel has been rising in recent years.
- Omar
Origin:
Arabic, HebrewMeaning:
"flourishing, thriving; eloquent"Description:
Omar has a perfect mix of unusuality and familiarity, with the added plus of a strong, open initial O. Commonly used among Muslim families, Omar was long associated with twelfth-century Persian poet Omar Khayyam, though it sounds anything but ancient now.More recent well-known bearers have been World War II General Omar Bradley and actors Omar Sharif(born Michael) and Omar Epps.
- Eliel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"my God is God"Description:
This Old Testament name fits in with a number of contemporary trends: boys names ending in -el, unusual Biblical choices, names with international flair, Eli- names, and softer sounding choices for boys.
- Ithiel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God is with me"Description:
Biblical name from the Old Testament that was given to 25 baby boys in 2022.
- Ishmael
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God will hear"Description:
Ishmael is most familiar through "Call me Ishmael," the opening line spoken by the youthful narrator of Moby-Dick. Few American parents have followed that advice, though the Spanish and Arabic spelling, Ismael, ranks at Number 362. With its warm and pleasant sound, though, we could see Ishmael tagging along behind Isaiah and Isaac.
- Festus
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"joyous, festive"Description:
A name from the ancient world that may get a mixed reception today. On the one hand, festive! On the other hand, fester. In the Bible, Porcius Festus was a Roman official who rubbed up against St Paul. In modern times, this name has had more love in African countries than anywhere else.
- Neriah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"light of Jehovah"Description:
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.
- Jadon
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God has heard"Description:
The authentic Biblical form of a name that has become even more popular alongside Jaden, Jayden, Jaidan et al. Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, whose children are named creatively after their parents as Willow and Jaden, helped launch the trend. This spelling peaked at Number 372 in 2003, though it has dropped drastically in usage over the last decade.
- Israel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"he who struggles with God"Description:
Though it was used by the Puritans in the sixteenth century, the founding of the modern Jewish state in 1948 transformed Israel from a traditional favorite into an icon of Judaism.
- Zebediah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"gift of Jehovah"Description:
Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms, like Jedidiah and Zebediah.
- Reuel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"friend of God"Description:
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.
- Urban
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"of the city"Description:
Urban was not an uncommon name through the 1930s (rising as high as Number 435), having been attached to several saints and early popes, but it has completely disappeared from the landscape--both urban and rural. Yet in this era of word name appreciation and trend for 'an'-ending boys' names, we're thinking it might be ready for a return.
- Moza
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"fountain, going forth"Description:
Moza is a Biblical name used for two figures, one a son of Zimri, the fifth king of Israel, and the other the son of Caleb and a concubine. This simple but rare name is pronounced with a long o and a t sound in the middle.
- Eliezer
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God helps"Description:
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.
- Azarel
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God has helped"Description:
A name mentioned multiple times in the Old Testament.
- Aram
Origin:
Hebrew, Kurdish, Armenian, ThaiMeaning:
"high elevated, fortress; calm; child of the sun; glittering, temple"Description:
Aram is a popular Armenian name with a pleasing sound that became known in this country through the works of William Saroyan, namely the 1940 book of short stories, My Name in Aram, centering on Aram Garoghlanian, a boy of Armenian descent growing up in Fresno, California. Saroyan also named his son Aram.
- Alpheus
Origin:
Hebrew from GreekMeaning:
"changing"Description:
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.