Unusual Biblical Baby Names

Rosh is not Ross, not Rush, but an improvement on both of those more familiar names. The Biblical Rosh was a son of Benjamin, so you might consider it to honor a father or otherwise ancestral Benjamin. Very much associated with the Jewish New Year holiday, Rosh Hashanah.

This unusual Biblical name includes the popular Eli- and the on trend letter Z, which could make it an unexpected alternative to Elijah, Elias, Azariah, or Azriel.

The Portuguese form of the rising Biblical name Enoch was popular in Brazil from the 1930s up until the 80s. Reminiscent of Enrique, it could perhaps see more use again in the future.

This obscure biblical name is only mentioned twice in the Bible — first as a divorced Israelite and then as a priest.

Intriguing alternative to Jedediah.

Biblical name -- he was an ancestor of Abraham's -- rarely used today but registered on the U.S. popularity list at the end of the 19th century. With the rise of other obscure Old Testament names, just might have a shot at revival.

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.

An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.

This unusual Biblical name includes the popular Eli- and the on trend letter Z, which could make it an unexpected alternative to Elijah, Elias, Azariah, or Azriel.

What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.

A name used in the Old Testament, as well as a variation of Buzz.

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

Like Bethany and Shiloh, a meaningful biblical place-name.

This variation of Iscah connects that biblical name to the Shakespearean Jessica, which it's believed to be the root of. Iscah, a niece of Abraham, is mentioned briefly in the Book of Genesis.

Menahem derives from a Hebrew word meaning "the comforter" King Menahem of the Old Testament did not live up to his name — he was one of Israel’s cruelest kings.

A rare Old Testament name that, although short, is resoundingly biblical. It belonged to name the tenth king of Israel, who seized power violently and reigned from about 841 to 814 BCE.

A common Arabic name also spelt Jaouad, Javad or Javadd (the middle name of One Direction band member Zayn Malik).

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

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.

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.