Modern Christian Baby Names

Glory sounds fresh and uplifting and a lot more modern than Gloria (which is definitely feeling the stirrings of a revival, though some might still view it as a terminal Old Lady name). Glory, as in "Glory Be" and "Old Glory," has both a religious and a patriotic flavor.

True has become an accepted first and middle name; Truth makes an even stronger statement. And with nearly 150 baby boys named Truth in the US in the most recent year counted, as many as were named Ross, the word name is edging up on the Top 1000.

Galilee is a highly unusual place name, Galilee being a large region in northern Israel, the home of Jesus during at least thirty years of his life, and also where he cured a blind man. The Sea of Galilee gets its name from the area.

A fresh and fragrant nature name, Cedar is one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider. A unisex option, for every one girl called Cedar, there are currently two boys. Nevertheless, its similarity to Selah, Celia, Freda, Sailor, and Ida could mean it doesn't feel out of place on any gender.

Promise is one of those word names with an uplifting meaning that is making inroads as a girls' name, like sisters Dream and Serenity. How promising is Promise as a first name? Our try at cleverness illustrates perhaps the biggest problem with naming your baby girl Promise: It will be difficult for people to resist making bad puns on the name. We promise (argh) you'll be tired of hearing them well before your baby Promise's first birthday.

Omega is an unusual name used now equally for boys and girls, though the a ending is conventionally feminine. More popular boys' names, like Omega, end in the a sound these days: Joshua, Noah, Micah.

Bird names have taken flight, and Cardinal is a new addition recently used by Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden for their son. The red bird was named for the color of the robes worn by the religious cardinals.

Kyrie elieson is one of the oldest religious refrains, meaning Lord, have mercy. As a first name, though, Kyrie is less a name of God and more a nickname-name that might be short for Kyra or a diminutive that stands on its own, a la Kylie. The best-known Kyrie is the male basketball player Kyrie Irving, who pronounces the first syllable to rhyme with my rather than fear. He has inspired more than 1000 baby boys to be given this name one recent year in the US, while it was given to 178 baby girls. Impressive numbers.

Spiritual word names are a hot trend and ever-expanding category of baby names. Chapel was notably used in 2020 by Josh Brolin for his daughter. He said of her name, "Chapel Grace is, to us, a manifestation of that celestial feeling that was always felt as we meandered and knelt."

A handful of years ago, a judge in Tennessee ruled that parents could not name their son Messiah, "because there's only one." That decision has since been overturned and the name no longer looks out of place besides the growing number of Saints and Chosens.

A sacred place to the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions, Mount Sinai is where Moses received the Ten Commandments and also the name of the peninsula on which the mountain stands.

A modern word and virtue name which first appeared on the US baby name charts in 2013, when it was given to 6 boys. By 2018, that had doubled to 12 (plus 8 girls), no doubt thanks to the enigmatic Credence Barebone from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise. The Creedence spelling, however, remains more popular, while the simpler Creed is in the Top 700.

Heavenly, the word that's become a name, has been flirting with the bottom of the Top 1000 for a handful of years now. Heaven and cousins like Nevaeh have been well-used so adding the popular -ly suffix, ala Everly, seems like a natural progression.

Old Testament book way too heavy to carry.

In the Bible, Calvary is the hill outside of Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified. This religious significance, along with a pleasant sound, have led some parents to begin using it as a name for their daughters.

A warm-sounding word and virtue name used by the Puritans and still popular in parts of Africa, especially in the Favour spelling.

Epiphany is based on the ancient Greek word for a feeling or realization that comes upon you suddenly. It often relates to the divine, as in the realization that Christ is the son of God. The Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus, takes place on January 6, ranking Epiphany among the unique January baby names. As word names and spiritual names become more popular, the attractive Epiphany becomes a more viable choice.

A surprisingly popular spiritual name that entered the US Top 500 in 2003. As of 2023, it is still a Top 500 choice, where it fits in with similar bold word names like Chosen, Blessing, and Dream. Miracle is a familiar name in Nigeria too, where it is used as a unisex option.

Spiritual word names are becoming more and more popular – think Peace, Bodhi, Zen and Psalm – and Spirit is among the rarer options, given to a couple dozen baby girls each year in the US. It's the name of the horse in the kids' TV show Spirit.

Rise joins the latest class of modern Christian names for its uplifting spiritual associations. Rise may be especially appropriate for an Easter baby. We expect it will, erm, rise now that Nick Cannon and Brittany Bell have used it for their son, born in 2022.