Modern Christian Baby Names
- Verse
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"verse"Description:
Writing-related names are starting to become more popular, with names like Poet, Story, and Lyric having been used by many a celebrity. Now it's Verse's turn, as it was recently used by Teen Mom's Kailyn Lowry for her son.
- Vision
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"the state of being able to see"Description:
This newly-minted gender neutral word name has a spiritual and creative feel. It was given to 6 baby girls and 13 boys in 2021.
- Amen
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
One of the new literalist religious names, like Blessing, Heavenly and Neveah. More male than female, but essentially unisex.
- Kruz
Origin:
Variation of Cruz, SpanishMeaning:
"cross"Description:
There's something about the K initial that modern parents just can't resist and Kruz is a trendy reboot of the already very cool Cruz. Derived from the Spanish word for "cross", Kruz could be included in the new generation of Christian word names with a twist, joining Kross, Tru, Zyon, and Chozen on future class rosters. Given to around 170 boys in a recent year, the traditional spelling is used nearly six times as often.
- Hallelujah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"God be praised"Description:
This bold musical word name is given to just a handful of baby girls per year in the US, but it has a very contemporary sound. Hallie and Lou/Lulu would make for more mainstream nicknames. Lovers of the music and lyrics of Leonard Cohen might also appreciate the link to one of his most successful hits.
- Credence
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
A modern word and virtue name which first appeared on the US baby name charts in 2013, when it was given to 6 boys. Usage peaked in 2019, with 18 boys and seven baby girls, no doubt thanks to the enigmatic Credence Barebone from the Fantastic Beasts film franchise.
- Requiem
Origin:
Word name, LatinMeaning:
"rest; act or token of remembrance; Mass or musical composition for the souls of the dead"Description:
A word name with grandeur, musicality, and a hint of spirituality, Requiem could have the nickname Remi. Associated with remembrance, Catholic Mass, and music for the dead, it more literally means "rest". It has never been used as a name, as yet.
- Gracious
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"marked by kindness and courtesy"Description:
A warm and positive English word name, used by the Puritans for both sexes but now given to only around a dozen baby girls each year.
- Blessed
Origin:
Word name and virtue nameDescription:
Blessed and Blessing are two word and virtue names getting more attention, especially among religious parents.
- Gift
Origin:
English word nameDescription:
Surprisingly, one of the fastest-rising names for girls.
- Divinity
Origin:
Word name, English from LatinMeaning:
"divinity"Description:
Could be a sister to Trinity, Genesis, or Heaven.
- Cardinal
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"principal; bird"Description:
Whether you like Cardinal for its connections to the songbird, religious connotations, or even sports ties, this unique new name fits in with today's name landscape. Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden used it for their son, born in 2024, but it could just as easily be used on a daughter — perhaps with the nickname Cardi.
- Jerusalem
Origin:
Place nameMeaning:
"city of the ancient god Shalem"Description:
Transferred from the geographical name, Jerusalem is a sacred city in many religious traditions, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is given to around a dozen babies of each sex per year in the US.
- Chosen
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"having been selected as the best or most appropriate"Description:
Chosen is officially a baby name thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who chose (can't resist) the word as the name of his newborn son. While it may inspire bad puns, Chosen is actually a pretty good word name: It's got the two-syllable, n-ending sound that is so fashionable for names, plus a positive, affirming meaning. Chosen is rising on the girls' side too now, given to 74 baby girls in 2022.
- Exodus
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"departure"Description:
Exodus is one of the contemporary Christian names on the rise for both boys and girls. Only five baby girls were named Exodus in the most recent year counted, versus 45 baby boys, perhaps because the -us ending is usually found in ancient masculine names, such as Atticus, Thaddeus, and Cassius. But as a word name with no traditional gender associations, it can go either way.
- Testimony
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter"Description:
Rare word name, and an unexpected way to get to Tess.