Job

A rare and single syllable Biblical name with a hint of Jude, Jonah, Jacob, and Joseph about it, Job is a weighty choice that may appeal to those who enjoy both heavily Biblical names and short, snappy choices. Given to 61 boys in the US in a recent year, it is a quietly but not totally unheard of option.

Derived from the Hebrew Iyyov meaning "persecuted" or "tested", it is heavily associated with the Biblical figure, the Old Testament hero of the Book of Job, whose faith was severely tested by God. Known for his patience, endurance, and unwavering belief, his name was was used by Puritans and Christian fundamentalists and can be found in the novels of Dickens, George Eliot and Robert Louis Stevenson.

In English, it is pronounced like Joe with a -b at the end, not like the word job, as in an occupation. In French, it's said as ZHAWB while in Dutch, it's YAWP.

If you are considering naming your baby Job, you may want to check out this blog by one parent who made that choice.

Pronounced JOB.

As of October 2026, Job ranked #2659 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #908 in 1891.