Neat Fresh Biblical Boy Names

These names have not been overused, but they are not too unfamiliar or difficult. They have positive associations as well!
  1. Ammon
    • Origin:

      Variation of Amman, German occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "administrator"
    • Description:

      Ammon is connected to two religions in the US and is used exclusively between the two of them. Prior to the 1960s, Ammon was considered a solely Amish name. In the Amish community, Ammon is bestowed in honor of Jacob Amman, whom the Amish sect is named after.
  2. Ira
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "watchful one; wind"
    • Description:

      Succinct and sharp, Ira is one of the shortest Old Testament names, belonging to one of King David's thirty 'mighty warriors.' It was widely used in the US from the 1880s to the early 1930s (it was Number 57 on the Social Security list in 1881), but fell off completely in 1993, only to return in 2016. Currently, it is in the latter half of the US Top 1000, given to around 260 boys each year.
  3. Jared
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "he descends"
    • Description:

      Jared is an Old Testament name that has been popular for decades--it was revived in the sixties via TV westerns-- and is still an appealing option.
  4. Jesse
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God exists"
    • Description:

      King David's father turned 1980s cowboy, Jesse is now down in popularity but still a Biblical classic, ranking in the US Top 1000 for its entire history. The name is associated with a wide variety of bearers, from outlaw Jesse James to Olympic athlete Jesse Owens to activist Jesse Jackson to current actors Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Jesse Eisenberg. The spelling Jesse is more usual as a boys' name while Jessie is more traditional for girls.
  5. Joel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "Jehovah is his God"
    • Description:

      In the Old Testament, Joel was one of King David's 'mighty men' and the name was taken up by the Puritans of the sixteenth century. In the mid 1960s, Joel entered the Top 100, and stayed there for about twenty years, as parents tried to jazz up and formalize old standby Joe by reviving this biblical name.
  6. Jude
    • Origin:

      Latin diminutive of Judah
    • Meaning:

      "praised"
    • Description:

      Jude is a modern star, maintaining a steady level of popularity -- but not TOO much popularity -- for more than a decade now. Thank Jude Law and the great Lennon-McCartney song "Hey Jude", double-handedly responsible for propelling Jude up the charts.
  7. Malachi
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "my messenger"
    • Description:

      An Old Testament name with a Gaelic lilt, Malachi entered the list in 1987.