Names › Origins & themes › Biblical Baby Names: Girls' & Boys' Names from the Bible
Biblical Baby Names: Girls' & Boys' Names from the Bible
Popular names borne by people (and angels) in the Bible, each with a one-line note on who they are and where they appear. Old Testament names are mostly Hebrew; New Testament names are often Greek or Latin. Open any name for its full meaning and history.
Girls' names from the Bible (19)
- Abigail — “my father is joy” (Hebrew) · wise wife of King David (1 Samuel 25)
- Anna — “grace, favour (from Hannah)” (Hebrew) · prophetess who greets the infant Jesus (Luke 2)
- Chloe — “green shoot” (Greek) · named by Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:11
- Delilah — “possibly 'delicate' or 'languishing'” (Hebrew) · betrays Samson (Judges 16)
- Elizabeth — “my God is an oath” (Hebrew) · mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1)
- Esther — “probably 'star'” (Persian) · Jewish queen of Persia (Book of Esther)
- Hannah — “grace, favour” (Hebrew) · mother of the prophet Samuel (1 Samuel 1)
- Leah — “possibly 'weary' or 'wild cow'” (Hebrew) · Jacob's first wife (Genesis 29)
- Lydia — “woman from Lydia” (Greek) · seller of purple cloth who hosts Paul (Acts 16)
- Martha — “lady, mistress of the house” (Aramaic) · sister of Mary and Lazarus (Luke 10, John 11)
- Mary — “uncertain; perhaps 'beloved' or 'bitter'” (Hebrew) · mother of Jesus
- Miriam — “uncertain; perhaps 'beloved' or 'bitter'” (Hebrew) · sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15)
- Naomi — “pleasantness” (Hebrew) · mother-in-law of Ruth (Book of Ruth)
- Phoebe — “bright, pure” (Greek) · commended by Paul (Romans 16)
- Rachel — “ewe” (Hebrew) · Jacob's beloved wife (Genesis 29)
- Rebecca — “possibly 'to bind, tie'” (Hebrew) · wife of Isaac (Genesis 24)
- Ruth — “possibly 'friend, companion'” (Hebrew) · Moabite great-grandmother of David (Book of Ruth)
- Sarah — “princess, noblewoman” (Hebrew) · wife of Abraham (Genesis)
- Eden — “delight; paradise” (Hebrew) · the garden in Genesis 2
Boys' names from the Bible (47)
- Aaron — “uncertain; perhaps 'exalted'” (Hebrew (possibly Egyptian)) · brother of Moses, first high priest
- Adam — “man; possibly 'earth'” (Hebrew) · the first man (Genesis 2)
- Andrew — “manly, brave” (Greek) · apostle, brother of Peter
- Asher — “happy, blessed” (Hebrew) · son of Jacob, ancestor of a tribe
- Benjamin — “son of the right hand” (Hebrew) · youngest son of Jacob
- Caleb — “possibly 'dog' or 'whole-hearted'” (Hebrew) · faithful spy (Numbers 13)
- Daniel — “God is my judge” (Hebrew) · prophet in the lions' den (Book of Daniel)
- David — “beloved” (Hebrew) · shepherd who became king of Israel
- Eli — “ascended, high” (Hebrew) · priest who raised Samuel (1 Samuel)
- Elijah — “my God is Yahweh” (Hebrew) · prophet (1 & 2 Kings)
- Elias — “my God is Yahweh” (Greek (from Hebrew)) · Greek form of Elijah used in the New Testament
- Ezekiel — “God strengthens” (Hebrew) · prophet in Babylon (Book of Ezekiel)
- Ezra — “help” (Hebrew) · scribe and priest (Book of Ezra)
- Gabriel — “God is my strength” (Hebrew) · archangel (Daniel, Luke 1)
- Gideon — “feller, hewer” (Hebrew) · judge of Israel (Judges 6–8)
- Isaac — “he will laugh” (Hebrew) · son of Abraham and Sarah
- Jacob — “supplanter; held by the heel” (Hebrew) · patriarch, father of the twelve tribes
- James — “from Jacob — 'supplanter', 'held by the heel'” (Hebrew (via Latin)) · two apostles and the brother of Jesus
- Jeremiah — “God will exalt” (Hebrew) · prophet (Book of Jeremiah)
- Jesse — “gift” (Hebrew) · father of King David
- Joel — “Yahweh is God” (Hebrew) · prophet (Book of Joel)
- John — “God is gracious” (Hebrew) · John the Baptist and the apostle John
- Jonah — “dove” (Hebrew) · prophet swallowed by a great fish
- Jonathan — “God has given” (Hebrew) · son of Saul, friend of David
- Joseph — “he will add” (Hebrew) · son of Jacob; husband of Mary
- Joshua — “God is salvation” (Hebrew) · successor of Moses
- Josiah — “God supports; God heals” (Hebrew) · reforming king of Judah (2 Kings 22–23)
- Jude — “praised (from Judah)” (Hebrew) · traditional author of the Epistle of Jude
- Levi — “joined, attached” (Hebrew) · son of Jacob, ancestor of the priestly tribe
- Luke — “man from Lucania” (Greek) · evangelist, author of Luke and Acts
- Lucas — “man from Lucania” (Latin / Greek) · Latin form of Luke
- Mark — “probably from Mars” (Latin) · evangelist, Gospel of Mark
- Matthew — “gift of God” (Hebrew) · apostle and evangelist
- Micah — “who is like God?” (Hebrew) · prophet (Book of Micah)
- Michael — “who is like God?” (Hebrew) · archangel (Daniel, Revelation)
- Nathan — “he gave” (Hebrew) · prophet who advised David
- Nathaniel — “God has given” (Hebrew) · disciple in John 1
- Noah — “rest, comfort” (Hebrew) · builder of the ark (Genesis 6–9)
- Paul — “small, humble” (Latin) · apostle, author of many epistles
- Peter — “stone, rock” (Greek) · leader of the apostles
- Samuel — “God has heard; name of God” (Hebrew) · prophet who anointed Saul and David
- Silas — “of the forest (from Silvanus)” (Latin (via Greek)) · Paul's companion (Acts 15–17)
- Simon — “he has heard” (Hebrew) · Simon Peter and other disciples
- Solomon — “peace” (Hebrew) · son of David, king famed for wisdom
- Stephen — “crown, wreath” (Greek) · first Christian martyr (Acts 7)
- Thomas — “twin” (Aramaic) · apostle who doubted
- Zachary — “God remembers” (Hebrew) · from Zechariah, father of John the Baptist (Luke 1)
More lists: Names meaning love, grace & hope · Biblical names · Royal names · Names meaning light · Nature names · Names meaning strength · names by origin
Sources: the Bible (book and chapter given where useful), standard royal histories, and name references such as Behind the Name and the Oxford Dictionary of First Names. Only names with full pages on this site are listed.