That feeling when a little one is on the way and you suddenly realize how heavy it is to find the right name. Well, fasten your seat-belts because we are about to embark on an expedition of over 120 biblical boy names which are filled with meaning and depth.
Now I get it- going through all those biblical boy names can be kind of stressful. However, don’t worry; this is a journey you do not want to miss. Why? Because these names are not merely letters but they harbor years of wisdom, culture and motivation.
Just think for a moment; Noah as well as Joseph and David are some of those names that have survived time touching many generations one after another. This was not an accident my friend! All these biblical boys’ names have deep meanings that resonate with families looking for a name that sums up their values and dreams.
Take, for example, “Noah” which means “rest” or “comfort” – what a nice reminder that even in turmoil faith can provide tranquility and consolation. On the contrary Joseph refers to “he will add,” indicating growth, prosperity and how your little man could make the world better in his small way.
120+ Biblical Boy Names
Abel (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “breath”
Description: Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve, was a shepherd and is remembered as the first murder victim in the Bible.
Abraham (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “father of many”
Description: Abraham is considered the patriarch of the Israelites, known for his unwavering faith and obedience to God.
Absalom (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “father of peace”
Description: Absalom was King David’s third son, who rebelled against his father and met a tragic end.
Adam (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “man”
Description: Adam is known as the first human created by God in the Bible, living in the Garden of Eden.
Amos (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “carried”
Description: Amos was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets, an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah.
Andrew (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “manly, brave”
Description: Andrew was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and the brother of Simon Peter.
Asa (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “healer”
Description: Asa was the third king of the Kingdom of Judah and noted for his religious reforms.
Asher (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “happy” or “blessed”
Description: Asher was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, his descendants forming one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Barnabas (✰)
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: “son of encouragement”
Description: Barnabas was a key figure in the early Christian church, known for his missionary efforts with Paul.
Bartholomew (✰)
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: “son of Talmai”
Description: Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles, often identified with Nathanael in the New Testament.
Benjamin (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “son of the right hand”
Description: Benjamin was the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Boaz (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “swiftness”
Description: Boaz is a key figure in the Book of Ruth, eventually becoming Ruth’s husband and the great-grandfather of King David.
Caleb (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “whole-hearted”
Description: Caleb, together with Joshua, was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to explore the land of Canaan.
Daniel (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God is my judge”
Description: Daniel was a prophet renowned for his wisdom and his miraculous survival in the lion’s den.
David (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “beloved”
Description: David, the second king of Israel, is one of the most important figures in Jewish history, known for his poetic Psalms.
Eli (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “ascended, uplifted, high”
Description: Eli was a high priest and judge of Israel, mentor to the prophet Samuel.
Elijah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “My God is Yahweh”
Description: Elijah was a prophet known for his confrontation with Baal worship and his dramatic ascent to heaven.
Enoch (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “dedicated”
Description: Enoch was the father of Methuselah and was taken to heaven without dying due to his faithfulness.
Ephraim (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “fruitful”
Description: Ephraim was a son of Joseph and adopted by Jacob, his descendants forming one of the tribes of Israel.
Ezekiel (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God will strengthen”
Description: Ezekiel was a prophet who authored the Book of Ezekiel, containing various visions and prophecies.
Ezra (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “help”
Description: Ezra was a scribe and leader who led the second group of exiles returning to Jerusalem and reformed the community according to the Torah.
Felix (✰)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “happy” or “fortunate”
Description: Felix appears in the New Testament as the Roman governor of Judea who kept Paul in prison.
Gideon (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “hewer” or “one who cuts trees”
Description: Gideon was a military leader and judge who delivered Israel from Midianite oppression.
Hosea (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “salvation”
Description: Hosea was a prophet whose life and prophetic messages are recorded in the Book of Hosea.
Isaac (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “he will laugh”
Description: Isaac was the son of Abraham and Sarah, central to many key events in Genesis.
Isaiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is salvation”
Description: Isaiah was a major prophet whose teachings and prophecies are encapsulated in the Book of Isaiah.
Ishmael (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God will hear”
Description: Ishmael, son of Abraham, is considered a patriarch of the Arab peoples.
Jacob (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “supplanter”
Description: Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebecca, father of the twelve tribes of Israel, plays a central role in the narratives of the Old Testament.
James (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “supplanter”
Description: James, also known as James the Just, is referred to as a brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Christian community.
Jared (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “descent”
Description: Jared is a pre-flood biblical figure noted in the genealogies in Genesis.
Jason (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “healer”
Description: Jason is a Christian mentioned in the New Testament who hosted Paul and Silas in his home.
Jeremiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh will exalt”
Description: Jeremiah was a prophet known for his prophecies of Jerusalem’s destruction and for authoring the Book of Jeremiah and Lamentations.
Jesse (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “gift”
Description: Jesse is the father of King David, making him a significant figure in the lineage of Jesus.
Joel (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is God”
Description: Joel was a prophet, best known for his prophecy about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
John (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh has been gracious”
Description: John the Baptist was a key figure in Christianity, known for baptizing Jesus and his role in the Gospels.
Jonah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “dove”
Description: Jonah was a prophet sent by God to preach in Nineveh, famously swallowed by a great fish.
Jonathan (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh has given”
Description: Jonathan was the son of Saul and close friend of David, known for his loyalty and bravery.
Joseph (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “he will add”
Description: Joseph, son of Jacob, is known for his rise from slavery to become a ruler in Egypt and his wise leadership during famine.
Joshua (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is salvation”
Description: Joshua led the Israelites into the Promised Land after Moses’ death and is known for his faithful military leadership.
Josiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh supports”
Description: Josiah was a king of Judah known for his religious reforms and rediscovery of the Book of the Law.
Jotham (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is perfect”
Description: Jotham was a king of Judah noted for his fairness and building projects during his reign.
Judas (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “he will be praised”
Description: Judas Iscariot, known for betraying Jesus, is a complex figure in Christianity.
Jude (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “praised”
Description: Jude, also known as Judas Thaddaeus, is one of the apostles and traditionally believed to be the author of the Epistle of Jude.
Kenan (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “possession”
Description: Kenan is a biblical figure listed in the genealogy of Seth to Noah.
Laban (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “white”
Description: Laban was the brother of Rebekah and the father of Leah and Rachel, playing a significant role in the story of Jacob.
Lamech (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “powerful”
Description: Lamech is a figure in the genealogies of Cain and Seth, known for his two wives and his boastful poem.
Levi (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “joined, attached”
Description: Levi, one of Jacob’s sons, is the ancestor of the Levitical priests of Israel.
Luke (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “from Lucania”
Description: Luke, the author of the Gospel of Luke and Acts, was a physician and companion of Paul.
Malachi (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “my messenger”
Description: Malachi, the last of the minor prophets, is known for his prophecies about the coming of Elijah and the day of judgment.
Manasseh (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “causing to forget”
Description: Manasseh was a king of Judah whose long reign was marked by initially idolatrous practices before his repentance.
Mark (✰)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “dedicated to Mars”
Description: Mark, the author of the Gospel of Mark, is thought to be John Mark, a companion of Peter and Paul.
Matthew (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “gift of Yahweh”
Description: Matthew, one of the Twelve Apostles, is traditionally credited with authoring the Gospel of Matthew.
Methuselah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “man of the dart”
Description: Methuselah is famous for being the oldest person in the Bible, living 969 years.
Micah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “who is like Yahweh?”
Description: Micah was a prophet who authored the Book of Micah, warning of Jerusalem’s destruction.
Michael (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “who is like God?”
Description: Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition, known for his role as a protector and leader of the army of God against the forces of evil.
Moses (✰)
Origin: Egyptian
Meaning: “born of” or “son”
Description: Moses, the foremost prophet in Judaism, led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments.
Nahum (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “comforter”
Description: Nahum was a prophet whose oracle concerning the fall of Nineveh is recorded in the Book of Nahum.
Naphtali (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “my struggle”
Description: Naphtali was one of the sons of Jacob and Bilhah, and the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel.
Nathan (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “he gave”
Description: Nathan was a prophet during the reigns of David and Solomon, known for his rebuke to David over his affair with Bathsheba.
Nathanael (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “God has given”
Description: Nathanael, identified with Bartholomew in the New Testament, was one of Jesus’ apostles noted for his initial skepticism and subsequent faith.
Nehemiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh comforts”
Description: Nehemiah was the central figure in the Book of Nehemiah, which chronicles his efforts to rebuild Jerusalem and reform the community.
Nicodemus (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “victory of the people”
Description: Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin who showed support for Jesus, as depicted in the Gospel of John.
Noah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “rest, repose”
Description: Noah is renowned for building the ark that saved his family and a remnant of all the world’s animals from the Flood.
Obadiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “servant of Yahweh”
Description: Obadiah is the author of the shortest book in the Old Testament, concerned with the divine judgment of Edom.
Omar (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “speaker”
Description: Omar is a descendant of Esau, listed in the genealogies of the Book of Genesis.
Paul (✰)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “small” or “humble”
Description: Paul the Apostle, originally Saul of Tarsus, was a key leader in the spread of Christianity among the Gentiles.
Peter (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “rock”
Description: Peter, one of Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, is considered the first Pope by the Roman Catholic Church.
Philip (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “lover of horses”
Description: Philip was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and played a pivotal role in the early Christian church.
Phinehas (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Nubian”
Description: Phinehas is noted for his zealous action against the immorality of the Israelites, which halted a plague sent by God.
Reuben (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “behold, a son”
Description: Reuben was the firstborn of Jacob and Leah, and the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel.
Samson (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “sun”
Description: Samson, known for his incredible strength, is one of the judges of Israel whose exploits are detailed in the Book of Judges.
Samuel (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “name of God” or “God has heard”
Description: Samuel was the last of the Hebrew Judges and the first of the major prophets who began to prophesy inside the Land of Israel.
Saul (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “asked for, prayed for”
Description: Saul was the first king of Israel, anointed by the prophet Samuel before being succeeded by David.
Seth (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “appointed”
Description: Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve, given by God as a replacement for Abel.
Shem (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “name, renown”
Description: Shem, one of Noah’s sons, is considered the ancestor of the Semitic peoples.
Simon (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “he has heard”
Description: Simon Peter was one of the Twelve Apostles and a principal leader of the early Christian church.
Solomon (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “peace”
Description: Solomon, son of David and Bathsheba, was famed for his wisdom and as the builder of the First Temple in Jerusalem.
Stephen (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “crown”
Description: Stephen is recognized as the first martyr of Christianity, stoned to death for his faith.
Thaddeus (✰)
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: “heart”
Description: Thaddeus, also known as Judas, son of James, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus.
Thomas (✰)
Origin: Aramaic
Meaning: “twin”
Description: Thomas the Apostle is famous for doubting Jesus’ resurrection until he saw Jesus with his own eyes.
Timothy (✰)
Origin: Greek
Meaning: “honoring God”
Description: Timothy was a young Christian leader and companion of Paul, to whom two epistles in the New Testament are addressed.
Titus (✰)
Origin: Latin
Meaning: “title of honor”
Description: Titus was a companion of Paul who carried out pastoral missions and is the addressee of the Epistle to Titus.
Tobiah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is good”
Description: Tobiah, also called Tobias, is a character from the Apocryphal Book of Tobit, known for his righteous deeds and adventures.
Uriah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh is my light”
Description: Uriah the Hittite was a soldier in King David’s army, best known for being the husband of Bathsheba, whom David deceitfully took as his wife.
Uzziah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “my strength is Yahweh”
Description: Uzziah, also known as Azariah, was a long-reigning king of Judah known initially for his prosperous reign and later for his tragic pride.
Zachariah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh remembers”
Description: Zachariah, father of John the Baptist, is a priest who encountered an angel in the Temple and was struck mute until the prophecy of his son’s birth came true.
Zebulun (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “exalted”
Description: Zebulun was one of Jacob’s twelve sons, and his descendants formed one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Zephaniah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh has hidden”
Description: Zephaniah was a prophet whose ministry foretold the coming judgment and restoration of Judah.
Zechariah (✰)
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “Yahweh remembers”
Description: Zechariah was a prophet who authored the Book of Zechariah, encouraging the people of Judah as they rebuilt the temple.
Final Thought
So, in conclusion of Biblical Boy Names – a teasing insight into the intricate fabric of male names found in the bible and what they reveal. But the question remains: how do you settle for one that is right for your little boy?
Do not worry dear! Every name on this list contains a comprehensive explanation about its denotation, linguistic roots and importance to the bible narrative. We will also provide a few real-life cases and stories to enable you understand more about each name fully.
