The Bible has always been a source of inspiration for names, and it’s not just religious parents looking either; the bible is a great place to find a name that’s both unique and meaningful. From the names of kings and prophets to ordinary people, the bible has biblical baby names that stand the test of time. Although most of these names are unique, some of them are beginning to rise in popularity. Check out our list of biblical boy names below.
Aamon
Aamon is a boy’s name of Biblical origin, meaning “one who induces eagerness.” There are three men and one deity (Egyptian deity Amon of Thebes) in the bible named Aamon or Amon. The most notable is King Amon, the son, and successor of king Manasseh of Judah.
Similar names: Abraham, Abaddon, Amon
Abner
Abner is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “father of light.” Abner is a notable figure in the bible and is a son of Ner (Ner-part of the name Abner). Abner was the cousin of King Saul and the commander-in-chief of his army (1 Samuel 14:50, 20:25).
Similar names: Abel, Abidan, Abiel
Adlai
Adlai is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “God is just.” Adlai is an ancestor of Shaphat, the overseer of David’s herds (1 Chronicles 27:20).
Similar names: Abdiel, Addar, Adriel
Arye
Arye is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “lion.” Arye or Arieh is a guard associated with king Pekahiah of Israel (2 Kings 15:25).
Similar names: Aaron, Anan, Aram
Azrael
Azrael is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “help of God.” Azrael is the Angel of Death in Islam and some Jewish traditions.
Similar names: Aeneas, Alpheus, Azriel
Boaz
Boaz is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “swiftness.” The name Boaz occurs twice in the Bible: The most famous Boaz is an ancestor of Christ, the son of Rahab, husband of Ruth, father of Obed, Jesse, and King David (Ruth 2:1). The other Boaz is the name of the left of two pillars in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 7:21).
Similar names: Balthasar, Benaiah, Barnabas
Cain
Cain is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “acquired.” Cain is the first son of Adam and Eve, the first human conceived (Genesis 4:1).
Similar names: Cephas, Crispus, Cyrus
Darius
Darius is a boy Persian and Greek name, meaning “possessing goodness.” Darius the Mede is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as king of Babylon between Belshazzar and Cyrus the Great.
Similar names: Dove, Dathan, Dionysius
Edom
Edom is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “red.” Edom was an ancient land that bordered Israel in what is now Jordan, between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba (Genesis 36:31).
Similar names: Ethan, Elihu, Eliezer
Elon
Elon is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “oak tree.” The name Elon is borne by three men in the Bible: one is the father of Basemath the Hittite (Genesis 26:34), the son of Zebulun (Genesis 46:14), and the eleventh judge of Israel.
Similar names: Elisha, Ephraim, Elam
Enos
Enos is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “mankind.” Enos or Enosh is the son of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve (Genesis 4:26).
Similar names: Ezekiel, Ephron, Enoch
Gershom
Gershom is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “exile.” There are several Gershoms mentioned in the Bible the most notable two are Gershom son of Eli, founder of the Gershonites (Numbers 3:21), and the first-born son of Moses and Zipporah (Exodus 2:22).
Similar names: Goliath, Gershon, Gilead
Hiram
Hiram is a boy’s name of Hebrew and Biblical origin, meaning “brother of the exalted.” There are two men named Hiram in the Bible, and both are related to the building of the temple of Solomon, but only one was known as the Phoenician king of Tyre.
Similar names: Hosea, Haman, Hezekiah
Jair
Jair is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “he shines.” Jair is a name assigned to four different men in the Bible: one was a descendant of Manasseh, who conquered several towns east of the Jordan and named them after himself (Numbers 32:41). The second, Jair, is a son of Segub. The third Jair is the eighth judge of Israel (Judges 10:3), and the fourth is the father of Mordecai, the great uncle of Esther or Hadassah (Esther 2:5).
Similar names: Joel, Joses, Joah
Japheth
Japheth is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “expansion.” Japheth is one of the three sons of Noah in the Book of Genesis.
Similar names: Josiah, Jabez, Jubal
Javan
Javan is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “wine.” Javan was one of the sons of Japheth (Genesis 10:2-5) and the Biblical name for Greece.
Similar names: Jonah, Jabin, Jadon
Jethro
Jethro is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “excellence.” Jethro is a priest in Midian and the father of Zipporah. He is also known by the name Jether (Exodus 4:18) and Reuel (Exodus 2:18), although Reuel is thought to be the name of Jethro’s tribe.
Similar names: Joseph, Joram, Jothan
Joachim
Joachim is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “established by God.” Joachim, according to some apocryphal writings is the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
Similar names: Jamin, Jeconiah, Job
Jorah
Jorah is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “early rain.” The name Jorah is the name of a family who returned from the Babylonian exile, which was headed by Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:18).
Similar names: Isaiah, Jarah, Jeriah
Jotham
Jotham is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “the lord is perfect.” Jotham or Yotam was the eleventh king of Judah and son of Uzziah. The Gospel of Matthew lists Jotham of Judah in the genealogy of Jesus.
Similar names: Isaac, Jemuel, Jericho
Lazarus
Lazarus is a boy’s name of Scottish origin meaning “God is my help.” There are two men named Lazarus mentioned in the New Testament the most famous is Lazarus of Bethany, whom Jesus brought back to life (JOHN 11:1).
Similar names: Luke, Lucas, Lemuel
Matthias
Matthias is a boy’s name of Greek origin, meaning “gift of God.” Matthias the Apostle was one of the twelve main disciples of Jesus Christ.
Similar names: Malachi, Mordecai, Moab
Obadiah
Obadiah is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “servant of God.” The book of Obadiah is a book of the Bible whose authorship is attributed to Obadiah, a prophet who lived in the Assyrian Period.
Similar names: Oshea, Othniel, Neriah
Oded
Oded is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “upholder.” There are two men named Oded in the Bible; they are both prophets and mentioned in the book of 2 Chronicles: one is the father of Azariah, and the other is a prophet who worked during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah.
Similar names: Obed, Nehemiah, Theophilus
Omri
Omri is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “sheaf of grain.” There are four men named Omri in the Bible, the best known is king Omri of Israel, father of Ahab, and founder of a dynasty that remained in power for 50 years.
Similar names: Ophir, Timeus, Judah
Oren
Oren is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “pine tree.” In the Book of Chronicles, Oren is one of the sons of Jerahmeel, and the last of the Jebusites mentioned in the Bible, who offers his land as a gift to King David, who was told by the prophet to build an altar on it (1 Chronicles 21:18).
Similar names: Shem, Ozias, Talmai
Phineas
Phineas is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “the Nubian.” In the bible, there are three men named Phineas or Phinehas: the son of Eleazar, famous for staying the plague caused by Israel’s sins (Numbers 25). Another Phineas is one of two wicked sons of Eli, and the last father of a priest named Eleazar (Ezra 8:33).
Similar names: Philemon, Philip, Penuel
Reuel
Reuel is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “friend of God.” There are several men named Reuel in the Bible: A son of Esau, the brother of Jacob, a priest in Midian and the father of Zipporah, the father of Eliasaph, the leader of the tribe of Gad (Numbers 2:14), and an ancestor of a man named Meshullam, who returned from the Babylonian exile (1 Chronicles 9:8).
Similar names: Rosh, Philetus, Sargon
Uziel
Uziel is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “power of god.” The name Uzziel is borne by five different men in the Bible: most notably the son of Kohath, and the son of Levi (Exodus 6:18).
Similar names: Timothy, Uriel, Levi
Uzziah
Uzziah is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “power of Yahweh.” The name Uzziah is applied to several different men in the Bible, the most famous is the son and successor of King Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:3). This Uzziah became an ancestor of Christ according to Matthew’s genealogy through David’s son Solomon.
Similar names: Uriah, Timon, Matthew
Yoram
Yoram is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “Yahweh is high.” Yoram was the son and successor of King Jehoshaphat of Judah. His wife was the wicked Athaliah.
Similar names: Thomas, Micah, Moses
Zadok
Zadok is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “just or righteous.” There are many men named Zadok in the Bible. The most famous is Zadok, the son of Ahitub, a priest in the time of David and a high priest in the time of Solomon (2 Samuel 8:17).
Similar names: Zephaniah, Zerah, Zuriel
Zebulun
Zebulun is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin, meaning “dwelling of honor.” Zebulun was the sixth son of Jacob by his wife Leah and the tenth of all Jacob’s sons.
Similar names: Nathaniel, Samson, Zachariah
Zeev
Zeev is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin meaning “wolf.” Zeev or Ze’ev is a Biblical name that is from a reference to Benjamin in Genesis as a “wolf that raveneth.”
Similar names: Zebedee, Zebediah, Zebulon
