Breathtaking biblical baby names even non-religious couples will adore
The Bible is jam-packed with incredible names. While many of them are pretty archaic, like Abednego and Meshullam, there are still plenty of monikers that are fit for a 21st century baby. In fact, some of the most tried and true names that have been with us for centuries are taken straight from the pages of the Bible. Names like Mary, Mark, and Luke have been with us for generations, along with many others.
You might be surprised at just how many well-loved names come from the Bible. If you aren’t religious, the Bible might not be your go-to source for picking a baby name, but you may want to consider it once you see just how many awesome baby names it contains. There are plenty of wonderful names to choose from that are a surefire bet for your little one. These biblical baby names are so breathtaking that you’ll want them for your baby — whether you are religious or not!
Judith
Those of you who are fans of The Walking Dead will recognize Judith as the name of Rick’s daughter. What you may not have realized while watching the show, however, is that the deputy’s little girl shares a name with a character from the Bible. That’s right, the adorable Judith has a biblical name.
While the Book of Judith is excluded from some versions of the Bible, her story is pretty epic. While her city was under attack by Holofernes, the general of Assyria’s King Nebuchadnezzar, Judith rushed to save her people. Outside the city, she met Holofornes and told him that he would conquer it. Invited back to his tent, Judith got the general drunk, waited for him to fall asleep, and then cut off his head. With the general dead, the invading Assyrian forces were easily defeated. Judith’s brave actions make her name a fitting one for a survivor of the zombie apocalypse — and any other little girl you will totally slay!
Micah
In the Bible, Micah was a legendary prophet who authored the Book of Micah. His teachings were quite popular in the early days of Christianity, and greatly influenced the formation of the Christian Church. A variation of the gender neutral name Micaiah, meaning “who is like Yahweh?” Micah didn’t really catch on as a name in the English-speaking world until the late 1950s. Today, however, Micah is a name on the rise.
Micah has been creeping up the charts for years, and is very close to entering the top 100 baby boy names in the United States, coming in at 107. While it is still considered to be mainly a masculine name, it’s starting to curry favor as a feminine name as well. It’s barely in the top 1000 names for baby girls at 979, but it wouldn’t be too surprising if Micah were to officially become a gender neutral name in the coming years.
Lois
There are a couple of beloved pop culture icons who bear this name. Who could forget Lois Lane, the intrepid Daily Planet reporter who also happens to be Superman’s one true love? Then, of course, there is Lois Griffin, the matriarch of the Griffin family on the animated show Family Guy. This name is so well known in modern times that it’s hard to believe it has its origins in the Bible, but the name Lois can be found in the New Testament as the grandmother of Saint Timothy.
The name is so old that it’s not even certain what its origins are. One possible source of the name is the Greek word “loion” which means “more desirable.” Whether or not this is the actual meaning of the name, the moniker certainly is a desirable one. A popular name in the early to mid 20th century, Lois has been off the baby name charts for decades, making it long overdue for a revival.
Ariel
This name isn’t just found under the sea, but is also in the Bible. Ariel was once a masculine name, but began seeing increased use as a feminine name in the late 20th century, especially after The Little Mermaid was released in 1989. Everyone’s favorite mermaid’s name can be found in the Old Testament, where it is used as an alternate name for the city of Jerusalem. Coming from the Hebrew words “ari” and “el,” Ariel means “lion of God.”
Astronomy and literature buffs also have a reason to love this name. William Shakespeare famously used the name Ariel as the name of a spirit in The Tempest. One of the moons of the planet Uranus now bears the name Ariel in honor of the Shakespearean character. With such a rich and diverse legacy behind it, there are so many reasons to bestow the name Ariel to your little boy or girl.
Miriam
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was one of 2017’s breakout hits. The show’s title character is the fast-talking, wisecracking comedienne Midge Maisel, but true fans know that Midge is actually a nickname for Miriam. It makes sense that Midge, whose family is Jewish, would be given a name from the Old Testament. Miriam is the original Hebrew form of the even more popular name Mary. Even if you are not religious, you’ve probably seen the animated classic The Prince of Egypt which tells the story of Moses, who was watched over by his faithful sister Miriam.
This classic name has gotten a lot of traction over the years and has remained consistently popular for baby girls. With the name Miriam, you not only get a name that has withstood the test of time, but also one with a lot of history to go along with it. How can you resist?
Moriah
Moriah is probably one of the least well-known names on this list, but its rarity only enhances its charm. Unlike most of the other names which come from the Bible, Moriah was not actually the name of a person but rather referred to a place. In the Old Testament, Moriah referred to the land where Abraham nearly sacrificed his son Isaac to prove his loyalty to God. It was also the name of a mountain where King Solomon built a temple.
The Hebrew name has an uncertain meaning, but might translate to “seen by Yahweh.” In spite of its long history and similarity to the more well-known name Mariah, the use of Moriah as a given name is quite recent. It only started popping up in the 1980s, and still remains a fairly rare name. Maybe your little girl will be ahead of her time, bringing this lovely name into the mainstream.
Elon
The name Elon is quite a rare one in the United States, but that might change in the near future. You probably haven’t met a baby with this name, but you have almost certainly seen it plastered all over the news thanks to Elon Musk. We have the South African entrepreneur to thank for Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and PayPal, so it’s quite likely that a wave of grateful parents will soon be rushing to name their baby boy after the businessman.
The name Elon is taken straight from the Bible. Elon is a fairly obscure character in the text, so don’t blame your childhood Sunday school teacher if you don’t recognize it. In the Old Testament, Elon was one of the judges of the Israelites. The name has a short and sweet meaning, translating to “oak” in its original Hebrew. It’s a strong and powerful name, which would serve any baby well.
Naomi
Who knew that supermodel Naomi Campbell shares her name with a Biblical figure? The name is actually quite a fitting one for a model — Naomi means “pleasantness” in Hebrew. The name is a commonly used Jewish name, but didn’t see much use in the English-speaking world until the 16th century. It has steadily gained popularity in the United States over the last several decades, finally breaking into the top 100 names for baby girls in 2010 where it has remained ever since.
In the Bible, Naomi is the mother-in-law of Ruth. The widowed Ruth remained with Naomi after the death of her husband (Naomi’s son). Ruth is remembered for her loyalty to her husband’s family, but Naomi must have been a remarkable woman to earn such devotion from her daughter-in-law! Anyone who can inspire such loyalty is someone whose name is definitely worth passing on to your own little girl.
Ezra
Arguably the most attractive male character on Pretty Little Liars, writer Ezra Fitz shares a name (and profession) with the influential 20th century writer Ezra Pound, whose poetry you probably had to study in high school. Both the fictional and real-life Ezras can thank a major work of literature for their name: the Bible. Like the Ezras who came after him, the Biblical Ezra was also a writer who was the author of the Book of Ezra. Ezra was also a prophet whose name means “help” in Hebrew.
The name Ezra has seen steady use since the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, but it has seen a jump in popularity in the last few years, breaking into the top 100 names for boys in 2015. Whether you’re a fan of the name because of its literary roots or you just like the sound of it, Ezra is a great name for your little boy. Who knows? Maybe he’ll grow up to be a writer, too!
Priscilla
There’s something so elegant about the name Priscilla. Maybe it’s because it’s the name of rock and roll royalty — Priscilla Presley is the ex-wife of music icon Elvis Presley. Or maybe it’s because the name is also borne by Priscilla Chan, the refined and sophisticated wife of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The name Priscilla also makes a brief appearance in the New Testament, where Priscilla houses the apostle Paul in her home in Corinth for a time. Unlike many of the names in the Bible, which are Hebrew, Priscilla is a Roman name and is a diminutive for the name Prisca. Prisca, in turn, is derived from the Roman family name Priscus, which means “ancient.” The name may be an ancient one, but it’s pretty clear that it can thrive in modern times as well. Priscilla consistently ranks in the top 600 names for baby girls in the United States, not once falling out of use since baby name records began in 1880.
Bethany
One Tree Hill fans know the name Bethany as the name of the show’s true star, Bethany Joy Lenz. While she’ll always be Haley to us, Lenz has had some other fantastic roles, including an arc on the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy. What better way to celebrate the actress who brought us to tears too many times to count than to pass on her biblical-inspired name?
Bethany is actually the name of a place in the Bible, not a given name. It comes from the name of the town Bethania, which might mean “house of figs.” While it wasn’t a very prominent location in the Bible, the name slowly gained use in the English-speaking world in the 19th century to honor Mary of Bethany, a figure in the New Testament. The name caught on, and is still frequently used today. Its similarity to the name Beth even gives it a built-in nickname.
Source: Read Full Article