STEPHENmEnglish, BiblicalFrom the Greek name
Στεφανος (Stephanos) meaning "crown", more precisely "that which surrounds". Saint Stephen was a deacon who was stoned to death, as told in Acts in the New Testament. He is regarded as the first Christian martyr. Due to him, the name became common in the Christian world. It was popularized in England by the Normans.
... [more] SUSANNAשׁוֹשַׁנָּהfItalian, Catalan, Swedish, Finnish, Russian, Dutch, English, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Old Church SlavicFrom
Σουσαννα (Sousanna), the Greek form of the Hebrew name
שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (Shoshannah). This was derived from the Hebrew word
שׁוֹשָׁן (shoshan) meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose"), perhaps ultimately from Egyptian
sšn "lotus". In the Old Testament Apocrypha this is the name of a woman falsely accused of adultery. The prophet
Daniel clears her name by tricking her accusers, who end up being condemned themselves. It also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a woman who ministers to
Jesus.
... [more] TABITHAΤαβιθαfEnglish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans "gazelle" in Aramaic. Tabitha in the New Testament was a woman restored to life by Saint
Peter. Her name is translated into Greek as Dorcas (see Acts 9:36). As an English name,
Tabitha became common after the Protestant Reformation. It was popularized in the 1960s by the television show 'Bewitched', in which Tabitha (sometimes spelled Tabatha) is the daughter of the main character.
TALITHAfBiblicalMeans "little girl" in Aramaic. The name is taken from the phrase
talitha cumi meaning "little girl arise" spoken by
Jesus in order to restore a young girl to life (see Mark 5:41).
TALMAIתַּלְמַיmBiblical, Biblical HebrewMeans "furrowed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by both a giant and also the father of King
David's wife Maacah.
TAMARתָּמָרfHebrew, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical HebrewMeans "date palm" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament Tamar was the daughter-in-law of
Judah and later his wife. This was also the name of a daughter of King
David. She was raped by her half-brother
Amnon, leading to his murder by her brother
Absalom. The name was borne by a 12th-century ruling queen of Georgia who presided over the kingdom at the peak of its power.
TEKOAתְּקוֹעָmBiblicalPossibly means either "stockade" or "horn, trumpet" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a both a city and a son of Ashhur.
TEMANתֵּימָןmBiblical, Biblical HebrewMeans "right hand" or "south" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a grandson of Esau for whom the town of Teman in Edom was named.
TERAHתֶּרַחmBiblicalPossibly means "station" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament Terah is the father of
Abraham. He led his people out of Ur and towards Canaan, but died along the way.
THADDEUSΘαδδαιοςmEnglish, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom
Θαδδαιος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name
Thaddai. It is possibly derived from a word meaning "heart", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as
Θεοδωρος (see
THEODORE). In the Gospel of Matthew, Thaddaeus is listed as one of the twelve apostles, though elsewhere in the New Testament his name is omitted and
Jude's appears instead. It is likely that the two names refer to the same person.
THOMASΘωμαςmEnglish, French, German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Greek, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of the Aramaic name
תָּאוֹמָא (Ta'oma') which meant "twin". In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle. When he heard that
Jesus had risen from the dead he initially doubted the story, until Jesus appeared before him and he examined his wounds himself. According to tradition he was martyred in India. Due to his renown, the name came into general use in the Christian world.
... [more] TIMOTHYmEnglish, BiblicalEnglish form of the Greek name
Τιμοθεος (Timotheos) meaning "honouring God", derived from
τιμαω (timao) "to honour" and
θεος (theos) "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of
Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of
Artemis. As an English name,
Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.
TIRASתִּירָסmBiblicalPossibly means "desire" in Hebrew. Tiras is a grandson of
Noah in the Old Testament.
TIRZAHתִּרְצָהfBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
תִּרְצָה (Tirtzah) meaning "favourable". Tirzah is the name of one of the daughters of
Zelophehad in the Old Testament. It also occurs in the Old Testament as a place name, the early residence of the kings of the northern kingdom.
TITUSmAncient Roman, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinRoman praenomen, or given name, which is of unknown meaning, possibly related to Latin
titulus "title of honour". It is more likely of Oscan origin, since it was borne by the legendary Sabine king Titus Tatius.
... [more] TOBIAHטוֹבִיָּהmBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
טוֹבִיָּה (Toviyyah) which meant "
YAHWEH is good", from the elements
טוֹב (tov) meaning "good" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.
TOBIASΤωβιαςmBiblical, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, English, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekGreek form of
TOBIAH. This is the name of the hero of the apocryphal Book of Tobit, which appears in many English versions of the Old Testament. It relates how
Tobit's son Tobias, with the help of the angel
Raphael, is able to drive away a demon who has plagued Sarah, who subsequently becomes his wife. This story was popular in the Middle Ages, and the name came into occasional use in parts of Europe at that time. In England it became common after the Protestant Reformation.
TOBITΤωβιθmBiblical, Biblical LatinFrom Greek
Τωβιθ (Tobith), from the Hebrew name
טוֹבִיה (Tovih) meaning "my good". The apocryphal Book of Tobit, which is canonical in many Christian traditions but not in Judaism, tells the story of Tobit's son
Tobias. He is sent by his father to collect money in Media, aided by the angel
Raphael in the guise of a man. At the end of the story Tobit's blindness is cured.
TRYPHENAΤρυφαιναfBiblicalFrom the Greek name
Τρυφαινα (Tryphaina), derived from Greek
τρυφη (tryphe) meaning "softness, delicacy". This name is mentioned briefly in the New Testament.
URIAHאוּרִיָהmBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיָה ('Uriyah) which meant "
YAHWEH is my light", from the roots
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King
David's army, the first husband of
Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.
URIELאוּרִיאֵלmBiblical, HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
אוּרִיאֵל ('Uri'el) which meant "God is my light", from
אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and
אֵל (el) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns
Noah of the coming flood.
URIJAHאוּרִיָהmBiblicalForm of
URIAH used in some English versions of the Old Testament (for a character in the Book of Jeremiah).
UZZIAHעֻזִּיָּהmBiblicalMeans "my power is
YAHWEH" in Hebrew, from the roots
עֹז ('oz) meaning "strength, power" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters including a king of Judah.
VASHTIוַשְׁתִּיfBiblicalPossibly means "thread" in Hebrew, but it is most likely of Persian origin. In the Old Testament this is the name of the first wife of King Ahasuerus of Persia before he marries Esther.
YESHUAיֵשׁוּעַmBiblical Hebrew, Ancient AramaicContracted form of
Yehoshu'a (see
JOSHUA) used in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Hebrew Old Testament. The form was also used in Aramaic, and was most likely the name represented by Greek
Iesous (see
JESUS) in the New Testament. This means it was probably the real name of Jesus.
ZACCAIזַכָּיmBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
זַכָּי (Zakkai) meaning "pure". This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
ZACCHAEUSΖακχαιοςmBiblicalFrom
Ζακχαιος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of
ZACCAI. In the New Testament he is a tax collector in Jericho who gives half his possessions to charity.
ZACHARIAHmEnglish, BiblicalVariant of
ZECHARIAH. This spelling is used in the King James Version of the Old Testament to refer to one of the kings of Israel (called Zechariah in other versions).
ZACHARYmEnglish, BiblicalUsual English form of
ZACHARIAS, used in some English versions of the New Testament. This form has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. It was borne by American military commander and president Zachary Taylor (1784-1850).
ZADOKצָדוֹקmBiblicalMeans "righteous" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, most notably the high priest of Israel during the reigns of
David and
Solomon. Solomon was anointed by Zadok.
ZALMONצַלְמוֹןmBiblicalMeans "shady" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of
David's mighty men in the Old Testament.
ZEBADIAHזְבַדְיָהmBiblicalMeans "
YAHWEH has bestowed" in Hebrew. This was the name of several Old Testament characters.
ZEBEDEEΖεβεδαιοςmBiblicalFrom
Ζεβεδαιος (Zebedaios), the Greek form of
ZEBADIAH used in the New Testament, where it refers to the father of the apostles James and John.
ZEBULUNזְבוּלֻןmBiblicalPossibly derived from Ugartic
zbl meaning "prince". In the Old Testament Zebulun is the tenth son of
Jacob (his sixth son by
Leah) and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Genesis 30:20 implies two different roots for the name:
זָבַל (zaval) meaning "to dwell" and
זֵבֵד (zeved) meaning "gift, dowry". These are probably only folk etymologies.
ZECHARIAHזְכַרְיָהmBiblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah) meaning "
YAHWEH remembers", from
זָכַר (zakhar) meaning "to remember" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of
John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form
Zacharias or the English form
Zachary. As an English given name,
Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
ZELOPHEHADץְלָףְחָדmBiblicalPossibly means either "first born" or "shadow from terror" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Zelophehad is a man who dies while the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness, leaving five daughters as heirs.
ZEPHANIAHץְפַןְיָהmBiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
ץְפַןְיָה (Tzefanyah) meaning "
YAHWEH has hidden", derived from
צָפַן (tzafan) meaning "to hide" and
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Zephaniah.
ZERAHזֵרַחmBiblicalMeans "dawning, shining" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
Judah and the twin of
Perez in the Old Testament.
ZIBA (2)צִיבָהmBiblicalMeans "station" in Hebrew. This was the name of a servant of Saul in the Old Testament.
ZIBIAHצִבְיָהfBiblicalMeans "roe, deer" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of King Joash of Judah.
ZILLAHצִלָּהfBiblicalMeans "shade" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the second wife of Lamech.
ZIMRIזִםְרִיmBiblicalMeans "my praise" or "my music" in Hebrew. This is the name of a king of Israel in the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army
Omri.
ZIONצִיוֹןmJewish, BiblicalFrom the name of a citadel which was in the center of Jerusalem. Zion is also used to refer to a Jewish homeland and to heaven.
ZURIELצוּרִיאֵלmBiblicalMeans "my rock is God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by a chief of the Merarite Levites at the time of the Exodus.