Thaddeus m English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom
Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios), the Greek form of the Aramaic name
תַדַּי (Ṯaddai). It is possibly derived from Aramaic
תַּד (taḏ) meaning
"heart, breast", but it may in fact be an Aramaic form of a Greek name such as
Θεόδωρος (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.
Gilead m BiblicalFrom an Old Testament place name meaning
"heap of witness" in Hebrew. This is a mountainous region east of the Jordan River. Besides being a place name, it is also borne by people in the Bible.
Shulmanu m Semitic MythologyPossibly cognate with the Western Semitic god
Shalim. Shulmanu was an Eastern Semitic (Mesopotamian) god associated with battle.
Adonai m TheologyMeans
"my lord" in Hebrew. This was the title used to refer to the God of the Israelites,
Yahweh, whose name was forbidden to be spoken.
Caleb m English, BiblicalMost likely related to Hebrew
כֶּלֶב (kelev) meaning
"dog". An alternate theory connects it to Hebrew
כֹּל (kol) meaning "whole, all of" and
לֵב (lev) meaning "heart". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve spies sent by
Moses into Canaan. Of the Israelites who left Egypt with Moses, Caleb and
Joshua were the only ones who lived to see the Promised Land.
... [more] Jody f & m EnglishDiminutive of
Josephine,
Joseph,
Joanna and other names beginning with
Jo. It was popularized by the young hero (a boy) in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' novel
The Yearling (1938) and the subsequent film adaptation (1946). As a feminine name, it probably received an assist from the similar-sounding name
Judy, which was at the height of its American popularity when Jody was rising.
Nabu m Semitic MythologyPossibly from a Semitic root meaning
"to announce". This was the name of a Babylonian and Assyrian god of wisdom, letters and writing.
Sahak m ArmenianArmenian form of
Isaac. This was the name of a 5th-century patriarch of the Armenian Church.
Pascal m French, German, DutchFrom the Late Latin name
Paschalis, which meant
"relating to Easter" from Latin
Pascha "Easter", which was in turn from Hebrew
פֶּסַח (pesaḥ) meaning "Passover". Passover is the ancient Hebrew holiday celebrating the liberation from Egypt. Because it coincided closely with the later Christian holiday of Easter, the same Latin word was used for both. The name Pascal can also function as a surname, as in the case of Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), the French philosopher, mathematician and inventor.
Bartholomew m English, BiblicalEnglish form of
Βαρθολομαῖος (Bartholomaios), which was the Greek form of an Aramaic name meaning
"son of Talmai". In the New Testament
Bartholomew is the byname of an apostle, possibly the same person as the apostle
Nathanael. According to tradition he was a missionary to India before returning westward to Armenia, where he was martyred by flaying. Due to the popularity of this saint the name became common in England during the Middle Ages.
Jorah m Biblical, LiteratureFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹרָה (Yora), derived from the root
יָרָה (yara) meaning variously
"to teach, to throw, to rain". This name is mentioned briefly in the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament. It was used by George R. R. Martin for a character in his fantasy series
A Song of Ice and Fire (first published 1996) and the television adaptation
Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is not known if Martin took the name from the Bible.
Jack m EnglishDerived from
Jackin (earlier
Jankin), a medieval diminutive of
John. There could be some early influence from the unrelated French name
Jacques. It is often regarded as an independent name. During the Middle Ages it was very common, and it became a slang word meaning "man", as seen in the terms
jack-o'-lantern,
jack-in-the-box,
lumberjack and so on. It was frequently used in fairy tales and nursery rhymes, such as
Jack and the Beanstalk,
Jack and Jill,
Little Jack Horner, and
Jack Sprat.
... [more] Ichabod m BiblicalMeans
"no glory" in Hebrew, from the roots
אִי (ʾi) meaning "not" and
כָּבַד (kavaḏ) meaning "to be glorious". In the Old Testament this is the grandson of
Eli and the son of
Phinehas. He was named this because his mother despaired that "the glory has departed from Israel" (
1 Samuel 4:21).
... [more] Aziel m Biblical, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"God comforts" in Hebrew, from the roots
עוּז (ʿuz) meaning "to take refuge" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". Otherwise it might a variant of
Uzziel. This is the name of a musician (also called Jaaziel) in the Old Testament.
Uria m & f HebrewModern Hebrew form of
Uriah, also used as a feminine name.
Anah f & m BiblicalMeans
"answer" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name belongs to one female character and two male characters.
Abdiel m Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"servant of God" in Hebrew, from
עֶבֶד (ʿeveḏ) meaning "servant, slave" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's
Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.
Issachar m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekPossibly means
"man of hire" or
"there is reward", from Hebrew
שָׁכַר (shaḵar) meaning "hire, wage, reward". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve sons of
Jacob (by
Leah) and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. A justification for the name's meaning is given in
Genesis 30:18.
Sam 1 m & f EnglishShort form of
Samuel,
Samson,
Samantha and other names beginning with
Sam. A notable fictional bearer is Sam Spade, a detective in Dashiell Hammett's novel
The Maltese Falcon (1930). In J. R. R. Tolkien's 1954 novel
The Lord of the Rings (1954) this is a short form of
Samwise.
David m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawiḏ), which was derived from
דּוֹד (doḏ) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] Jordan m & f English, French, Macedonian, SerbianFrom the name of the river that flows between the countries of Jordan and Israel. The river's name in Hebrew is
יַרְדֵן (Yarḏen), and it is derived from
יָרַד (yaraḏ) meaning
"descend, flow down". In the New Testament
John the Baptist baptizes
Jesus Christ in its waters, and it was adopted as a personal name in Europe after crusaders brought water back from the river to baptize their children. There may have been some influence from the Latin name
Jordanes, notably borne by a 6th-century Gothic historian.
... [more] Ariel m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"lion of God" in Hebrew, from
אֲרִי (ʾari) meaning "lion" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play
The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem
The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film
The Little Mermaid (1989).
Jehudi m BiblicalMeans
"Jew" in Hebrew, ultimately referring to a person from the tribe of
Judah. In the Old Testament this is the name of a servant of King
Jehoiakim.
Hans m German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, DanishGerman short form of
Johannes, now used independently. This name has been very common in German-speaking areas of Europe since the late Middle Ages. From an early period it was transmitted to the Low Countries and Scandinavia. Two famous bearers were Hans Holbein (1497-1543), a German portrait painter, and Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), a Danish writer of fairy tales.
Belshazzar m Babylonian (Anglicized), BiblicalFrom
בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר (Belshatstsar), the Hebrew form of the Akkadian name
Bel-sharra-usur meaning "
Bel protect the king". This was the name of the son of Nabonidus, the last king of the Babylonian Empire before the Persians conquered it in the 6th century BC. In the Old Testament Book of Daniel Belshazzar is the last king of Babylon who sees the mystical handwriting on the wall, which is interpreted by Daniel to portend the end of the empire.
Gedaliah m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh is great" in Hebrew, from
גָּדַל (gaḏal) meaning "to grow, to become great" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including the governor of Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar.
Marie f & m French, Czech, German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, AlbanianFrench and Czech form of
Maria. It has been very common in France since the 13th century. At the opening of the 20th century it was given to approximately 20 percent of French girls. This percentage has declined steadily over the course of the century, and it dropped from the top rank in 1958.
... [more] Tadeusz m PolishPolish form of
Thaddeus. This name is borne by Tadeusz Soplica, the title character in Adam Mickiewicz's epic poem
Pan Tadeusz (1834), which is considered to be the national epic of Poland.
Jotham m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh is perfect" in Hebrew, derived from
יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and
תָּם (tam) meaning "perfect, complete". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of
Gideon and a king of Judah.
Ahab m Biblical, Biblical LatinMeans
"uncle" in Hebrew, from the combination of
אָח (ʾaḥ) meaning "brother" and
אָב (ʾav) meaning "father". This was the name of a king of Israel, the husband of
Jezebel, as told in the Old Testament. He was admonished by
Elijah for his sinful behaviour. Herman Melville later used this name in his novel
Moby-Dick (1851), where it belongs to a sea captain obsessively hunting for a white whale.
Hallel f & m HebrewDerived from Hebrew
הָלַל (halal) meaning
"praise". This is the name of a Jewish prayer, consisting of several psalms. The more traditional name
Hillel, which is typically only masculine, is spelled the same but is vocalized with a different vowel.
Noga f & m HebrewModern Hebrew transcription of
Nogah, usually used as a feminine name.
Michael m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
מִיכָאֵל (Miḵaʾel) meaning
"who is like God?", derived from the interrogative pronoun
מִי (mi) combined with
ךְּ (ke) meaning "like" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see
Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.
... [more] Marion 2 m EnglishFrom a French surname that was derived from
Marion 1. This was the real name of American actor John Wayne (1907-1979), who was born Marion Robert Morrison.
Elijah m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ (ʾEliyyahu) meaning
"my God is Yahweh", derived from the roots
אֵל (ʾel) and
יָהּ (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] Jarah m BiblicalMeans
"honeycomb" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a descendant of
Saul.
Sin m Semitic MythologyFrom earlier Akkadian
Su'en, of unknown meaning. This was the name of the Akkadian, Assyrian and Babylonian god of the moon. He was closely identified with the Sumerian god
Nanna.
Joel m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel) meaning
"Yahweh is God", from the elements
יוֹ (yo) and
אֵל (ʾel), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.
Matěj m CzechCzech form of
Matthias, used to refer to the apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot.
Juan 1 m Spanish, ManxSpanish and Manx form of
Iohannes (see
John). Like other forms of
John in Europe, this name has been extremely popular in Spain since the late Middle Ages.
... [more] Ira 1 m English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King
David's priest. As an English Christian given name,
Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
Jubal m BiblicalMeans
"stream" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned in Genesis in the Old Testament as belonging to the first person to be a musician.
Mordecai m Biblical, HebrewMeans
"servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of
Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor
Haman.
Nahum m BiblicalMeans
"comforter" in Hebrew, from the root
נָחַם (naḥam) meaning "to comfort, to console". Nahum is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. He authored the Book of Nahum in which the downfall of Nineveh is foretold.
Kemuel m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
קְמוּאֵל (Qemuʾel) meaning
"raised by God", derived from
קוּם (qum) meaning "to raise" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of a nephew of
Abraham in the Old Testament.