Any number of factors attract expecting parents to unique biblical boy names. The main reason parents choose a baby’s name from the bible is their faith, of course. However, many of the appellations in the bible are beautiful. With their Hebrew origins and timeless appeal, these names are real winners for all.
The only issue many parents encounter when trying to find the right biblical name is the ubiquity of many of them. There are so many Johns, Samuels, Andrews, and Davids in the world today. All are fine names but contemporary parents may want something more unheard of. We’re here to help! We found 30 unique biblical boy names that we think will appeal to new parents today.
Check Out These Unique Biblical Boy Names!
Azel
Azel is the name of a place in the Old Testament. This handsome name for boys has somehow never taken off. It has Hebrew origins and means “reserved.”
Beriah
Beriah names a few characters in the Bible, the main one is the son of Ephraim. Beriah sounds close to Mariah which is why we think it has yet to take off, but we encourage to be bold! This Hebrew name means “in envy.”
Cephas
The name Cephas comes from Aramaic and means “rock.” Simon the Apostle was called Cephas by Jesus because he was said to be the “rock” on which the foundation of the church was built. The name is often translated to Petros and Peter.
Dathan
A name that could easily be an alternative to Nathan, Dathan is a virtually unknown as far as unique biblical boy names go. This name has Hebrew origins and means “fountain.”
Eder
Eder is the son of Muchi in the Bible. The Hebrew elements of this name mean “flock.” A different name in Basque spelled the exact same way means “handsome.”
Eliel
Eliel cracked the US top 1000 most popular baby names in 2019. While this is one of the fastest rising unique biblical boy names today, it might become ubiquitous before too long. So, get ahead of the trend and choose this name that means “my God is God.”
Elon
The high-profile Elon Musk might scare you from this name, but we think Elon is a great option. Elon has Hebrew origins that mean “oak tree,” making it a lovely option for nature-loving parents.
Ephraim
A name that has long been popular among Jewish families, Ephraim is expanding its reach and has landed on many birth certificates lately. This Hebrew name means “fruitful.”
Esau
If you can separate the dramatic story in the bible of Jacob’s twin brother with the name Esau, you might have found the perfect choice! Of all of these unique biblical boy names, Esau must be one of our favorites. Its casual sound and elegance are undeniable, even if the appellation does mean “hairy.”
Gadiel
Lesser-known archangel names like Gadiel could make for unique biblical boy names that have not been mega-hits yet. Gadiel is considered an archangel of wealth and thus, the name means “God is my fortune.”
Gaius
One of the few Latin names to make the list, Gaius is an ancient Roman name that means “to rejoice,” which is nothing to complain about! Gaius appears in the New Testament as Paul’s traveling companion.
Haran
A brother of Abraham in the Old Testament, Haran is a unique biblical name that means “mountain.” Despite the meaning, this name is not insurmountable as it is rather casual and warm.
Heli
An Alternative form of Hebrew Eli, popular in ancient Rome, Heli is one of the most fun of these unique biblical boy names. It shares the same meaning as Eli: “ascended.” It’s gone virtually unused for decades.
Hosea
American civil rights leader, Hosea Williams, had a fabulous name and his legacy alone could inspire use of this name. Biblical Hosea wrote book of prophesies. According to the Talmud, Hosea was the greatest prophet of the time. This Hebrew name means “salvation.”
Ishvi
The name of one of Asher’s sons, Ishvi has been criminally underused for decades. Ishvi is composed of Hebrew elements that mean “he resembles me.” We promise he will be the only Ishvi in his kindergarten class!
Jabez
Despite this name’s meaning, “borne in pain,” Jabez proves a most attractive and distinctive choice. It once was popular among Pilgrims and continued to be until the nineteenth century.
Jeconiah
Jeconiah is an obscure form of the more popular Hebrew name Jedediah. This charmer means “God will establish.”
Jemuel
Of all of the unique biblical boy names on this list, Jemuel probably has the best nickname possibility in “Jem.” Jemuel has Hebrew origins and means “day of God.” In the Old Testament, Jemeul was a son of Simeon.
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Jethro
The last time Jethro was popular in the US was in 1913! The Biblical dad of Zipporah, Jethro enjoyed a Hebrew name that means “excellence.” We must agree!
Joah
Joah may seem like just another one of these unique biblical boy names but it actually belonged to a number of characters in the Old Testament. With Noah being so overused at this point, Joah could be a natural alternative. This Hebrew name means “brother of God.”
Havilah
We often encourage expecting parents not to get too hung up on baby name meanings. After all most people do not know what most of them translate to. However, Havilah, which is a Biblical place name and character name means “to dance.” And, we love that!
Laban
Of these unique biblical boy names, one you may be least familiar with is Laban. Laban was the Biblical father of Rachel who seems to have stolen the spotlight from Laban. This biblical name for boys means “white.”
Lael
Lael is an ancient Hebrew name that been used through the years for both boys and girls. This name has a rare contemporary feel when compared to other unique biblical boy names. It means “belonging to God.”
Mahlon
Mahlon was a popular choice among new parents until the 1950s when we guess people learned that the Hebrew name means “sickly.” But, we encourage you to not take that too seriously. Cameron means “crooked nose” and Kennedy means “misshapen head” so take these name meanings with a grain of salt! Biblical Mahlon is the son of Naomi.
Nebo
Biblical Nebo was an ancestor of those returned to Judah with Zerubbabel. Further, the name belonged to two Biblical towns. Nebo is an ancient Babylonian mythological name that refers to the invention of writing.
Pallu
Of these unique biblical boy names, Nebo and Pallu might be the two quirkiest, but we do hope you will consider both. Pallu has Hebrew origins and means “distinguished.”
Simeon
Simeon is closer to the Hebrew name that brings us the common Greek form of the name, Simon. Simeon blessed infant Christ in the New Testament. The name means “God is listening.”
Tammuz
Tammuz is the Semitic form of a Sumerian name that means “loyal child.” Tammuz names the fourth month of the Hebrew calendar (June and July for those on the Gregorian one). In addition, the name belonged to a small character in the Old Testament.
Zimri
Biblical Zimri was a King of Israel and the name belonged to one of Judah’s grandsons. Of all of these unique biblical boy names, it has one of the very best meanings in “my music, my praise.” It’s the perfect name for a musical family!
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Zuriel
A Biblical name form the Old Testament, Zuriel has a very zippy sound that we think will appeal to many parents today. This Hebrew name means “God is my rock.”
What did you think of these unique biblical boy names? Did you discover a couple you might have needed to be reacquainted with? We certainly hope you found some biblical inspiration in these names and will consider these offbeat choices for your son! If not, happy baby name hunting!