Biblical Names-- HIDDEN GEMS

Girl Names
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Recently I was reading the Bible (don’t worry, this isn’t religious at all) and I came upon one of those lists that have lots of names and ‘who begot who’ in the [name_m]New[/name_m] Testament, and I just realized what I hadn’t before-- these are names that are hardly ever used now! And there are hidden gems!!

One boys’ name I found that I love was [name_m]Kemuel[/name_m]. (Also [name_m]Uz[/name_m] and Buz–brothers of course–but I would not inflict those on a baby… right?) I realized that there are lots of names aside from [name_f]Mary[/name_f], [name_f]Rachel[/name_f], [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], [name_f]Sarah[/name_f], [name_m]Jacob[/name_m], and [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], which are common names that are biblical. [name_m]Ephron[/name_m]? (Boy.) Reumah? (Girl.)

Any biblical name gems you have found and are loving??

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[name_f]Zipporah[/name_f] and [name_f]Bathsheba[/name_f] (I knew sisters with these names. They wear these names so well too)

I also love [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f], [name_f]Sapphira[/name_f], [name_f]Junia[/name_f], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Elisheba[/name_f], [name_f]Rhoda[/name_f], [name_f]Jerusha[/name_f], [name_f]Keziah[/name_f], and [name_f]Jezebel[/name_f].

[name_f]Jezebel[/name_f] is a name like [name_f]Sheba[/name_f], [name_f]Delilah[/name_f] and [name_f]Magdalene[/name_f] which gets a bad rap, which is not warranted by either history or the bible and really is a beautiful name.

3

[name_f]Zipporah[/name_f] and [name_f]Bathsheba[/name_f] (I knew sisters with these names. They wear these names so well too)

I also love [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f], [name_f]Sapphira[/name_f], [name_f]Junia[/name_f], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Elisheba[/name_f], [name_f]Rhoda[/name_f], [name_f]Jerusha[/name_f], [name_f]Keziah[/name_f], and [name_f]Jezebel[/name_f].

[name_f]Jezebel[/name_f] is a name like [name_f]Sheba[/name_f], [name_f]Delilah[/name_f] and [name_f]Magdalene[/name_f] which gets a bad rap, which is not warranted by either history or the bible and really is a beautiful name

4

[name_m]Boaz[/name_m] lately! My grandmother was a [name_f]Ruth[/name_f], and I think [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] to honor a [name_f]Ruth[/name_f] is a really adorable idea. :slight_smile: And [name_u]Bo[/name_u] is adorable! It’s not my general style, but I still love it, and it’s pretty high up on my list. :slight_smile:

While I don’t love it for me, I love the idea of meeting a little Joash, too. He was a king, and if you’re reading the Bible, you might be familiar with him, but with the popularity of [name_m]Joseph[/name_m], [name_m]Josiah[/name_m], and [name_m]Asher[/name_m], why not Joash, too? He could be [name_u]Joey[/name_u]/[name_m]Joe[/name_m] or [name_u]Ash[/name_u], and it sounds rather smart and spunky to me. I’d love to meet a little Joash! I like the idea of [name_m]Naphtali[/name_m] for a boy, too! It sort of seems like the masculine form of [name_f]Natalie[/name_f]. :slight_smile:

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I love [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_f]Keziah[/name_f] (actually didn’t know this was biblical, was using it in my novel) [name_f]Elisheba[/name_f], [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f], Joash, and [name_f]Zipporah[/name_f]! Great ones!

And @ashthedreamer, I think the [name_m]Boaz[/name_m]-to-honor-[name_f]Ruth[/name_f] idea is adorable. Use it!

Anyone else?

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I love [name_f]Vashti[/name_f]. I like [name_f]Persis[/name_f] a lot. And [name_m]Lemuel[/name_m] with [name_m]Lemmy[/name_m] or [name_m]Lem[/name_m] as a nickname appeals to me, maybe largely because of [name_m]Lemmy[/name_m] Caution.

Tryphosa might be too much for me, but there’s something about the sound that I think is very cool. -[name_f]Osa[/name_f] endings always seem really romantic to me.

I know of someone with a daughter named [name_f]Tirzah[/name_f], and that’s a name that I imagine could/should be more popular if more people heard it. Maybe I’m off-base, but for whatever reason it strikes me as having a sound that would appeal to people. I might throw [name_f]Tamar[/name_f] in that category as well.

I feel like I’m blanking on some obvious ones. There are definitely some underused gems in the Bible.

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Joash could easily be used on a girl, too, imo. [name_m]Kemuel[/name_m] is a good one! I rather like [name_m]Jemuel[/name_m], too. [name_u]Jem[/name_u] is a good nn.

Jakin isn’t bad, for unisex, though woul d it be [name_m]JAKE[/name_m]-in or [name_m]JACK[/name_m]-in? I prefer [name_m]Jake[/name_m]-in. Korah is a boy’s name that is unisex, and [name_m]Zohar[/name_m] is a good name! Stress the second syllable - zo-HAR. [name_m]Add[/name_m] an ‘a’ for a girl - [name_f]Zohara[/name_f]. Hebron, ha-[name_m]BRON[/name_m] is good for a boy. Zuriel is not bad, [name_u]Zuri[/name_u] for short… sounds Russian.

[name_u]Zerah[/name_u] is good. [name_u]Jericho[/name_u] is underused given that it’s a ‘J’ name with an ‘o’ ending. Debir and Hazor aren’t bad. There’s a Kilion.

Aiah is a lovely name for a girl! Eliada is quite nice and so is Japhia. Seraiah coud be a boy’s name, but it’s not clear… he/she is listed as a “secretary”. I’d use it for a girl. [name_m]Eliam[/name_m] could be a nice Biblical way to get to or to soften [name_m]Liam[/name_m], and could also be used by a girl. Wow, [name_m]Eliam[/name_m] would a great way to have your daughter’s name honor [name_m]William[/name_m].

I like Gera (who is male). Shobi is a cool name (and he was a real nice guy - he brought food and honey to [name_m]David[/name_m]'s hungry people). Maybe as a nickname for [name_m]Joshuah[/name_m], Elisah, or [name_m]Job[/name_m].

Also, [name_m]Joshuah[/name_m] with an ‘h’ looks more unique these days than [name_m]Joshua[/name_m]. Also, Josha might be a cool name for a girl, either [name_m]JOE[/name_m]-sha, [name_f]YO[/name_f]-sha, or JAH-sha.

That’s all I have time for! [name_f]Happy[/name_f] hunting!

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[name_f]Vashti[/name_f] is a long-time favourite of mine. [name_u]Love[/name_u] it!

[name_m]Ammiel[/name_m] is my favourite unusual Biblical name for a boy. I also like Loammi, but it doesn’t have the nicest meaning.

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I love [name_f]Keziah[/name_f]! Off the top of my head: [name_f]Salome[/name_f], [name_f]Selah[/name_f], [name_m]Enoch[/name_m], [name_u]Abilene[/name_u], [name_m]Elihu[/name_m], [name_u]Jael[/name_u]

I know a family who named their daughter [name_f]Aphra[/name_f], which means “dust” in Hebrew (referencing [name_f]Gen[/name_f]. 3:19, “from dust and to dust you shall return”).

Their are a lot of interesting word names in the original Hebrew/Greek that you could look into as well :slight_smile:

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[name_m]Lemuel[/name_m] and [name_m]Jemuel[/name_m] are great! (I don’t like them as much as [name_m]Kemuel[/name_m], but I think I have a soft spot for -emuel names. So much more interesting than the more common–and also biblical–[name_m]Samuel[/name_m].)

[name_f]Persis[/name_f] I saw in a book once, didn’t realize that it was from the Bible. I think it’s a gorgeous name. [name_m]Ammiel[/name_m], [name_u]Abilene[/name_u], and [name_f]Aphra[/name_f] (I guess I like ‘A’…) are wonderful, too.

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Two names I enjoy from the Bible are [name_m]Gilead[/name_m] and Menasseh.

In fact I wanted to ask what you guys thought of Menasseh being used for a girl, as well? I like it for its meaning.

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I think it could. It’s not too well known, so it wouldn’t be like using [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] (which actually could work… wow.) I think a little Menasseh would be great!

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Jophiel <3

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From Revised Standard

[name_f]Adah[/name_f]
[name_f]Keturah[/name_f]
[name_f]Milcah[/name_f]
[name_f]Naamah[/name_f]
[name_f]Zillah[/name_f]
[name_f]Zilpah[/name_f]

[name_m]Aram[/name_m]
Arioch
Ashkenaz
Benammi
Ishbak
Issachar
[name_m]Javan[/name_m]
[name_m]Kenan[/name_m]
Lamech
Madai
Magog
[name_m]Nimrod[/name_m]
Raamah
[name_m]Zimran[/name_m]
Zohär

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I forgot [name_f]Zilpah[/name_f]! I like that one.

[name_f]Milcah[/name_f] is really interesting. I’ve never seen it before, but I think I like it. Behind the Name says [name_f]Milka[/name_f] is an alternate spelling. Not sure why one I like best.

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I’m fond of Ashera ([name_m]Asher[/name_m]-uh). Her name has probably been entirely stricken from the Bible, but she was a hearth goddess worshipped in ancient times. Sometimes even by Hebrews, and sometimes as the wife of God (according to archaeological evidence), but probably more often as the wife of Ba’al.

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I don’t think so. I mean, that she’s been stricken from the Bible. I don’t know a lot about her, but there’s references to Asherah poles and the Israelites stepping away from God and worshiping Baal and Asherah instead. Multiple times, actually.

@yvonnevirginia - thank you! I thought it was rather inventive. It’s on my short list, but my short list is incredibly long, so who knows. Besides, I don’t have an SO, and I feel like it’d be a huge feat to get him on board with [name_m]Boaz[/name_m]!

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[name_f]Hadassah[/name_f], [name_f]Keziah[/name_f], [name_m]Kelyn[/name_m], [name_f]Keren[/name_f], Jehoshebeth, Joash, [name_m]Boaz[/name_m], Rahab, [name_u]Elias[/name_u], [name_m]Cornelius[/name_m], [name_f]Sarai[/name_f], [name_m]Saul[/name_m], oh, I could go on all day!

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[name_f]Keturah[/name_f] is another one I find quite unique.

I do love [name_f]Joanna[/name_f] and [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] too (although [name_f]Phoebe[/name_f] is becoming quite trendy- not many people know these names are biblical).
[name_f]Tabitha[/name_f] is another one that isn’t commonly used either. [name_f]Leah[/name_f] is biblical and you rarely hear it anymore (occasionally as a MN perhaps). [name_f]Miram[/name_f] is another hidden gem in my book too, and I quite like [name_f]Esther[/name_f] too. [name_f]Bethany[/name_f] is another option too :)Oh and [name_f]Lydia[/name_f] or [name_f]Naomi[/name_f] (I just keep thinking of them lol)

As for the more ‘unique’ and less recognised type names, how about these:

[name_f]Atarah[/name_f] -Hebrew name meaning crown or wreath- in the bible she was the wife of Jerahmeel
[name_f]Hadassah[/name_f]- [name_f]Esther[/name_f]'s Hebrew name (I have a soft spot for this one- I think it’s a definite hidden gem)
[name_f]Bethel[/name_f]- Anglicised form of the Hebrew [name_f]Beth[/name_f]-[name_f]El[/name_f] meaning ‘House of God’ - in the bible this was the name of an ancient city of the Canaanites and later the Benjamites.
[name_f]Beulah[/name_f]- an allegorical name for the House of [name_m]Israel[/name_m] in the bible- meaning ‘she who is married’ a derivative of the Hebrew Ba’al
[name_f]Dinah[/name_f]- the daughter of [name_m]Jacob[/name_m] in the bible
[name_f]Eunice[/name_f]- meaning ‘Good victory’ and in the bible this is the name of [name_m]Timothy[/name_m]'s mother.
[name_f]Jemima[/name_f]- in the bible this is one of [name_m]Job[/name_m]'s three daughters.
[name_f]Salome[/name_f]- Anglicized form of Greek [name_u]Sal[/name_u]”mē, meaning “peaceful.” In the [name_m]New[/name_m] Testament bible, this is the name of a woman who witnessed [name_m]Christ[/name_m]'s crucifixion. It is also said (by the historian [name_m]Josephus[/name_m]) to have been the name of the daughter of Herodias (consort of Herod Antipas), who demanded the head of [name_m]John[/name_m] the Baptist after dancing for Herod.
[name_f]Talitha[/name_f] - Greek name derived from the word talitha, “damsel, maiden,” from Aramaic taleh (טָלֶה, “young lamb”). In the bible, [name_m]Jesus[/name_m] spoke the words talitha koum(i) (“damsel, get up”) to a little girl that he healed.

Those are just a few- I don’t know if meanings are important to you, but where I knew, I included them anyway. I love biblical names. Good luck choosing the right one!

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@ashthedreamer- one of our family friends / sister’s best friends name is Boaz! It is such a handsome name.

Not all of these coincide with the Biblical gender, but this is what I liked on each gender:

Girls: Aphra / Aphrah, Galilee, Ulla, Bithiah, Apphia, Zillah, Abilene, Damaris, Dinah, Adamah, Adah, Bethlehem (middle), Jericho, Keturah, Junia, Kitron, Lystra, Magdala, Gallio, Anani, Mibsam, Nazareth, Neri, Pallu, Mehetabel, Vophsi, Zaza, Gilead, Ephrath, Hadassah, Hosanna, Jerusha.

Boys: Zebedee, Obadiah, Thaddeus, Bethuel, Amzi, Linus, Jethro, Jubal, Enoch, Hosea, Gilead, Lemuel, Adlai, Boaz, Asriel, Abdiel, Adiel, Ephraim, Anani, Azaziah, Azariah, Beraiah, Eleazar, Cyprus, Eliel, Gallio, Gedaliah, Hanniel, Nehemiah, Hezekiah, Hezron, Hillel, Ishi, Japho, Jedidiah, Jemuel, Jerah, Jericho, Koa, Mattaniah, Nazareth, Neri, Pallu, Rufus, Tekoa, Theophilus, Zaccheus, Zephaniah, Zuriel.