Biblical Boy Names: 90 Names with Meanings and Stories

Here are 90 biblical boy names with their meanings, where each name appears in Scripture, and -- the part most name lists skip -- what the man who carried it actually did. A biblical name isn't just a sound you like; it's a story your son will grow into, ask about, and eventually read for himself. That's why, wherever we have one, we've linked the name to the story behind it, told for kids.

The names are grouped the way parents actually shop for them: the classics everyone recognizes, strong names for the kid you suspect will be climbing furniture by nine months, gentle and thoughtful names, New Testament picks, and rare Old Testament names almost nobody is using.

Looking for a girl's name instead? See our biblical girl names list -- or browse all biblical names in one place.

Classic Biblical Boy Names

The names that have never left the top of the charts, for good reason.

• Noah — "rest" or "comfort" (Genesis 5:29). The man who built the ark and did everything just as God commanded.
• Jacob — "holder of the heel," later renamed Israel (Genesis 25:26). The twin who wrestled his way into God's promise.
• Daniel — "God is my judge" (Daniel 1:6). The exile who prayed anyway, lions or no lions.
• David — "beloved" (1 Samuel 16:13). The shepherd boy who became king and wrote half the Psalms.
• Matthew — "gift of God" (Matthew 9:9). The tax collector who left the money table to follow Jesus.
• John — "God is gracious" (Luke 1:13). Borne by the Baptist and the beloved disciple both.
• Joseph — "he will add" (Genesis 30:24). The dreamer who went from prison to palace -- and the carpenter who raised Jesus.
• Samuel — "God has heard" (1 Samuel 1:20). The boy who heard God calling in the night and answered.
• Benjamin — "son of the right hand" (Genesis 35:18). Jacob's youngest, the brother Joseph wept over.
• Michael — "who is like God?" (Daniel 10:13). The archangel's name -- a question with an obvious answer.
• Andrew — "manly, brave" (from Greek; Matthew 4:18). The first disciple called, who went and got his brother.
• James — the English form of Jacob (Matthew 4:21). Two disciples carried it, and the practical little letter near the back of the Bible bears it.
• Thomas — "twin" (John 11:16). The doubter who ended up making the Bible's clearest statement of faith.
• Aaron — "high mountain, exalted" (Exodus 4:14). Moses' brother and Israel's first high priest.
• Luke — "light-giving" (from Greek; Colossians 4:14). The doctor who wrote a Gospel and Acts.
• Adam — "man, from the earth" (Genesis 2:20). The first name anyone ever carried.
• Nathan — "he gave" (2 Samuel 7:2). The prophet brave enough to tell King David the truth.
• Jonathan — "God has given" (1 Samuel 18:1). David's truest friend, loyal at the cost of a crown.
• Stephen — "crown" (Acts 6:5). The first martyr, who died praying for the men throwing the stones.
• Timothy — "honoring God" (Acts 16:1). Paul's young apprentice, pastor of Ephesus.

Strong Biblical Boy Names

Names with some iron in them.

• Elijah — "the Lord is my God" (1 Kings 17:1). The prophet fed by ravens, who called down fire from heaven.
• Joshua — "the Lord is salvation" (Joshua 1:1). Moses' successor, the general who took command and marched around Jericho.
• Caleb — "whole-hearted, devoted" (Numbers 13:30). One of two spies who said "we can do this" when ten said run.
• Gideon — "mighty warrior" (Judges 6:12). The unlikely hero who beat an army with 300 men, torches, and trumpets.
• Samson — "like the sun" (Judges 13:24). The strongest man alive, whose real lesson is about what he lost.
• Ezekiel — "God strengthens" (Ezekiel 1:3). The prophet of the valley of dry bones.
• Israel — "wrestles with God" (Genesis 32:28). The name God gave Jacob after the longest night of his life.
• Judah — "praise" (Genesis 29:35). The tribe kings came from -- and eventually the King.
• Josiah — "the Lord supports" (2 Kings 22:1). Crowned at eight; cleaned up a whole kingdom.
• Hezekiah — "the Lord strengthens" (2 Kings 18:1). The king who spread his enemy's letter before God and prayed.
• Ethan — "enduring, strong" (1 Kings 4:31). A wise man of Solomon's era with a psalm to his name.
• Boaz — "in him is strength" (Ruth 2:1). The kind landowner who became Ruth's redeemer.
• Amos — "burden-bearer" (Amos 1:1). The shepherd-farmer God made a prophet.
• Gabriel — "God is my strength" (Luke 1:26). The angel trusted with the biggest announcement in history.
• Abner — "father of light" (1 Samuel 14:50). Saul's general.
• Marcus / Mark — from the Latin Marcus (Acts 12:25). The young assistant who failed once, was given a second chance, and wrote the fastest-moving Gospel.

Gentle and Thoughtful Biblical Boy Names

Softer sounds, deep stories.

• Eli — "ascended, exalted" (1 Samuel 1:9). The old priest who taught Samuel how to answer God.
• Levi — "joined" (Genesis 29:34). The tribe set apart to serve in God's house.
• Micah — "who is like the Lord?" (Micah 1:1). The prophet of "act justly, love mercy, walk humbly."
• Asher — "happy, blessed" (Genesis 30:13). Jacob's son whose name is a blessing in itself.
• Jesse — "gift" (Ruth 4:17). David's father -- the root of the family tree that leads to Jesus.
• Joel — "the Lord is God" (Joel 1:1). The prophet who promised God would restore the years the locusts ate.
• Jonah — "dove" (Jonah 1:1). The prophet who ran the other way and got the Bible's most famous ride back.
• Seth — "appointed" (Genesis 4:25). The son given to Adam and Eve after everything went wrong.
• Abel — "breath" (Genesis 4:2). The shepherd whose short story still teaches what honest worship means.
• Enoch — "dedicated" (Genesis 5:24). The man who walked with God -- and then simply was not, because God took him.
• Jared — "descent" (Genesis 5:15). From the quiet genealogies of Genesis, long before it was a 1990s staple.
• Silas — "of the forest" (from Latin Silvanus; Acts 15:40). Paul's travel partner, who sang in prison at midnight.
• Jordan — "flowing down" (Joshua 3). The river where Israel crossed over and Jesus was baptized.
• Simeon — "he has heard" (Luke 2:25). The old man who waited his whole life to hold the baby Messiah -- and did.

New Testament Boy Names

• Peter — "rock" (Matthew 16:18). The fisherman Jesus renamed, who became exactly what the name said.
• Paul — "small, humble" (Acts 13:9). The church's fiercest enemy, turned around on a road, who wrote a third of the New Testament.
• Philip — "lover of horses" (from Greek; Acts 8:26). The evangelist who explained Isaiah to a stranger in a chariot.
• Barnabas — "son of encouragement" (Acts 4:36). The encourager who vouched for Paul when nobody else would.
• Nathanael — "gift of God" (John 1:45). The skeptic Jesus won over in one sentence.
• Matthias — "gift of God" (Acts 1:26). Chosen to complete the twelve.
• Jude — "praise" (Jude 1:1). One short letter, one great name.
• Titus — a Roman name of honor (Titus 1:4). Paul's troubleshooter for the hardest church assignments.
• Zacchaeus — "pure" (Luke 19:2). The small man in the tree whose name finally matched his heart.
• Lazarus — "God has helped" (John 11:1). The friend Jesus called out of the tomb by name.
• Stephanas — "crowned" (1 Corinthians 16:15). One of the first believers in all of Greece.
• Apollos — a Greek name (Acts 18:24). The brilliant speaker humble enough to be corrected.
• Justus — "just, upright" (Acts 1:23). A name that is a job description.
• Timon — "honorable" (Acts 6:5). One of the seven chosen to serve.

Rare Old Testament Names (Deep Cuts)

For parents who want a biblical name no one else on the playground has. More like these in our unique biblical names list.

• Ezra — "helper" (Ezra 7:6). The scribe who read the Law aloud to a weeping city.
• Nehemiah — "the Lord comforts" (Nehemiah 1:1). The cupbearer who prayed first, then rebuilt a wall in 52 days.
• Malachi — "my messenger" (Malachi 1:1). The last voice of the Old Testament.
• Obadiah — "servant of the Lord" (Obadiah 1:1). The shortest book in the Old Testament.
• Zephaniah — "the Lord has hidden" (Zephaniah 1:1). The prophet who said God sings over his people.
• Hosea — "salvation" (Hosea 1:1). The prophet whose whole life was the sermon.
• Reuben — "behold, a son" (Genesis 29:32). Jacob's firstborn.
• Ephraim — "fruitful" (Genesis 41:52). Joseph's son, named in gratitude in a foreign land.
• Zebulun — "honor, dwelling" (Genesis 30:20). A tribe by the sea.
• Asa — "healer" (1 Kings 15:9). A reforming king of Judah -- and a name that fits on any era's birth certificate.
• Ira — "watchful" (2 Samuel 23:38). One of David's mighty men, two letters long.
• Omar — from Genesis's genealogies (Genesis 36:11). Short, strong, and ancient.
• Tobiah / Tobias — "the Lord is good" (Nehemiah 2:10). The Greek form, Tobias, wears better today.
• Zechariah — "the Lord remembers" (Zechariah 1:1). A prophet, and later the stunned father of John the Baptist.
• Jairus — "he enlightens" (Mark 5:22). The synagogue ruler whose daughter Jesus raised.
• Cyrus — a Persian royal name (Ezra 1:1). The emperor God used to send his people home.
• Eliam — "God is my people's" (2 Samuel 23:34). From David's roll of mighty men.
• Micaiah — "who is like the Lord?" (1 Kings 22:8). The prophet who refused to flatter a king.
• Abram — "exalted father" (Genesis 12:1). The name Abraham carried when God first called him -- before the promise stretched it.
• Solomon — "peace" (1 Kings 3:5). The king who, offered anything, asked for wisdom.
• Moses — "drawn out of the water" (Exodus 2:10). The baby in the basket who grew up to tell Pharaoh, "Let my people go."
• Isaac — "he laughs" (Genesis 21:3). Named for his mother's laughter at the best surprise of her life.
• Abraham — "father of many" (Genesis 17:5). The man who left everything on the strength of a promise.
• Isaiah — "the Lord is salvation" (Isaiah 1:1). The prophet who saw Christmas coming seven hundred years early.
• Jeremiah — "the Lord exalts" (Jeremiah 1:5). Called before he was born, faithful through tears.
• Saul — "asked for" (1 Samuel 9:2). Israel's first king -- a tall start and a hard lesson.

How to Pick Well: Three Quick Tests

1. Say it with your last name, out loud, ten times. Biblical names are mostly stress-tested by 3,000 years of use, but "Amos" and some surnames fight each other.
2. Read the story first. Every name here comes with a life attached. Delightfully, that cuts both ways -- Jonah is a wonderful name and a running-away story you'll be telling at bedtime. Know what you're signing up to explain.
3. Check the nickname. Benjamin becomes Ben, Ezekiel becomes Zeke, Jedidiah becomes Jed. The nickname is what gets yelled across the park, so make sure you love it too.

The best part of a biblical name is the night your son asks, "Who was I named after?" -- and there's a real answer. When that night comes, every story on this list is in the Faithful Kids app as a two-minute video with a quiz, told so kids actually remember it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most popular biblical boy name? Noah, Elijah, James, Benjamin, and Daniel have all sat in the U.S. top 20 in recent years — at times, biblical names have filled half of the top ten. Three thousand years in, they're not a trend; they're the baseline.

What are strong biblical names for boys? Elijah ("the Lord is my God"), Joshua ("the Lord is salvation"), Caleb ("whole-hearted"), Gideon ("mighty warrior"), and Boaz ("in him is strength") all carry both a strong sound and a strong story -- see the full strong-names section above.

What's a rare biblical name that still sounds modern? Asa, Ezra, Amos, Jude, and Micah all read as current without being everywhere. For deeper cuts -- Zephaniah, Obadiah, Ira -- see our unique biblical names list.

Do biblical names have to come from the Bible's heroes? No -- plenty of parents choose names from quieter corners: Seth, Jared, Enoch, and Omar come from genealogies, not epics. The meaning and the sound matter as much as the fame of the bearer.