What the data can say about biblical names
Our dataset has no biblical label, so it cannot tell you which names appear in a particular text. It does record an origin of Hebrew for some names. Hebrew origin is not the same as biblical: it records a language, and a name that appears in the Bible can have a different origin. This guide uses only what the data supports.
| Origin label | Names | With a documented meaning | Boys | Girls | Listed by SSA in 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hebrew | 237 | 118 | 146 | 91 | 237 |
A name counts once per list; a name recorded for both genders counts in both the Boys and Girls columns. The label is the origin recorded in the dataset, which is one source’s opinion, not a verified etymology.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names (national data, 1880-2024). Counts are Social Security card applications for births in the United States; names with fewer than 5 births in a year are not listed, and spelling variants are counted separately. Baby Name Wizard is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SSA.
Meanings, origins and genders are as recorded in this site's dataset: Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the MuslimNames.com dataset (CC0). Each is one documented sense, not a full etymology.
Hebrew-origin names a family will have heard
Names whose recorded origin is Hebrew and that have a documented meaning, ordered by SSA rank in 2024:
| Name | Rank 2024 | Documented meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamin | 11 | son of good fortune |
| Elizabeth | 17 | my god is an oath |
| Michael | 18 | who is like God? |
| John | 21 | god is gracious |
| David | 31 | beloved |
| Joseph | 32 | (God) shall add |
| Naomi | 44 | my, of me |
| Hannah | 52 | grace, gracious, graced with child |
| Ezekiel | 54 | god strengthens |
| Joshua | 57 | yahweh is salvation |
| Nathan | 62 | gave |
| Eden | 72 | steppe, garden |
Names whose recorded origin label is Hebrew and whose meaning is documented, ordered by SSA rank in 2024 (best of boy and girl), then alphabetically. 1 name left out because the recorded meaning does not describe the name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Popular Baby Names (national data, 1880-2024). Counts are Social Security card applications for births in the United States; names with fewer than 5 births in a year are not listed, and spelling variants are counted separately. Baby Name Wizard is not affiliated with or endorsed by the SSA.
Meanings, origins and genders are as recorded in this site's dataset: Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and the MuslimNames.com dataset (CC0). Each is one documented sense, not a full etymology.
See the full Hebrew baby names list, with boys and girls lists.
Using the lists
- Check the meaning with a reference you trust. A short documented meaning is one source's reading.
- Check the form. The same name takes different forms in different languages. A list entry is a spelling, not a family of related names.
- Check the rank. The tables show which names a family will have heard and which are rare. See how to read SSA baby name data.
- Use it as a middle name. If the first name is modern, a name with a long history can add weight. The middle name guide covers flow.
The Christian baby names list is built on the religion label and not on origin; it overlaps with this one only where the same names appear.