There’s nothing like choosing a name for your newborn. But it can be one of the hardest things you ever do, especially when there are so many boring or trendy names out there.
However, if you’re looking for something with a little more meaning—religious meaning perhaps—there are quite a few options. To make it easier for you, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite biblical names for both boys and girls. They’re seriously so beautiful!
Scroll through to read the biblical history behind each name, and hopefully choose your favorite.
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Mary
In the bible, Mary is the mother of Jesus. The gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament and the Quran describe Mary as a virgin, and the Christian teaching says she conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
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Aaron
Aaron is a prophet, high priest, and the brother of Moses in the Abrahamic religions. In Hebrew, Aaron means “lofty,” “exalted,” or “high mountain.” What a prestigious baby Aaron will be.
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Abigail
In Hebrew, Abigail translates to “my father is joy,” so Abby will be a total Daddy’s girl in the future. Abigail is also the name of the third wife of King David in the Old Testament.
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Jacob
Jacob translates to “He grasps the heel” in Hebrew. He’s a significant character in the bible—the father of 12 sons who gave their names to the 12 tribes of Israel.
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Eve
You might know the Bible began with Adam and Eve—Eve was created from Adam, who she then ate the forbidden fruit with in the Garden of Eden. Eve may be a bit of a rebel, but it’s still a lovely name.
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Matthew
In Hebrew, Matthew means Gift of the Lord. How beautiful is that?
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Hannah
Besides being a palindrome (a word that reads the same backward or forward), Hannah is a Hebrew word meaning favor or grace. She was the wife of Elkanah in the Old Testament, who also had another wife, Peninnah. She was able to have children when Hannah couldn’t but after being blessed by the high priest Eli, she finally had her son, Samuel.
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Noah
You probably know Noah as the one who built the ark during the flood to help every person and animal survive, so we know he’s caring. Noah also means “comfort,” or “long-lived” in Hebrew, which is perfect for your little boy.
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Leah
Leah was the first wife of Jacob in the Old Testament. They had six sons and one daughter, so you know Leah would be the motherly type.
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Moses
From the Egyptian origin meaning “delivered from the water,” Moses was the baby who was rescued from the Nile. He also led the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. He’s a survivor, for sure!
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Rebecca
Also could be spelled Rebekah, this name means “captivating” in Hebrew. She was the wife of Isaac in the Old Testament.
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Benjamin
Still such a classic name to this day, Benjamin means “son of my right hand” in Hebrew and is the youngest son of 12 of Jacob in the Old Testament.
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Miriam
Miriam was one of the seven major female prophets of Israel. Surely that’s a good enough reason to name your little lady Miriam.
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Gabriel
In Hebrew, Gabriel translates to “Man of God.” Plus, Gabriel was the name of the archangel who appeared several times in the Bible.
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Esther
While Esther was born as a Jewish exile originally named Hadasseh, she ended up as the queen of Persia. The Bible in the Book of Esther details her story.
What do you think of these names with biblical meaning? Do you think you’d name your child something with such history and tradition?