Baby Names Inspired by the Bible

This article will concentrate mainly on names found in (and inspired by) the Christian Bible because it is the most used bible in the world. However, please keep in mind that it is not the only bible in the world. Because of this fact, I will draw inspiration from other books of faith and scatter them throughout the article. I sincerely hope that anyone who visits the page will be open-minded enough to not mind seeing names not found in their bible.

The one thing I have found to be at the core of most religions is tolerance and love for our fellow human being. Problems tend to occur when we branch outwards from those core values. If we all try to be a bit more understanding of other peoples' beliefs and look at religion as a set of guidelines instead of a set of laws that must be followed no matter what, I believe the world can become a much better place.

There is nothing wrong with coming up with a name inspired by a certain faith, but if we teach our children to focus on the core values of the religion (the ones that we all know in our hearts to be just), the name you give them can truly be a source of inspiration and empowerment in difficult times. Thank you for giving this article a chance, and good luck finding a good name for your newborn.

• Abidan: In Hebrew name means “my father is judge”.
• Adamah: of blood
• Delilah: Hebrew for “delicate”.
• Inola: In Cherokee the word means “black fox”.
• Timothy: One who honors God.
• Ebal: A mount in the Promised Land where the Israelites reiterated their devotion to the commandments of Jehovah (and the consequences if they disobeyed them).
• Abaddon: Means “ruin or destruction” in Hebrew.
• Zadok: Means “righteous” in Hebrew.
• Othniel: In Hebrew means “strength of God”.

• Priscilla: Latin meaning ancient, primitive or aged.

• Amir: Very similar meaning in Arabic and Hebrew, “strong, commanding”.
• Shakti: In Hinduism a shakti is the female counterpart of a god.
• Samson: bright sun
• Benjamin: A Hebrew name meaning “born of the right hand”.
• Zuriel: In Hebrew this name means "my rock is God".
• Eden: Inspired by the garden of God; also known as paradise / pleasure or delight.
• Vashti: This interesting name is most likely of Persian origin and means " beautiful woman".

• Ithai: A common Hebrew name spelled in various was; means “with me”.
• Phoebe: A name of Greek origin meaning “shining or pure”.
• Ephraim: doubly fruitful
• Moses: Hebrew for drawn out of the water.
• Erastus: In Latin this name means "beloved". A biblical name not mentioned that often that can be found in the New Testament.
• Atarah: Means "crown" in Hebrew. (A beautiful name for a little girl.)
• Mordecai: Hebrew for “little man”.
• Cyrus: In Persian it means “the sun”; the Hebrew equivalent is Koresh.
• Zillah: Means “shade” in Hebrew.
• Naomi: Originally from the Hebrew name Na’omiy, which means “pleasant”.
• Abigail: the father’s joy
• Elijah: Means “my God is Yahweh”; originally from the name ‘Eliyyahu.
• Martha: Arabic for “sorrow”.
• Ariel: A powerful, religious-themed name for a baby girl that means “lion of God”.
• Jasper: treasure holder
• Adina: Meaning “slender or delicate” in Hebrew. Was used as a male name in the Old Testament, but in modern Hebrew, mostly a feminine name.

For those people who devoutly follow a certain religion and can't comprehend someone else who believes differently, the above video may be a shock. There are a lot of different religions and beliefs in the world and millions of people with different points of view. Never assume that a certain person follows a certain religion. I find that you can never go wrong by being as respectful as you can, even if your beliefs differ from that of another.

When religion becomes something to unify common themes instead of something that polarizes then that will be a day that needs to be celebrated by all. Virtually all religions and beliefs have something in common; it's all the extra stuff that always seems to get in the way.

• Abishai: the present of my father
• Abner: father of light
• Aeneas: praise worthy
• Ali: In Arabic means “Lion of God”.
• Gideon: tree cutter
• Abijah: Means "the Lord is my father" in Hebrew. There was several people in the Old Testament, both male and female, that had this name, including Kings.
• Jada: knowing
• Joanna: God is gracious
• Jerah: Means “honeycomb or honeysuckle”.
• Jerusha: A beautiful name for a baby girl that means “possession” in Hebrew.
• Ulla: will and determination
• Paulus: small or little
• Sur: withdraw or depart; turn aside; rebellious
• Gaius: Uncertain meaning, but believed to be derived from the Latin gaudere, which means "to rejoice".
• Magdalene: from the high tower
• Judas: Though not often used as a first name because of the betrayal of Jesus; it would be an uncommon, but well-known name from the bible.

If you ever get a chance to visit Jerusalem, be sure to check out the sites in the Old City as that is where you'll find attractions such as the Temple Mount, The Dome of the Rock, The Wailing Wall and the Mount of Olives. My grandmother has told me stories of how she made the trip with me when I was only a few months old, of course she had plenty of pictures to go along with the stories. Those tales was one of my fondest memories of her when she was alive.