https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:29:44 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2745202 Thu, 08 Jun 2017 10:07:47 +0000 azjax 2745202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@nana87: aww I have a non-Jewish friend that named her daughter Tikva (which I don't think is traditionally​ used as a name) after some experiences she had traveling as a reporter in Israel. I hope people don't find it offensive or cultural appropriation-y.</p> <p>I try not to assume too much about a person's culture, race, religion, etc but I do think ??? when I see a classic name with a bizarre spelling. Many biblical names are classic and have nice meanings, so I think they should be used freely. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2745191 Thu, 08 Jun 2017 09:58:48 +0000 ElbieKay 2745191@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think of Rebecca as a Christian name. Rebecca is an Old Testament name -- Rebecca was Isaac's wife -- and the Old Testament is significant in other religions as well.</p> <p>I am Jewish, and I think of New Testament names (John, Luke, Mary) as Definitely Not Jewish. Old Testament names are never religion-specific to me though.</p> <p>ETA: Chris, Christopher, Christian, and Christine all sound very Christian to me, though! Same with Noel(le). And Jesus. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2745010 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 21:51:52 +0000 2littlepumpkins 2745010@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Most mainstream ones I just think of as traditional. </p> <p>Boys: Benjamin (Jewish) and though I guess it's not biblical how the others are, Christian (simply because it says "Christian") and Jesus (Christian.)</p> <p>Girls: Sometimes I think of Sara(h) and Mary as biblical. Sort of. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744992 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 21:11:00 +0000 808love 2744992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Asher, Micah, Tabitha and Jude are very popular these days and are biblical.<br /> Let's not forget about the old mainstream ones like James, Paul, Timothy, Peter, Andrew, Adam, Thomas and Abigail. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744864 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 14:03:40 +0000 Freckles 2744864@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsLonghorn: Interestingly, Mariam is the middle-eastern version of Miriam. A lot of names are shared amongst Jewish/Muslim/Christian religions.</p> <p>Our children's names have biblical origins and are common Jewish names. While we are not religious, i liked that they have a biblical/historical connection. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744861 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 13:55:18 +0000 looch 2744861@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@RKitty: I don't think of John as a biblical name though. Technically, according to the definition of biblical, it is, but I wouldn't think the family extremely religious. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744853 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 13:42:31 +0000 brownepiano 2744853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The mainstream biblical names don't really make me think a family is Christian because they are so common now. But the more obscure names are definitely a big tip off. DS 1 has a really obscure name and some days I feel bad that he will be spelling and explaining it his whole life. </p> <p>That's funny you didn't know Naomi is biblical. That's one I would think is less common! Others- Keturah, Miriam, Zephaniah, Naphtali, Ephraim, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744812 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 12:40:53 +0000 RKitty 2744812@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Biblical by definition means relating to or contained in the bible. So yes any name in the bible is biblical name. I wonder though if you could argue that since a Pope is related to the bible that you could say any name a Pope has chosen in a biblical name? Interesting thought!</p> <p>@nana87: I agree I think using the Hebrew version of the names would also result in some side eye looks from me as well. I wonder if because that the Hebrew name is more cultural so it be like a non-Japanese family naming their kids a Japanese name or non-Native American using a Native American name. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744793 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 12:18:25 +0000 kodybear 2744793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The ones i think of as biblical are jeremiah, josiah, isaiah, abraham, and for girls, esther, mary, ruth.</p> <p>Names that are in the bible like the disciples, silas, paul, etc i don't necessarily think of as biblical as i feel like they're pretty mainstream. </p> <p>we named our son the name of a prophet in the OT i don't think of it as biblical per se but im' not surprised if other people do (it was named in this thread a couple times) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744748 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 11:04:22 +0000 808love 2744748@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I took it as in the bible=biblical. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744739 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 10:42:35 +0000 Mamaof2 2744739@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was once told how lovely it was that my kids were given Biblical names - I had no clue! It was just names we liked! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744736 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 10:38:23 +0000 looch 2744736@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have to ask a really obvious, ridiculous question, sorry!</p> <p>Is a name considered biblical because it was written in the bible? Is that the only consideration? My son's name isn't biblical, but there was a pope with his name, but only my father (a former seminarian) makes that connection.</p> <p>I am also finding it really interesting what religions are represented in this thread (obviously, because of the biblical reference). I'd love to hear from some others on the topic as well because I have never given it much thought from outside my former religion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744630 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 08:03:27 +0000 Mrs. Blue 2744630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know that I associate these names as being more prevalent in Christian or Jewish families since both have similar backgrounds prior to the birth of Jesus. I think of them as just Biblical names, although, now that I think of it, some are definitely New Testament names.<br /> Boys: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Isaiah, Samual, Jonah, Noah, Isaac, Jacob . . . the list goes on and on in my mind for Biblical boy names.<br /> Girls: Mary, Martha, Ruth, Naomi, Miriam, Esther</p> <p>While I think of those as Biblical names, I never hear the name and assume they are a religious family. Most commonly used Biblical names are so traditional that they're mainstream. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744606 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 07:31:11 +0000 littlebug 2744606@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bees_knees: I usually associate Rebecca as being Jewish! For me, Mary and Magdalena are very Christian. Seth, Ezekial, Levi would make me think that child is of Jewish decent. I have less strong associations with Christian names than with other religions (Jewish, Muslim), I think because it seems like Christian (especially Biblical) names are co-opted more frequently by other religions and/or non-religious people. If that makes any sense. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744576 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 05:46:39 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2744576@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hmm, I'm not well versed on the Bible and some names like Asher I just associate with their language origin i.e. Hebrew, but not necessarily OT.</p> <p>Some names of course like Mary are clearly Biblical. However, with such wide use the names have become more traditional than faith- based IMO. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744574 Wed, 07 Jun 2017 05:00:12 +0000 lamariniere 2744574@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I loved Eve, and I'm not religious at all. The reason we didn't go with it is that I don't like the pronunciation in my DH's langage. My DD's actual name is an alternate name for Eve. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744550 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 22:58:10 +0000 Mrs. Pen 2744550@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Names I hear more often in my Christian circle of friends (that anyone could use, really! I just see as "biblical"):<br /> Hadassah, Gideon, Silas, Titus, Asher, Jude/Judah, Moses, Abraham, Delilah, Esther, Ruth, eve, Isaiah, Gabriel, Ezekiel, Micah, Tirzah, Simon, Jonah </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744495 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 19:06:40 +0000 nana87 2744495@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm Jewish; I wouldn't think twice about non-Jews naming their kids Old Testament names unless they used the Hebrew transliteration. Like Jacob is a super popular name across religions, but if you were Christian and named your kid Yaakov (the Hebrew version of Jacob) I'd probably give some side eye. Or similarly, rivka, yitzhak, avraham, etc. on the flip side, dh and I wouldn't consider a lot of names that have christian connotations to us </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744487 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:21:21 +0000 Finfan 2744487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My grandmother's name was Miriam and we are a very Protestant family. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744485 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 18:09:44 +0000 bees_knees 2744485@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love how this thread has evolved! And everyone has made great points re:OT names, etc. Some of these names I didn't even realize were Biblical, and I'm fairly religious. </p> <p>@RKitty: great point about spellings and surnames. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744467 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:06:29 +0000 RKitty 2744467@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I doubt you'd offend anybody by using a traditionally Jewish or Christian name for a not-of-that-religion baby. I'm Jewish with a traditionally Jewish name and I know plenty of other girls with the same name who aren't Jewish. Plus it kind of depends where you grow up. To me Rebecca I'd classify as a Jewish name not Christian. </p> <p>Most "Jewish" names are old testament names anyways as others have said. And many of these names could also be considered something like Amish.</p> <p>And then you can consider the spelling aspect. My son's name is Zachariah which would traditionally be a more Christian spelling then a Jewish spelling of the name which is Zechariah. (Za spelling comes from the King James Version of the old testament) And then Zachary is a new testament name but they're all really the same core name just different variations of it. </p> <p>And then you could also consider the sur-name too. Hannah Goldstein I'd probably guess was Jewish but Hanna Smith I wouldn't make the assumption. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744465 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 17:02:16 +0000 MountainBaby 2744465@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used a traditionally Jewish OT name, think of a queen whose name starts with an E, I have heard no negative comments, and I love being able to tell her the story of her namesake. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744463 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 16:55:55 +0000 matador84 2744463@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found this to be a really interesting thread. Miriam is our #1 name if we have a girl. Although it is a name of Jewish descent, I've never really though that someone might think we were Jewish and that is why we picked the name.</p> <p>We are Catholic though, and I will say in the Catholic circles there are definitely names you hear more commonly than not. John Paul, Margaret (Maggie), Kolbe, usually after some of the more popular saints. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744458 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 16:36:56 +0000 Miss Ariel 2744458@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think of Asher as being a Jewish name being one of the 12 tribes of Israel from the Bible, but 2 of the 3 Ashers I know aren't actually Jewish.</p> <p>I think most biblical names you see used by both Jews and Christians (Aaron, Ben, Leah, Rachael, Jacob, Rebecca) but the following are ones where it's more likely to be used by Jews only: Cohen, Moses (Moshe), Yocheved </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744453 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:57:58 +0000 MrsLonghorn 2744453@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm Jewish and I certainly wouldn't be offended if a non-Jew named their child Miriam.<br /> Now, I'm not particularly religious, but I don't think Jews have any sort of ownership of the name. It is very common, and as @gingerbebe said, Christians also read the OT. </p> <p>I do think it is odd when someone names their child a very ethnic/cultural name, and they aren't that culture. But I'm not sure I would find it offensive....maybe I would if I was from that culture and it was often a target of cultural appropriation? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744445 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:43:33 +0000 Caly 2744445@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When I hear a Biblical name I don't always equate it with being religious. Maybe because there are so many of them? It would have to be a pretty uncommon name for me to equate it to a Biblical connection. </p> <p>My family being Christian, it's full of Biblical names. My name is Lydia and both of my daughters have biblical names (or variations of). Basically, everyone in my family has a Biblical name in some way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744442 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:40:16 +0000 DesertDreams88 2744442@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>agree with @gingerbebe: that "old testament" names are used by Christians, too, and that makes sense given that we value the Hebrew Scriptures, as well. I don't know if Jewish people think that's offensive. I'd love to know! Hopefully someone will chime in :)</p> <p>As for Biblical names that I hear a lot (well, more than once ;) ):</p> <p>Boys: Jude / Judah, Ezra, Gideon, Isaiah, Elijah (Eli), Micah then the traditionals.... David, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter.... but the traditional names, I don't associate exclusively with "Bible names"</p> <p>Girls: Miriam (love!!), Selah, Mary, Ruth, Leah, and then for the more standard/versatile: Lydia (love!!), Rachel, Rebecca, Naomi, Elizabeth, Eve, Hannah, and Sarah </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744438 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:29:49 +0000 gingerbebe 2744438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I never thought a Jewish name would be offensive<br /> if a non-Jew used it for their kids? Especially in a Christian context since we believe that both the New and Old Testaments are the word of God. The Old Testament is far richer in names than the New Testament anyway - there's just more names mentioned in the OT. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744435 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:24:32 +0000 bees_knees 2744435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: love those names! And love the reasons you chose them! I only know people with Christian (or non religious) backgrounds with those names, but we admittedly have a very VERY sparse Jewish community here. Which is part of the reason this even came up in the conversation with DH the other day -- I think Miriam is traditionally Jewish. I love the name, but we are Catholic and I don't want it to be weird or disrespectful to have a little girl named Miriam. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/biblicalreligious-baby-names#post-2744429 Tue, 06 Jun 2017 15:17:39 +0000 gingerbebe 2744429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are Christian and our boys are Samuel and Caleb. I know both Christians and Jews with those names, but we did specifically name our boys those names because of the Biblical connection to those two individuals and their relationship with the Lord. </p>