After a baby is born one , the most confusing part is to name the baby. Some choose popular names others prefer names of flowers while some like to name their babies from Biblical references. This is a pious way to look at things as the parents think that assigning these Biblical names will have a positive effect on the character of the baby in the later years. Biblical names point towards different things, such as characters, places, flowers, animals, gemstones, Hebraic, Greek and English influenced words, all of which have religious connections. Moreover, Bible is the greatest resource on earth comprising of innumerable names that are worth taking into consideration. Here are a few popular Biblical baby names that can be considered.
1. Daniel
Meaning : God is my judge
Gender: Boy
It is based on the popular belief that God is almighty and He is the savior and protector of mankind. So, the inherent meaning of this name is that every action done by human beings are under the knowledge of God. Consequently, each one of us will have to face its consequences, whether good or bad as God is our supreme judge. The word Daniel in Bible indicates certain characters. One was the second son of the popular Biblical characters, David and Abigail. He was one of the greatest Christian prophets found in Bible. There is another Biblical character too by this name. Daniel was another Christian priest who returned from Babylonian captivity with Ezra and sealed the covenant with Nehemiah. The name Daniel is to be pronounced as ‘daw nee yale”
2. Lily
Meaning: Flower
Gender: Girl
This name has a Hebraic origin. It points out towards a pristine flower that is marked by serenity and purity. This purity is connected to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is believed that in the sermon on Mount Hermon, lily was used by Jesus Christ as an emblem to make people understand why it is necessary to believe in God and have faith in Him. Likewise, the flower was used by the Christian prophet, Hosea to indicate God’s grace. The word lily is pronounced as ‘li-li’.
3. Abraham
Meaning: Father of multitude
Gender: Boy
It is a Hebraic word that points out to the Biblical character, Abaham, who was the son of Terah. Originally he was called Abram. But as per as the Christian faith, God changed the name from Abram to Abraham as a symbol of His blessings and promises to make Abraham the father of a number of nations. He was the father of Ishmael, Issac, Ziman, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak and Shuah and two wives, Hagar and Sarah. The word Abraham is pronounced as ‘ab-aw-hawm”.
4. Margaret
Meaning: Pearl
Gender: Girl
This Greek origin word appears many times in Bible. While Margaret is used at it is in the Old Testament, in the New Testament you will find Margarita. In the revelation, the city of New Jerusalem has been explained as a city that comprises of twelve gates made of pearls. Basically, according to the Bible, pearl is a symbolic term, coined by Jesus Christ in his Sermon on the Mount as a merchant, who is searching frantically for invaluable pearls. Once he gets hold of the pearls he is happy to let go every other thing in the world that he owns or wishes to own. This concept symbolizes the Heaven. The pronunciation of Margaret is ‘mar-ga-eta’.
5. Oliver
Meaning: The olive tree
Gender: Boy
This Latin origin name is derived from the popular fruit, olive. Olive tree, which has numerous mentions in Bible, stands for prosperity, beauty and religiousness. This olive tree holds such an important place in Bible that it is mentioned that a white dove, holding an olive branch in its beak, came flying to Noah to inform him about the approaching flood. Olive tree also holds significance when it is explained that Jesus Christ along with his faithful disciples took refuge in an olive garden at the foothills of Mount Olives. It was the night before his arrest and his mind was occupied with agony and tension. The pronunciation of Oliver is ‘al-ivr’.
6. Ariel
Meaning: Lion of God
Gender: Both for boy and girl
This Biblical name is unique of its kind as it can be assigned to both boys and girls. In Bible, Ariel is the name of a male character, the chief whom Ezra sent to collect Levites from the restored Temple. It is also the name of a religious city, the city of Jerusalem. The word should be pronounced as ‘ar-ee-ale’.
7. Jacob
Meaning: To follow, to succeed.
Gender: Boy
It is a Hebraic term that means a person who follows others steps or a supplanter. In the Biblical context, Jacob was a character who was the grandson of Abraham and Sarah and the son of Issac and Rebecca. Later Jacob got married and had two wives, Leah and Rachael, who were two siblings too. Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter, Dinah. The word Jacob was to be pronounced as ‘jay-kob’.
8. Sarah
Meaning: The princess
Gender: Girl
The reference of Sarah is found in Bible as the princess who got married to the king Abraham. She was the mother of Issac. Her identity is found in Old Testament. Sarah acquired the designation of ‘mother of many nations’ when her grandsons discovered the twelve tribes of Israel. The pronunciation of the word Sarah is ‘saa-ra’.
9. Martha
Meaning: Royal lady or the mistress
Gender: Girl
This name is found in the Old Testament. It refers to a female character, who was the sister of Mary and Lazarus. She was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ for her extreme faith in the messiah. She was an ardent follower of Jesus Christ along with her two sisters too. It is pronounced as ‘maar-thea’.
