Biblical Baby Names
Biblical baby names are both popular and historical! Check out why so many parents are turning to the Bible for naming inspiration.
By Danielle Ryan, AmericanBaby.com
Why Are Biblical Names So Popular? What do Robert De Niro, Annette Bening, and U2 singer Bono all have in common? Other than their sizable bank accounts and famous mugs, they also all share the distinction of being celebrity parents who've bestowed Biblical names upon their children (Aaron, Benjamin, and Eve, respectively).For the past few years, biblical baby names have become increasingly popular for the first time in a long while—in fact, the origin of nine out of the top 10 boys' names in 2004 can be easily traced to the Bible. Not a surprising fact, considering all of the controversy in recent years surrounding the publication of The Da Vinci Code, the emergence of intelligent design theory, the ever-shrinking gap between Church and State in the U.S., the "What Would Jesus Drive?" and "Where Would Jesus Shop?" campaigns, and the battle over "holiday" trees…
Trendy versus Traditional Names. The tradition of using biblical names here in the United States can be traced to the Puritans, who eschewed Old English names associated with the Church of England in favor of names chosen directly from the Bible. Although trendy, non-biblical names like Madison and Tyler have been on the top baby names lists for several years now, biblical names never really went out of style. Why? Well, in theory, it makes sense to see people turning to a spiritual resource like the Bible for naming their babies when the world seems to be so topsy-turvy. Giving one's child a traditional, biblical name infused with spiritual significance can be a source of comfort in a crazy world—even for those not inclined to consider themselves to be 'religious' people. Saying or hearing such a name can evoke warm thoughts and security.
After several years' worth of perfectly lovely, albeit trendy, names holding court on the top 10 names list, monikers such as Tyler, Austin, Taylor, and Ashley fell from grace toward the end of the 90s. They were replaced by more traditional names with biblical origins, such as Ethan and Abigail in the year 2001 (and they're still on the top 10 list today.) And biblical baby names appear to be much more popular for boys; only three out of the top 10 baby names for girls in 2004 were Bible-based.
And just like any other trend these days, celebrities are in on this one, too. From Aaron to Zion, celebs have laid their claim to biblical monikers. For example, Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 named his first son Aaron Elvis. Gabriel was a popular choice for Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, Mick Jagger, and Mia Farrow, each of whom has a son with that angelic name. Rockers Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day fame and Jon Bon Jovi both named a son Jacob. John has also proven to be a biblical name popular with celebs—Bono, Tracey Ullman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rob Lowe, Jane Seymour, and singer Lauren Hill all have sons by that name. Hill also has a son named Zion David.
Why Choose a Biblical Name? As far as biblical baby names are concerned, though, it seems fair to ask, "What's in a name?" Do parents of modern-day biblically named children choose those monikers for their spiritual significance, the way they roll off the tongue, or the way they sound with dad's last name? Is Abigail currently listed as the sixth most popular girl's name because it's such a pretty name, or because it means "my father's joy"? Or a combination of the two? Of course, everyone has his or her own interpretation of how and why to choose a name.
Determined to find a name for their child that was striking and unusual, yet meaningful, Jake and Mona Levich of Queens, New York, took a page from the Bible and named their son Moses—a recognizable but unique name, to be certain. For the most part, though, parents who choose biblical names for their children use more traditional monikers like Jacob (currently ranked #1 on the boys' list), Hannah (#5 for girls), or Joseph (at boys' #9).
Biblical names are imbued with spiritual significance because they're part of fascinating stories from the Bible that often highlight the best of what man or woman can offer the world. Think of the name Noah (#29 in 2004), for example, and the biblical story associated with Noah and his ark. God considered Noah to be a pure man in a world of sinners. For this reason, he alone was chosen to build the ark that would protect him, his family, and his animals from the deadly floodwaters that God was going to unleash upon the world with 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Appropriately enough, given the background of the name, Noah is said to mean "peace" or "comfort." My husband and I chose the name Noah because we love the sound of it, but we also loved the meaning of the name and the positive spiritual association people have with it. And while the name Moses may not be on the top 10 list anytime soon (it was listed at #512 in 2004, in fact), Moses' role in the Bible is that of a brave revolutionary who led a revolt against an oppressive regime that enslaved his people—which was part of the name's attractiveness to our modern-day Moses' parents.
Care to guess what was the most biblically popular name of all time here in the United States? Mary. The name of Jesus' virgin mother was ranked at number one from 1900 to 1959, at which time it fell to second place and stayed there until 1969 when it slipped to number 15. These days, it's ranked at number 63. This name is strongly associated with femininity, motherhood, and purity; it's also the most recognizable female name from the Bible other than Eve (which is currently ranked at #614).
Hannah, Abigail, and Elizabeth—the three biblically based female names currently inhabiting spots 5, 6, and 10, respectively, on 2004's top 10 list are not necessarily identifiably Biblical even if they are euphonious (pleasant-sounding).
Biblical names have most certainly withstood the test of time. For centuries, parents-to-be have turned to the Bible for divine baby-naming inspiration. Will you?
By Danielle Ryan, AmericanBaby.com
Why Are Biblical Names So Popular? What do Robert De Niro, Annette Bening, and U2 singer Bono all have in common? Other than their sizable bank accounts and famous mugs, they also all share the distinction of being celebrity parents who've bestowed Biblical names upon their children (Aaron, Benjamin, and Eve, respectively).For the past few years, biblical baby names have become increasingly popular for the first time in a long while—in fact, the origin of nine out of the top 10 boys' names in 2004 can be easily traced to the Bible. Not a surprising fact, considering all of the controversy in recent years surrounding the publication of The Da Vinci Code, the emergence of intelligent design theory, the ever-shrinking gap between Church and State in the U.S., the "What Would Jesus Drive?" and "Where Would Jesus Shop?" campaigns, and the battle over "holiday" trees…
Trendy versus Traditional Names. The tradition of using biblical names here in the United States can be traced to the Puritans, who eschewed Old English names associated with the Church of England in favor of names chosen directly from the Bible. Although trendy, non-biblical names like Madison and Tyler have been on the top baby names lists for several years now, biblical names never really went out of style. Why? Well, in theory, it makes sense to see people turning to a spiritual resource like the Bible for naming their babies when the world seems to be so topsy-turvy. Giving one's child a traditional, biblical name infused with spiritual significance can be a source of comfort in a crazy world—even for those not inclined to consider themselves to be 'religious' people. Saying or hearing such a name can evoke warm thoughts and security.
After several years' worth of perfectly lovely, albeit trendy, names holding court on the top 10 names list, monikers such as Tyler, Austin, Taylor, and Ashley fell from grace toward the end of the 90s. They were replaced by more traditional names with biblical origins, such as Ethan and Abigail in the year 2001 (and they're still on the top 10 list today.) And biblical baby names appear to be much more popular for boys; only three out of the top 10 baby names for girls in 2004 were Bible-based.
And just like any other trend these days, celebrities are in on this one, too. From Aaron to Zion, celebs have laid their claim to biblical monikers. For example, Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 named his first son Aaron Elvis. Gabriel was a popular choice for Seinfeld star Jason Alexander, Mick Jagger, and Mia Farrow, each of whom has a son with that angelic name. Rockers Billy Joe Armstrong of Green Day fame and Jon Bon Jovi both named a son Jacob. John has also proven to be a biblical name popular with celebs—Bono, Tracey Ullman, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rob Lowe, Jane Seymour, and singer Lauren Hill all have sons by that name. Hill also has a son named Zion David.
Why Choose a Biblical Name? As far as biblical baby names are concerned, though, it seems fair to ask, "What's in a name?" Do parents of modern-day biblically named children choose those monikers for their spiritual significance, the way they roll off the tongue, or the way they sound with dad's last name? Is Abigail currently listed as the sixth most popular girl's name because it's such a pretty name, or because it means "my father's joy"? Or a combination of the two? Of course, everyone has his or her own interpretation of how and why to choose a name.
Determined to find a name for their child that was striking and unusual, yet meaningful, Jake and Mona Levich of Queens, New York, took a page from the Bible and named their son Moses—a recognizable but unique name, to be certain. For the most part, though, parents who choose biblical names for their children use more traditional monikers like Jacob (currently ranked #1 on the boys' list), Hannah (#5 for girls), or Joseph (at boys' #9).
Biblical names are imbued with spiritual significance because they're part of fascinating stories from the Bible that often highlight the best of what man or woman can offer the world. Think of the name Noah (#29 in 2004), for example, and the biblical story associated with Noah and his ark. God considered Noah to be a pure man in a world of sinners. For this reason, he alone was chosen to build the ark that would protect him, his family, and his animals from the deadly floodwaters that God was going to unleash upon the world with 40 days and 40 nights of rain. Appropriately enough, given the background of the name, Noah is said to mean "peace" or "comfort." My husband and I chose the name Noah because we love the sound of it, but we also loved the meaning of the name and the positive spiritual association people have with it. And while the name Moses may not be on the top 10 list anytime soon (it was listed at #512 in 2004, in fact), Moses' role in the Bible is that of a brave revolutionary who led a revolt against an oppressive regime that enslaved his people—which was part of the name's attractiveness to our modern-day Moses' parents.
Care to guess what was the most biblically popular name of all time here in the United States? Mary. The name of Jesus' virgin mother was ranked at number one from 1900 to 1959, at which time it fell to second place and stayed there until 1969 when it slipped to number 15. These days, it's ranked at number 63. This name is strongly associated with femininity, motherhood, and purity; it's also the most recognizable female name from the Bible other than Eve (which is currently ranked at #614).
Hannah, Abigail, and Elizabeth—the three biblically based female names currently inhabiting spots 5, 6, and 10, respectively, on 2004's top 10 list are not necessarily identifiably Biblical even if they are euphonious (pleasant-sounding).
Biblical names have most certainly withstood the test of time. For centuries, parents-to-be have turned to the Bible for divine baby-naming inspiration. Will you?
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