Our selection of biblical first names

Female Biblical names

The first name Abigail comes from the Hebrew "abigayil" which means "source of joy" or "joy of her father." in Hebrew, it translates to “the father of exaltation.” Another spelling is Avigail. Under this first name in the two books of Samuel, we know Abigail, widow of Nabal, who married King David. She goes into exile with him and is kidnapped by the Alamekites. David delivers her after hard fighting. Kaleb is their son. In the genealogical lists of the first book of Chronicles, among the descendants of Judah and Jacob, an Avigail is the daughter of Jesse and the wife of Yètèr the Ishmaelite. Popularity of the first name Abigail: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Abigail was assigned 1,553 times between 1971 and 2015.

The first name Ana comes from the Hebrew first name "Hanna" or "hannah" which means "full of grace", "graceful" or from the masculine "Annas" resulting in "Yahweh had mercy" or "Yahweh had mercy". pity ". Under this first name, in Genesis, we know Ana, the daughter of Civeon the Hivvite, she is the mother of Oholivama, one of the wives of Esau.Popularity of the first name Ana: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Ana was assigned 9,014 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Athalie comes from the Hebrew "Athalyah", in Greek "Gotholia" and in Latin "Athalia" which means "Yahweh is exalted". Under this first name we know Athalie, the queen mother of ancient Judah, she is the daughter of Jezebel. Her marriage to Joram or Yoram, king of Judah, demonstrates their desire to ensure a lasting alliance. Athalie upsets the plan of Jehu who wanted to enter Judah. It provokes, in Jerusalem, the day after the day of Yzreel, a coup d'etat. Indeed, the day of Yzreel opened the royal succession in Judah and the sons of the deceased king being very young, a regency was needed and it could be that of the queen mother. In the aftermath of this coup, Athalie leads the kingdom which becomes strong and formidable. After seven years of reign, Athalie disappears, assassinated during a second coup. In the second book of Kings, and the second book of Chronicles, an Athaliah is the daughter of Omri and mother of Akhazias “The name of her mother was Athaliah, daughter of Omri, king of Israel. When she saw that her son was dead, she undertook to kill all the royal descendants. A little further on, in the same book of Chronicles, a third Athalie is mentioned in the episode where Joash is crowned king: Athalie heard the noise of the crowd which ran up and acclaimed the king; she walked towards the people… The musicians were playing their instruments and leading the cheers. Athalie tore her clothes and exclaimed “Conspiracy, conspiracy! The priest Yehoyada brought out the leaders of the hundreds, in charge of the army and said to them: “Take it outside outside the enclosure! Whoever follows her will die by the sword! They seized Athalie and as she arrived at the king's house through the entrance to the Porte des Chevaux, they put her to death. Athalie was awarded 38 times between 1901 and 2015.

The first name Bethsabée would come from "bat seba" or would be a variant of Batcheva, derived from "bethsheva" which means "seventh daughter" or "daughter of the oath". These two etymologies are controversial. Under this first name we know the daughter of Eliâm, Bathsheba, or Betsabee, she was the wife of Uriah the Hittite, of whom she became the widow. David committed adultery with her and later married her. She is the mother of Solomon. When David's succession is open, Nathan and Bathsheba take Solomon's side, and manage to convince King David to appoint his son Solomon to succeed him. Before her master and husband "Bathsheba bowed, face to the ground, she prostrated herself before the king and said: "Long live forever my lord King David. » Popularity of the first name Bethsabée: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Bethsabée was given 87 times between 1977 and 2015.

The first name Dalila comes from the Hebrew "dlylh" which means "guide", "indicator" or "proof" or "weak". In Arabic, Dalila means "adulated", "pampered", "pampered". In ancient Arabic, this first name means "coquette". Under this first name, in the book of Judges, we know Dalila who is a Philistine woman, concubine of Samson. She would have delivered him to the Philistines after having cut off his hair, the seat of his strength. Popularity of the first name Dalila: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Dalila was attributed 11,080 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Deborah comes from the Hebrew "Dvora" which means "bee" or "word". Under this first name mentioned in Genesis, we know Deborah who is Rebecca's nurse. In the days of Judges, she is described as a prophetess who, with Barak, defeated Sisera. She is introduced as the wife of Lappidoth. In one of the Deuterocanonical books (Tobit 1), Deborah is the mother of Ananiel. Popularity of the first name Deborah: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Deborah was attributed 26,525 times between 1953 and 2015.

The first name Dina is a variant of Dinah, from the Hebrew "dinãh" which means "judged", "avenged". Under this first name, in Genesis, we know Dina or Dinah who is the daughter of Jacob and Leah. Dina was going out to find the local girls. Shechem, son of the chief of the country, saw her, kidnapped her, slept with her and raped her. She was cruelly avenged by Siméon and Lévi.Popularity of the first name Dina: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Dina was attributed 6,224 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Eve comes from the Hebrew "havvah" which means "living" or "source of life." The Eves are celebrated on December 24. Under this first name, in the Bible, we know the famous sentence: “The man called his wife by the name of Eve – that is to say The Living Woman – because it was she who was the mother of all living. Eve, the first woman of mankind in Genesis, was born from Adam's rib. Seduced by the demon Satan, she picked the forbidden fruit and was expelled from Paradise with Adam. “The man knew Eve his wife. She became pregnant, bore Cain, and said, "I have brought forth a man with the Lord. She gave birth to a second son, Abel (Genèse). Popularity of the first name Ève: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Ève was attributed 14,819 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Jezebel comes from the Hebrew “izebhel” which means “unclean”. Under this first name we know Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, princess of Tire and Sidon, she was the unfaithful wife of King Ahab (1 Kings 16, 31; 19, 1-2; 21, 5-26.) She introduced Baal worship to Israel and was responsible for the death of Naboth. Jehu, king of Israel, was about to enter Izreel, when Jezebel heard about it. She painted her eyes, adorned her head, then leaned out of the window. As Jehu passed through the city gate, she said, “Is it peace, Zimri, slayer of his master? He looked up at the window and said, "Who's with me, who?" Then two or three eunuchs leaned towards him. He said, "Throw her down!" They threw her away. Some of Jezebel's blood splashed against the wall and on the horses; Jehu la piedtina.Popularity of the first name Jezebel: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Jezebel was given 357 times between 1957 and 2009.

The first name Judith comes from the Hebrew “yehudit” which means “the Jewess. The Judiths are celebrated on June 29. Under this first name we know Judith, who, in the 9th century was a pious Bavarian widow whose friend Salome was. Both became hermits under the obedience of Oberaltaich. Popularity of the first name Judith: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Judith was attributed 9,700 times between 1900 and 2009.

The first name Miriam is a variant of Myriam, itself a variant of Mary which comes from the Hebrew "myriam" meaning "lady", "mistress of the house" or "seer". Another etymology makes it come from the Hebrew terms “mar”, which designates a “drop” and “yâm”, which means “sea”. Under this first name we know Miryam, the daughter of Amrâm and Yokèvèd, elder sister of Moses and Aaron, prophetess. She sang the triumph of the passage of the Red Sea (Exodus; Numbers and the first book of Chronicles). Miriam criticized Moses because of the Cushite woman he had married. The term Kushite could designate a woman belonging to the Midianite tribe of Kushhan. We do not know if it is Cippora, the Midianite wife of Moses, or another woman. Later, Miriam was punished for rebelling against Moses and became a leper (Micah). Among the descendants of Judah, Bitya conceived a Miryam which is mentioned in the first book of Chronicles. Popularity of the first name Miryam: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Miryam was attributed 744 times between 1938 and 2015.

The first name Myriam is a variant of Mary which comes from the Hebrew "myriam" meaning "lady", "mistress of the house" or "seer". Another etymology makes it come from the Hebrew terms “mar”, which designates a “drop” and “yâm”, which means “sea”. Under this first name, in the Book of Numbers, we know Myriam who is the sister of Moses and Aaron. Popularity of the first name Myriam: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Myriam was attributed 96,108 times between 1921 and 2015 .

The first name Priscille is a diminutive of Priscillienne, derived from Priscillien from the Latin "priscus" which means "antique", "very ancient". The Priscillas are celebrated on January 16. Under this first name we know Priscille, the mother of Senator Pudens, she welcomed Saint Peter in the 1st century. Popularity of the first name Priscille: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Priscille was attributed 38 times between 1901 and 2015.

The first name Rachel comes from the Hebrew "rahel" which means "sheep." Under this first name, in Genesis, we know Rachel, the youngest daughter of Laban, she is the favorite wife of Jacob who had been the husband of his sister Leah. Both are credited with building up the house of Israel. She is the mother of Joseph and Benjamin. Popularity of the first name Rachel: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Rachel was assigned 49,009 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Yael comes from the Hebrew "jaalah" which means "wild goat" or "gazelle". Under this first name, in the Bible, at the time of the Judges, we know Yael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, who killed Sisera during his sleep after having offered him hospitality.Popularity of the first name Yael: in France, according to the Insee, the first name Yaël was given 2,909 times between 1963 and 2015.

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Male Biblical names

The first name Abel comes from the Hebrew “hebel” which means “fuzzy breath”, “indefinable” or “habal” which designates “the one who weeps” or “ ab” which means “father” and “el”, God. The Abels are celebrated on January 2, July 30 or August 5. Under this first name we know, in Genesis, the second son of Adam and Eve, Abel who is a breeder. He realizes his spiritual life very easily and makes offerings to God. He is killed, perhaps out of jealousy or ignorance, by his brother Cain who sees in Abel a rival to be eliminated or else he thinks that sacrificing his brother is a commendable act. Anyway, Abel appears as the first martyr of the Church. Popularity of the first name Abel: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Abel was attributed 23,293 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Abraham comes from the Hebrew "abraham" which designates the "father of the multitude", a term composed of "ab-" which means "father" and "-ram" which means "high". The Abrahams are celebrated on February 5 and February 14, March 16, June 15, October 9 and 27 or December 6. Under this first name we know Abraham, who in Genesis is presented as the father of Isaac and the ancestor of the people of Israel. Born in Ur, Chaldea, 292 years after the flood, he was the first to leave the city of Ur to settle in Palestine. According to tradition, he died at the age of 175. In the Gospel, according to Saint Luke, to designate the kingdom of heaven, Jesus uses the expression "the bosom of Abraham." »Popularity of the first name Abraham: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Abraham was attributed 2,153 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Adam comes from the Hebrew "adham" it means "man" or "wonderful land". Generally speaking, this term designates a “man fashioned with red earth like blood. In the Sumerian language "Ada-mu", meant "my father". The Adams are celebrated on May 16 and December 22 or 24. Under this first name we know in Genesis, Adam who is the first man who lived on Earth with the responsibility of guarding the Garden of Eden: "He said to Adam...". His disobedience brought sin and death upon mankind. For the Arabs who venerate him, he is also the first prophet. In the first book of Chronicles, he is also mentioned in the genealogical lists from Adam to the descendants of Esau. In the Deuterocanonical Books and more precisely Sirach, we find the following mention: “… but above every living being in creation is Adam. »Popularity of the first name Adam: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Adam was given 50,049 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Ariel comes from the Hebrew “ari’él” which designates the “hearth of the altar”. Under this first name we know in the book of Ezra, during his preparation for the journey to Jerusalem, an Ezra who sends the leaders and two instructors to Iddo. Ariel is one of the leaders of the contemporary people of Ezra or Ezra. He is guardian of the heavenly Jerusalem. Popularity of the first name Ariel: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Ariel was attributed 1,497 times between 1909 and 2015. Widespread among the Jews, this first name remains little used elsewhere.

The first name Cyrus comes from the Greek "kurios" which means "lord", "consecrated to the lord" or from the old Persian "kũrush", meaning "the sun" or from the Hebrew "korèsh" meaning "throne . The Cyrus are celebrated on January 31 or July 14. Under this first name we know the king of Persia, Cyrus the Great, (558-528) who dominated Asia Minor, after having overthrown Croesus, king of Lydia and Astyage, king of the Medes, he ascended the throne of Anzan in 555. Having put an end to the captivity of the Jews in Babylon in October 539, he is called messiah in the Bible, because his entry into Babylon marks the apogee of his glory. His prestige was extraordinary during the last years of his life during which he led a religious policy respectful of the worship of all his subjects. All Judeans in the kingdom are allowed to return to their homelands to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. He is the first ruler of antiquity who acts respectfully towards the Jewish religion. Transmitted by the Greeks, this first name was widely used in primitive Christianity. Popularity of the first name Cyrus: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Cyrus was attributed 251 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Darius comes from "Darayavahush", the name of a king of Persia, who possessed wealth. The Darius are celebrated on December 19. Under this first name we know Darius the Mede who is king of Babylon after the death of Belshassar. Darius the Mede became king at the age of sixty-two. Darius I the Great, son of Hystaspes, king from 521 to 486 BC, conquered India south of the Indus, Thrace and Macedonia. He built his capital Persepolis and rebuilt the Temple of Jerusalem which was completed in 515 BC “the third year of the reign of King Darius. » He was defeated by the Greek army, at Marathon, in 490 BC. Darius II, was king from 424 to 404 BC -Darius III, king from 336 to 331, is called Darius the Persian in the book of Nehemiah. He was defeated by Alexander the Great.Popularity of the first name Darius: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Darius was assigned 1,463 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name David comes from the Hebrew “daoud” or “yadad”, which means “beloved”, “darling” or “leader, protector”. The Davids are celebrated on March 1. Under this first name we know in the first book of Samuel, the writings of Ruth and the first book of Chronicles, David, who was the son of Jesse, he was born in Bethlehem, around 1010 BC Shepherd victorious over the giant Goliath symbolizing the triumph of intelligence over brute force, he became the second king of Israel, succeeding Saul, and remains the most famous of Hebrew rulers. He took away Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his officers. According to the second book of Samuel, he had a son, King Solomon. He wrote, as a sign of contrition, the collection of Psalms, one of the most beautiful lyrical works in literature. He died in 970 B.C. He founded the royal line from which the Messiah would be born. Jesus is therefore a descendant of the tribe of David. Popularity of the first name David: in France, according to INSEE, the first name David was attributed 310,289 times between 1926 and 2015.

The first name Gabriel is that of the angel Gabriel, it comes from the Hebrew "gheber" designating a "man" or a "hero" and "el" for "God" or "gabar" resulting in "strength" and "el" put for "God". It means "Man of God" or "God is my courage" or "Strength of God". The Gabriels are celebrated on February 27 or September 29. Under this first name we know Saint Gabriel, archangel, he is named in the Bible “the Angel of the Annunciation. In the Old Testament, he appears to Daniel and in the New Testament, it is he who also appears to the Virgin Mary to announce to her the birth of her son, Jesus. He announced the birth of Saint John the Baptist to his father Zacharie when his wife, Elisabeth, was no longer old enough to have a child. More recently let us mention Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Colombian, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1982. Popularity of the first name Gabriel: very common in the Middle Ages, it only appeared in England in the 16th century. In the United States, it was mostly employed among the black community. In France, according to INSEE, the first name Gabriel was assigned 162,000 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Isaac comes from the Hebrew "yitschak" which means "that God laughs" or "that God smiles". The Isaacs are celebrated on March 25, April 11 and April 21, May 30, June 3, September 9 and 21, November 12. Under this first name we know, in Genesis, the first book of Chronicles and the book of Sirach, Isaac, he is the son of Abraham and Sara or Sarah, who is offered in holocaust by his father. He is saved by God. He married Rebecca, with whom he had two sons, Jacob and Esau, who sold his birthright for a dish of lentils.Popularity of the first name Isaac: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Isaac was given 9,359 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Ishmael is a derivative of Ismâïl, which comes from the Hebrew "yishma'e'l" and which means "God hears". The Ishmaels are celebrated on June 16. Under this first name we know Saint Ismaël who was a bishop in the 6th century. Popularity of the first name Ismaël: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Ismaël was attributed 12,067 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Jacob comes from the Hebrew "ya'aqob" which means "whom God favors." The Jacobs are celebrated on February 5. Under this first name we know in Genesis (25, 26-33), Jacob, the son of Isaac and Rebecca, who bought the birthright from his twin brother Esau for a dish of lentils. After fleeing to Mesopotamia, he returned to the land of Canaan and reconciled with his brother. His twelve sons were the patriarchs from whom descended the twelve tribes of Israel (Genesis 27, 6-46; 28, 5-22; 29, 1-30; 30 to 35; 37, 1; 42, 1-36; 45, 25-28; 46, 8-28; 47, 7-31; 48, to 50; Exodus 1, 1-5; Ezekiel 37, 25; Hosea 12, 3-13; Abdias 1, 10-18; Malachi 1, 2-3; Siacide 44, 23 and Baruch 4, 2.)Popularity of the first name Jacob: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Jacob was attributed 2,676 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Luc comes from the Latin "lux" which translates as "light". Luc's feast day is October 18. Under this first name we know Saint Luke, born in Antioch, pagan doctor, he followed Saint Paul and wrote one of the four Gospels around the year 60. He would have died a martyr. Popularity of the first name Luc: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Luc was given 64,611 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Micah is a derivative of Michael which comes from the Hebrew "mika'el" which means "who is like God." Micah is celebrated on January 15. Under this name we know Micah who was one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament in the 8th century BC, that is to say in the time of Isaiah. His biblical book announces that “he who will dominate Israel, would be born in Bethlehem. Moreover, Micah is the man of Ephraim who installed a Levite as priest in his house (Judges 17 and 18). Micah, son of Yimla, is another prophet called by Ahab or Akhab (1 Kings 22, 8- 28 and 2 Chronicles 18, 7-27.)Popularity of the first name Micah: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Micah was given 68 times between 1994 and 2010.

The first name Moses comes from the Hebrew “moshèh” which means “withdrawn”, “saved from the waters”. Moses is celebrated on February 7 and 14, August 28, September 4, November 25 and December 18. Under this first name we know Moses, born in the tribe of Levi during the captivity of the Hebrews in Egypt, is the son of Amrâm and Yokèvèd. He was saved from the waters by the Pharaoh's daughter (Exodus 2, 10-22; 3 to 20; 24; 32 to 34 and 40). land of Canaan. A great leader and legislator, he led his people out of Egypt to Sinai and through the years of wandering in the desert. He succeeded in freeing him from slavery and proclaimed the Ten Commandments which form the basis of monotheism (Leviticus 8 and 9; Numbers 1, 1-44; 3 to 17; 20 to 21; 26, 59; 27 and 31 and 32 ; Deuteronomy 1, 1-5; 5 and 27, 1-13; Joshua 1; Micah 6, 4; Malachi 3, 22; Psalm 90 (89); 1 Chronicles 5, 29 and 23, 13-15; Sirach 45, 1; Baruch 1, 20 and 2, 28.)Popularity of the first name Moses: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Moses was attributed 11,554 times between 1900 and 2015.

The first name Peter is taken directly from the New Testament in which, because of his solid piety, the apostle Simon, son of Jonas, was nicknamed "Cephas" or "Caiapha", in Aramaic "the rock" (from faith), in dialectal Greek "Petros" also translates as "stone" or "rock", or in Latin "Petrus". The Stones are celebrated on February 21, April 28, June 29, July 2, September 2 or 9. Among the hundred and fifty saints who bore this first name, we know Saint Peter, a simple fisherman, who was called Simon. According to the Gospel, Jesus declared to Simon that he would call him Cephas, Peter, to make him the cornerstone on which he would build his Church. Peter betrayed Jesus at the Passion, saying he did not know him, but he repented and evangelized Antioch and Syria. He died a martyr in Rome, around 64, crucified upside down on the Vatican hill. Popularity of the first name Peter: typical first name of the Western world, it is used all over the world in its foreign forms. In France, between the 11th and 12th centuries, and during the 18th century, Pierre is one of the most common baptismal names. According to INSEE, the first name Pierre was assigned 889,306 times between 1901 and 2015.

The first name Solomon comes from the Hebrew “shalom” which means “peace”, “safe and sound” or derived from “salem” which translates as “healthy” or “harmonious”. The Solomons are celebrated on June 25 and September 28. Under this first name we know Solomon, the son and successor of David, king of Israel from 970 to 931 BC, his mother is Bathsheba. He married the daughter of a pharaoh of Egypt and enslaved the Canaanites. He built the Temple of Jerusalem on Mount Morriya, which was destroyed in 587. Endowed with great wisdom, he was the author and compiler of proverbs. Popularity of the first name Solomon: in France, according to INSEE, the first name Solomon was assigned 1,489 times between 1900 and 2015.