A name that means God puts faith right on the birth certificate, and plenty of American parents still want exactly that. About 62% of U.S. adults identify as Christian, according to Pew Research Center’s 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study of 36,908 adults (1).
Some of these names sit right at the top of the charts. Theodore ranked #4 for U.S. boys in 2025, with Eliana at #10 for girls and Elias at #13 for boys, per Social Security Administration data (2). Others, such as Hannibal at #11,151, are close to unheard of.
Below are 100 names that mean God, each with its meaning, origin, pronunciation, namesakes where they exist, and current U.S. popularity, from Sunday school classics to rare picks nobody else in the nursery will share.
Popularity at a Glance
The most popular names on this list in the United States, 1965 to 2025: Theodore, Eliana, Elias, Elizabeth and Samuel.
100 Beautiful Names Meaning God
Every name below carries its meaning, origin, pronunciation and where it stands in the latest U.S. name data.
Addai
Addai shares its opening letters with Adam, though the two names travel entirely different roads. It also carries the sense of servant of God, a reading that suits parents who want faith stated plainly. Very little else is recorded about it, which leaves your son room to define the name himself, and that blank page is the appeal for families hunting a godly pick nobody else in the class will have.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Man of God
- Pronunciation: uh-DYE
- Popularity: Last listed in U.S. Social Security Administration data at #8,845 in 2021, and it has not met the five-birth cutoff since.
Amadeo
Amadeo descends from Amadeus, the middle name Mozart carried, and it keeps a bit of that musical air. Spanish, Italian and Latin roots meet in one name, so it moves easily between romance languages. Amadeo I once ruled Spain, and banker Amadeo Giannini gave it a second, very different kind of fame. For a son you hope will love God out loud, Amadeo says so in four warm syllables.
- Origin: Italian, Spanish, Latin
- Meaning: Lover of God
- Pronunciation: ah-mah-DAY-oh
- Variations: Amedeo
- Namesakes: Amadeo Giannini, an Italian American banker who founded the Bank of America.
- Popularity: #1,869 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #1,441 in 1914.
Amos
Amos belongs to a minor prophet who wrote the biblical book bearing his name, a short text preoccupied with justice for the poor. That association pulls the name toward boys, even though it works for either. Readers may also know it from Amos Fortune, Free Man, the young adult classic by Elizabeth Yates. Israeli novelist Amos Oz gave it modern literary standing. Blunt, old and easy to say, which is most of what a name has to be.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Carried by God
- Pronunciation: AY-miss
- Namesakes: Amos Oz, an Israeli novelist.
- Popularity: Ranked #730 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 79% on the previous decade.
Anaya
Anaya served as a surname for centuries. American parents only began using it up front in recent decades. Some traditions also read it as gracious, a gentle second meaning for a girl with a sunny temper. Two accepted pronunciations, uh-NAY-uh and uh-NYE-uh, let a family choose the sound it prefers. Author Rudolfo Anaya remains its best known bearer.
- Origin: Arabic, Hebrew, Indian
- Meaning: God answers
- Pronunciation: uh-NAY-uh, uh-NYE-uh
- Popularity: Ranked #336 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 911 babies given the name that year.
Ariel
American parents treat Ariel as a girl’s name, while much of the world keeps it open to both. Disney’s The Little Mermaid gave it a nostalgic pull for anyone raised in the 1990s. Long before that, Shakespeare handed it to the airy spirit of The Tempest, and it appears in scripture as a prophet’s messenger. Actress Ariel Winter carries it now. Few names manage to be biblical, literary and cartoon-famous at once.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Lion of God
- Pronunciation: AR-ee-el, AIR-ee-el
- Variations: Arielle
- Namesakes: Ariel Winter, an American actress known for her role in Modern Family.
- Popularity: Ranked #356 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 851 babies given the name that year.
Astor
Astor connects to Thor, the Norse god of thunder and agriculture, which loads a short name with mythic weight. It is far more familiar as a surname, thanks to the Astor family and their long run in business and politics. Out front it stays unusual, so expect people to ask about it. Parents after mythical names that mean God tend to stop here.
- Origin: Provencal, Icelandic
- Meaning: Hawk, thunder god
- Pronunciation: AS-ter
- Popularity: #5,052 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #1,502 in 1913.
Atalia
In the Bible, Atalia was Queen Jezebel’s daughter, remembered for her cruelty, yet the name has shaken that reputation off completely and now reads as soft and unusual rather than ominous, with Lia waiting as a nickname if the full name feels like a lot. Classical listeners may know it from Simon Mayr’s composition of the same name, a quieter kind of fame than the biblical one.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is exalted
- Pronunciation: uh-TAY-lee-uh, uh-TAHL-ee-uh
- Popularity: Atalia has roots as a name used across the Middle East, and in the U.S. it ranked #2,613 for girls in 2025, its strongest showing so far.
Atlas
Greek myth doomed Atlas to hold up the sky, so the name arrives carrying strength and stubborn endurance. Modern parents hear something else in it too, since an atlas is a book of maps and a fitting badge for a child born to wander. It has moved from unusual to genuinely fashionable in about a decade. Atlas suits a family that wants a god name without a biblical one.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Bearer of the heavens
- Pronunciation: AT-lass
- Popularity: Atlas is the fastest riser on this list, up about 1,322% on the previous decade, and it ranked #75 for U.S. boys in 2025.
Azariah
Azariah belonged to kings, priests and builders across the Old Testament, so it arrives with a crowded resume. It is also the Hebrew name of Abednego, one of the three men who walked out of the fiery furnace unharmed. The biblical bearers are men, though American parents now give it freely to daughters. Theologian and author Azariah Orton is a later namesake. Ari works if the full four syllables feel like a lot.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Helped by God
- Pronunciation: AH-zah-RYE-uh
- Namesakes: Azariah Orton, an American theologian and author.
- Popularity: Ranked #630 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 463 babies given the name that year.
Balthazar
Christian tradition names Balthazar as one of the three Magi who brought gifts to the infant Christ. The Bible never names the Wise Men, so that identity comes from later church tradition rather than scripture. The name has surfaced now and then across the centuries, usually attached to artists and writers such as French playwright Balthazar Baro, and Zar trims it down when four syllables feel like too much. It also reads as lord or master, a fitting weight for a name born of royal legend.
- Origin: Greek, Phoenician
- Meaning: God protects the king
- Pronunciation: BAL-tha-zer
- Variations: Balthasar
- Namesakes: Balthazar Baro, a French playwright and poet.
- Popularity: #9,824 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #5,764 in 2014.
Bethea
Bethea has the sound of Elizabeth without the crowd that comes with it. Treated as a form of Bethel, it also reads as house of God. The name is genuinely rare. A girl named Bethea will seldom meet another who shares it. Beth is waiting whenever she wants something plainer.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Daughter of Jehovah
- Pronunciation: beh-THEE-ah, beh-THAY
- Popularity: Last listed in U.S. Social Security Administration data at #4,021 in 1923, and it has not met the five-birth cutoff since.
Bethel
Bethel turns up repeatedly in scripture, first in Genesis and later in Jeremiah, sometimes as a sanctuary and sometimes as a city. That double life gives it a settled, rooted feel. It is also the name of a large church in Redding, California, which keeps it in current circulation. Actress Jane Bethel Leslie carried it as a middle name. For a family that wants a place name and a faith name in one, Bethel does both jobs.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: House of God
- Pronunciation: beth-EL, BETH-el
- Namesakes: Jane Bethel Leslie, an American actress known for her role in The Rabbit Trap.
- Popularity: Sat at #3,406 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 1917 peak at #632.
Caleb
Caleb was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan and one of only two men of that generation allowed into the Promised Land, a reward the text ties directly to his faith. The story keeps it a favorite in churchgoing homes that still want something current-sounding. Television helped, with Calebs in The Vampire Diaries and Pretty Little Liars. Historian Caleb Carr is a namesake with more heft. Short, friendly and almost impossible to mispronounce.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Devotion to God
- Pronunciation: KAY-lehb
- Variations: Kaleb
- Namesakes: Caleb Carr, an American historian and author.
- Popularity: Ranked #58 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 5,217 babies given the name that year.
Castiel
Castiel reached most parents through Supernatural, where an angel by that name became one of the show’s central characters. Older sources read it as speed of God, and it also stands as a spelling of Cassiel, counted among the seven archangels. The sound is celestial without being fragile. Cas is the obvious nickname, and the show made it stick.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Shield of God
- Pronunciation: KASS-tee-el
- Popularity: #1,009 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #723 in 2019.
Daniel
Anyone who sat through Sunday school knows Daniel, the young man thrown to the lions for refusing to stop praying and walking out unharmed. That story has kept the name in steady use for centuries, and it still reads as strong rather than pious. Daniel Radcliffe gave it a fresh face for the Harry Potter generation. Danny and Dan are both ready to go. Few names this common still feel this solid.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Pronunciation: DAN-yull
- Namesakes: Daniel Radcliffe, an English movie star known for his role in Harry Potter.
- Popularity: Ranked #22 for U.S. boys in 2025, down about 33% on the previous decade.
Danielle
Danielle is the feminine form of Daniel, so it inherits the lions’ den and everything that story stands for. It belonged to 1980s nurseries and now sits in the comfortable middle, familiar without being everywhere. Novelist Danielle Steel is its most recognized bearer. Characters on Lost and Desperate Housewives kept it in circulation. Dani is the natural short form.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Pronunciation: dan-YELL
- Variations: Daniele
- Namesakes: Danielle Steele, an American author known for her romance novels.
- Popularity: Sat at #549 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 1987 peak at #14.
Deia
Deia means goddess outright, which is about as direct as this list gets. Some sources also give it as joy, a lighter reading for a cheerful girl. Travelers may connect it with Deia in Spain, and the name itself stays short, vowel-heavy and easy to say anywhere, sitting well beside a longer surname.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Goddess
- Pronunciation: DEE-ah
- Variations: Daiya
- Popularity: Ranked #7,218 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 15 babies given the name that year.
Dev
Dev works as a short form of Devin or Deepak and just as well on its own. In Irish it carries the sense of poet, an artistic streak layered over a name that already means divine. Actor Dev Patel is the bearer most people name first. For families with Indian roots, it is a compact way to keep heritage in a child’s name. Three letters, one syllable, nothing to spell out twice.
- Origin: English, Indian, Irish
- Meaning: Divine, god
- Pronunciation: DEV, DAYV
- Namesakes: Dev Patel, an English actor known for his role in Slumdog Millionaire.
- Popularity: Dev ranks #1,427 for U.S. boys in 2025, against its best-ever #1,235 in 2009.
Dina
Dina is a form of Dinah, the daughter of Jacob and Leah whose story in Genesis is one of the book’s hardest. The name has traveled a long way from that account and now reads as vintage and warm. Russian singer Dina Garipova carries it today. If you want a four-letter name that means God, Dina is the shortest route there.
- Origin: Hebrew, Greek
- Meaning: God has judged
- Pronunciation: DYE-nah, DEE-nah
- Variations: Dinah
- Namesakes: Dina Garipova, a Russian singer.
- Popularity: Ranked #1,327 for U.S. girls in 2025, up about 17% on the previous decade.
Dolly
Dolly will always belong a little to Dolly Parton, whose songwriting and giving gave the name its warmth. It began as a pet form of Dorothy. Over time it became a name in its own right. Literature helped, with Dollys in Anna Karenina and Gone With the Wind. The Southern lilt is the whole appeal.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: DAHL-ee
- Variations: Dollie
- Namesakes: Dolly Haas, a German American Broadway star.
- Popularity: Sat at #1,781 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 1929 peak at #329.
Dominick
Dominick grows out of the Latin dominus, meaning lord, which is how it arrives at belonging to God. Writer and producer Dominick Dunne and fighter Dominick Cruz show how far the name stretches across temperaments. Daytime television leaned on it for years, including on Days of Our Lives. Dom and Nick are both sitting right there when a shorter name is wanted.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: Belongs to God
- Pronunciation: DOM-ih-nik
- Variations: Dominic, Dominik
- Namesakes: Dominick Dunne, an American writer, and producer.
- Popularity: Ranked #622 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 448 babies given the name that year.
Dorothea
Dorothea is the ornate cousin of Dorothy, and it wears the extra syllable well, with Thea and Dot standing by as charming short forms. Like many Victorian-style names, it belonged to the parlors of the early 1900s and has been quietly returning ever since. Readers meet Dorothea Brooke at the center of Middlemarch, which gives the name a serious, thoughtful cast, and photographer Dorothea Lange lent it a documentary eye.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: DOR-uh-THEE-uh
- Namesakes: Dorothea Lange, an American photographer.
- Popularity: #1,782 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #176 in 1913.
Dorothy
Dorothy was a favorite among Christian parents who wanted their daughters named for Saint Dorothy, the patron of gardeners, usually pictured with a wreath of flowers. The Wizard of Oz later handed it a pair of ruby slippers and a place in film history. Journalist and activist Dorothy Day showed the name’s serious side, and Dot and Dottie both work today, depending on the decade you want it to sound like.
- Origin: Greek, English
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: DAWR-uh-thee, DOR-thee
- Variations: Dorothie
- Namesakes: Dorothy Day, an American journalist and anarchist.
- Popularity: Ranked #421 for U.S. girls in 2025, up about 126% on the previous decade.
Eliana
Eliana carries the answer built into it, since the name reads as God has answered. A second line of descent ties it to Helios, which is where the reading daughter of the sun comes from. It is a favorite in Italy and Israel as well as in American nurseries. Dancer Eliana Girard is a current bearer. Ellie and Lia both fall out of it naturally.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has answered
- Pronunciation: EL-ee-YAN-ah
- Variations: Elliana, Elianna
- Namesakes: Eliana Girard, an American dancer.
- Popularity: Ranked #10 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 8,191 babies given the name that year.
Elias
Elias is the Greek form of Elijah, the prophet chosen to work miracles and confront kings. English-speaking families first took it up in Puritan households, which is a long way from how modern it sounds now. Marvel readers will spot it on Elias Bogan, an X-Men character. Violinist Elias Breeskin is a quieter namesake. It reads equally well in a christening program or a locker room roll call.
- Origin: Hebrew, Greek
- Meaning: The Lord is my God
- Pronunciation: EH-lye-as, EEL-ee-as
- Namesakes: Elias Breeskin, a Russian violinist.
- Popularity: Ranked #13 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 8,837 babies given the name that year.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth is the mother of John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke, and the name has never really left circulation since. Queen Elizabeth II carried it through a long reign, and suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton put it on the other side of the podium. It is one of the few names that suits a toddler, a lawyer and a grandmother equally. Liz, Beth, Ellie and Libby are all available, which may be the real reason it endures.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: ee-LIZ-uh-beth
- Variations: Elisabeth
- Namesakes: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, an American suffragist.
- Popularity: #17 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #8 in 1913.
Elliott
Elliott carries several accepted spellings and two working pronunciations, which gives it real flexibility. The double letters are part of the appeal for parents who like a name that looks balanced on paper. It began as a boys’ name and now goes to daughters as well. Actor Elliott Gould kept it visible through decades of film. Eli and Ellie split the difference nicely.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: The Lord is God
- Pronunciation: EL-ee-eht, ee-LYE-iht
- Variations: Eliot, Elliotte
- Namesakes: Elliott Gould, an American actor known for his role in the Ocean’s movies.
- Popularity: Ranked #160 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 117% on the previous decade.
Elsa
Frozen made Elsa a household name in 2013, and American parents responded immediately. Underneath the ice palace sits the German form of Elisabeth, a name with genuine biblical history. It also reads as God has sworn, pointing back to the promises of scripture. Italian actress Elsa Martinelli wore it long before the film. Two syllables, no spelling questions, and one very famous song.
- Origin: German, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my oath
- Pronunciation: EL-sah
- Namesakes: Elsa Martinelli, an Italian actress known for her role in Hatari!
- Popularity: Sat at #1,104 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 2014 peak at #286.
Elsie
Elsie belongs to the Elisabeth family by way of Scotland, and it carries the same faithful meaning in a friendlier sound. Readers of a certain vintage know it from Martha Finley’s Elsie Dinsmore books. American parents set it aside for a generation and then came back for it, along with Elsa and Ellie. Singer James Morrison chose it for his daughter in 2008. It is sweet without tipping into precious.
- Origin: Scottish
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: EL-see
- Namesakes: Elsie Janis, an American actress and radio star.
- Popularity: Ranked #123 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 2,236 babies given the name that year.
Emmanuel
Emmanuel is the name given to the coming Messiah in the book of Isaiah, and it means God is with us. The older spelling is Immanuel, which many families skip as too close to the sacred original. Christmas carols keep the name in everyone’s ear each December, and Manny or Manuel handles the playground the rest of the year. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki gives it a contemporary bearer, proof the name still carries weight outside the pulpit.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is with us
- Pronunciation: ee-MAN-yoo-el
- Variations: Immanuel
- Namesakes: Emmanuel Lubezki, a Mexican cinematographer.
- Popularity: #179 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #144 in 2009.
Eoin
Eoin is the Irish form of John. It sounds like Owen once someone tells you how to say it. It is one of Ireland’s top boy names, though the spelling keeps it rare almost everywhere else. Novelist Eoin Colfer, who wrote the Artemis Fowl books, is the name’s best ambassador. For a family holding onto Irish heritage, the spelling is the point, not the obstacle.
- Origin: Irish, Gaelic
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: OW-ehn
- Namesakes: Eoin Colfer, an Irish novelist.
- Popularity: Ranked #2,810 for U.S. boys in 2025, holding steady against the previous decade.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel wrote the biblical book that carries his name, full of visions no illustrator has ever fully tamed. He is remembered for those visions and for a strong will to match them. Wizards of Waverly Place and Parenthood both put Ezekiels on screen. Kenyan Olympic runner Ezekiel Kemboi is a namesake with staying power. It has cooled since 2022 but still holds a firm spot in the top 100.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God strengthens
- Pronunciation: ee-ZEE-kee-yel
- Namesakes: Ezekiel Kemboi, a Kenyan Olympic runner.
- Popularity: Sat at #61 for U.S. boys in 2025, well off its 2022 peak at #48.
Gabriel
Gabriel is the archangel who announced the birth of Christ, and he appears in both the Bible and the Quran, which gives the name reach across faiths. It also reads as mighty man of God, a heavier note under a soft sound. Irish actor Gabriel Byrne keeps it in adult company. The soft middle syllable carries well whether the surname is short or long.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my strength
- Pronunciation: GAY-bree-ehl
- Namesakes: Gabriel Byrne, an Irish actor known for his role in Ghost Ship.
- Popularity: Ranked #37 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 6,569 babies given the name that year.
Gabrielle
Gabrielle is the feminine form of Gabriel, so it carries the same announcement of good news. It also reads as woman of God, which suits a daughter you hope grows up asking real questions. Gabrielle Chanel, known to the world as Coco, gave it a couture edge, and actress Gabrielle Union gives it a current one, with Gabby and Elle both coming out of it easily.
- Origin: French, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my strength
- Pronunciation: GAB-ree-ehl
- Namesakes: Gabrielle Union, an American actress and singer.
- Popularity: Gabrielle has fallen further than any other name here, down about 70% on the previous decade, and it ranked #633 for U.S. girls in 2025.
Gadiel
Gadiel is a lesser known angel associated with holiness and adoration, which fits a name meaning God is my fortune. It sees regular use in Mexico and Brazil while staying unusual in the United States. Comedian Gadiel Del Orbe and footballer Gadiel Robles are its most visible bearers. Parents after a rare name with an angelic footnote will find it hard to beat.
- Origin: Hebrew, Arabic
- Meaning: God is my fortune
- Pronunciation: GAH-dee-el
- Namesakes: Gadiel Robles, a Puerto Rican football player.
- Popularity: Ranked #1,186 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 130% on the previous decade.
Giovanni
Giovanni is the Italian John, dressed up considerably. Designer Giovanni Versace gave it a high-fashion association it has never lost, and Gio and Gianni serve as the traditional short forms. Gamers meet Giovannis in Pokemon and Assassin’s Creed, exposure that keeps the name familiar with younger ears.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: joh-VAH-nee, GEE-oh-VAH-nee
- Variations: Jiovanni
- Namesakes: Giovanni Versace, an Italian fashion designer.
- Popularity: Sat at #123 for U.S. boys in 2025, close to its 2010 peak at #117.
Godfrey
Godfrey started as a surname and moved to the front of the name with no trouble at all. It was at its most common in the Middle Ages, when Godfrey I ruled Lower Lorraine. British footballer Godfrey Poku is a modern bearer. It doubles as an old-fashioned exclamation of surprise, which is either a drawback or a charm depending on your sense of humor.
- Origin: German, French
- Meaning: God’s peace
- Pronunciation: GOD-free
- Namesakes: Godfrey Poku, a British football player.
- Popularity: Ranked #7,850 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 10 babies given the name that year.
Godiva
Godiva brings the chocolate box to mind first, an association most pregnant women will find funny rather than annoying. Behind the brand stands Lady Godiva, remembered for her activism. DC Comics borrowed the name for a hero, which gives it an unexpected modern edge, and it remains a rare choice, one a girl who carries it will spend her life explaining to delighted strangers.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: God’s gift
- Pronunciation: go-DYE-vah, gah-DEE-vah
- Popularity: Last listed in U.S. Social Security Administration data at #16,733 in 2017, and it has not met the five-birth cutoff since.
Godric
Godric belonged to eleventh-century England, claimed by noblemen such as Godric of Mappestone and by Saint Godric, credited with healing and prophecy, and Ric keeps it manageable at school. Harry Potter readers will hear Gryffindor before they hear either of them. The meaning, God’s power, is about as direct as an Anglo-Saxon name gets.
- Origin: Anglo-Saxon
- Meaning: God’s power
- Pronunciation: GOD-rihk, GOHD-rik
- Popularity: Ranked #10,033 for U.S. boys in 2025, down sharply from a peak of #2,937 in 2015.
Hannibal
Hannibal was the Carthaginian general who handed the Roman Republic its worst defeats, which is a lot of history for one name to carry. A United States Vice President wore it too. It also reads as grace of Baal, a nod to an ancient deity. Comedian Hannibal Buress has spent a career reclaiming it from the fictional cannibal most people think of first. It is not a subtle choice, and it was never meant to be.
- Origin: Assyrian, African
- Meaning: God of fertility
- Pronunciation: HAN-ih-ball
- Namesakes: Hannibal Buress, an American comedian.
- Popularity: Hannibal is the rarest name on this list in current U.S. data, ranked #11,151 in 2025, or roughly one in 250,000 births.
Hermes
In Greek mythology, Hermes was the messenger of the gods, free to travel anywhere he pleased. That freedom of movement made him the guide who walked souls to the afterlife, and it also made him a god of healing. Most adults will think of the French fashion house first, which does the name no harm at all. Brazilian fighter Hermes Franca gives it a very different energy. Short, unusual and completely unmistakable.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: The messenger god
- Pronunciation: AIR-mehz, her-MEEZ
- Namesakes: Hermes Franca, a Brazilian UFC fighter.
- Popularity: Ranked #3,209 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 37 babies given the name that year.
Ifechi
Ifechi is an Igbo name meaning the light of God. It also reads as ablaze with God. Very little beyond its meaning and origin is documented, which is common for names that never left their home region. Parents looking for Nigerian names that mean God will find few that say it this plainly. It suits a boy you already describe as sunny.
- Origin: Nigerian, Ibo
- Meaning: The light of God
- Pronunciation: EYEF-chee
- Popularity: Too rare to appear in the U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names recorded at least five times in a year.
Ilya
Ilya is the Russian form of Elijah, one of the major prophets of the Hebrew Bible. Russian folklore gave the name its own hero in Ilya Muromets, a knight healed by two pilgrims, a tale rooted in the historical Ilya Pechersky, a warrior who ended his life as a monastic saint. Painter Ilya Repin anchors it in art history. The name flows off the tongue in a way most short boys’ names do not.
- Origin: Greek, Russian
- Meaning: The Lord is my God
- Pronunciation: ILL-yah, ILL-ee-yah
- Namesakes: Ilya Repin, a Russian painter.
- Popularity: Ilya is a name with roots across Europe, while in the U.S. it ranked #3,153 for boys in 2025.
Isabel
Isabel came out of the Elisabeth family in the Middle Ages and never went back. It also reads as God is abundance or God is perfection, both generous things to hand a daughter. Australian actress Isabel Lucas keeps it visible, and Bella and Izzy remain the obvious short forms, both fashionable in their own right.
- Origin: Spanish, French, Hebrew
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: ISS-uh-bell
- Variations: Isabelle, Isabell, Izabel
- Namesakes: Isabel Lucas, an Australian actress known for her role in the Transformers movies.
- Popularity: Sat at #177 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 2003 peak at #83.
Isaiah
Isaiah wrote the prophetic book most quoted at Christmas, the one that promises a coming Messiah. The rest of the text turns on justice, salvation and mercy, which makes it a substantial thing to name a child after. Philosopher Isaiah Berlin took the name into twentieth-century political thought. It manages to sound reverent and current at the same time, which is rare.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Salvation of God
- Pronunciation: eye-ZAY-uh
- Variations: Izaiah
- Namesakes: Isaiah Berlin, a Russian American philosopher.
- Popularity: Isaiah sat at #57 for U.S. boys in 2025, when 5,267 babies received the name.
Ishmael
Ishmael appears in Genesis as Abraham’s first son, sent into the desert and protected there. He is regarded as an ancestor of the Arab peoples. Moby Dick opens with the most famous three words in American fiction and hands the name its literary weight. Poet Ishmael Reed carries it now. For parents who want a biblical name with a bookshelf behind it, this is the one.
- Origin: Hebrew, Spanish
- Meaning: God will hear
- Pronunciation: ISH-my-el
- Namesakes: Ishmael Reed, an American poet.
- Popularity: #1,469 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #904 in 1997.
Israel
Israel is the name given to Jacob after he wrestled with an angel and refused to let go, which is why it also reads as wrestles with God. It belongs at once to a man, a people and a country, a lot of meaning for six letters. Archaeologist Israel Finkelstein is a namesake worth reading. The name is especially treasured in Jewish families, though parents of many faiths choose it. Izzy softens it for a toddler.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God perseveres
- Pronunciation: IZ-reel, IZ-ry-EL
- Variations: Izrael
- Namesakes: Israel Finkelstein, an Israeli archaeologist.
- Popularity: Ranked #315 for U.S. boys in 2025, holding steady against the previous decade.
Ivan
Ivan descends from Ioannes, which makes it a cousin of John by way of the Slavic world. Tolstoy put it in the title of The Death of Ivan Ilyich, and it has carried a certain gravity ever since. Baseball’s Ivan Rodriguez and cartoonist Ivan Brunetti show its range. It is a name that fits a boy and follows him into adulthood without adjustment.
- Origin: Slavic, Greek
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: EYE-van
- Namesakes: Ivan Brunetti, an Italian American cartoonist and comic scholar.
- Popularity: Sat at #163 for U.S. boys in 2025, well off its 2012 peak at #113.
Jane
Jane is plain in the best sense, and it has been worn by a queen, since Jane Grey ruled England for nine days. Jane Austen gave it the sharpest prose in English, and activist Laura Jane Addams gave it a social conscience. It is short, unfussy and impossible to misspell, and parents who want a name that will never date should start here.
- Origin: English, French
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: JAYN
- Variations: Jayne
- Namesakes: Laura Jane Addams, an American activist.
- Popularity: Ranked #221 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 1,380 babies given the name that year.
Jasmine
Jasmine reached a generation of American girls through Disney’s Aladdin, and the association has not faded. The name belongs first to the flower, long a symbol of love and sweetness, with Jazz and Jazzy handling nickname duties. Actress Jasmine Guy carried it on Harlem Nights, keeping the name in view decades after the movie.
- Origin: French, Persian
- Meaning: Gift from God
- Pronunciation: JAZ-mihn
- Variations: Jazmine
- Namesakes: Jasmine Guy, an American actress known for her role on Harlem Nights.
- Popularity: #206 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #23 in 1993.
Jean
Jean began as the Scottish form of Jane and as a feminization of John. It has spent decades as one of the most popular middle names in the country. Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean gave it a permanent place in pop music. Actress Jean Arthur wore it through Hollywood’s golden age. It works with a French pronunciation or a flat American one, so a family can decide how formal it feels.
- Origin: English, Scottish, French
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: JEEN, JAHN
- Variations: Gene, Jene, Jeane
- Namesakes: Jean Arthur, an American actress known for her role in Shane.
- Popularity: Ranked #1,172 for U.S. boys in 2025, down about 23% on the previous decade.
Jeffrey
Jeffrey also reads as pledge of peace, which is a gentle thing to wish on a son. It belonged squarely to the mid-century, when American parents used it constantly, and it has settled into classic territory since. NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is the bearer most Americans picture. Jeff is the nickname, and it has been doing the job for generations.
- Origin: German, English, Scottish
- Meaning: God’s peace
- Pronunciation: JEF-ree
- Variations: Jeffree, Geoffrey
- Namesakes: Jeffrey Gordon, an American NASCAR driver.
- Popularity: By 2025, Jeffrey had fallen to #552 for U.S. boys, a steep drop from #9 in 1966.
Jesús
Jesús is among the most spiritual names that mean God, taken directly from the name of Christ. In Spanish-speaking Catholic families it is used with reverence rather than hesitation, which is the cultural difference that surprises English speakers. True Blood is one of several American shows to feature a Jesús, and for a family that wants faith stated in the open, few names go further.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: The Lord is salvation
- Pronunciation: HAY-soos
- Popularity: This spelling does not appear in the U.S. Social Security Administration’s published name data.
Joanna
Joanna appears in the New Testament as one of the earliest followers of Jesus. Her devotion made her the patron saint of desperate cases, which is a good patron to have. Joanna I ruled Naples, and writer Joanna Russ reshaped science fiction. Little Women makes Jo the obvious nickname.
- Origin: Latin
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: JOH-anna
- Namesakes: Joanna Russ, an American writer.
- Popularity: #306 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #88 in 1984.
Joaquin
Joaquin means established by God and reads as unmistakably Spanish, even to people who cannot pronounce it on the first try. Actor Joaquin Phoenix is the reason most Americans know it at all. It is having a long run across South America alongside its American use. Riverdale and Just Jordan both put it on screen. Parents hunting a name with a Q in the middle will not find many better.
- Origin: Hebrew, Spanish
- Meaning: Established by God
- Pronunciation: WAH-keen
- Popularity: Ranked #355 for U.S. boys in 2025, holding steady against the previous decade.
Joel
Joel is a minor prophet whose short book turns on ruin followed by restoration. That arc is why it has always been a name of hope. His warnings about corrupt power and his promise of deliverance still get quoted in sermons. Musician Joel Madden brought it to a pop-punk audience. One syllable, and it never needs spelling twice.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Jehovah is his God
- Pronunciation: JOHL
- Namesakes: Joel Madden, an American singer and actor.
- Popularity: U.S. boys ranked Joel #219 in 2025, a long way down from its #65 high in 1981.
Joelle
Joelle is the feminine form of Joel, so it carries the same prophet and the same promise. Parents after biblical names that have not been used to death tend to land here. Australian singer Joelle Hadija is a current bearer. It stands out on a roster full of longer biblical names without asking to.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Jehovah is God
- Pronunciation: joh-EL
- Namesakes: Joelle Hadija, an Australian singer.
- Popularity: Ranked #1,010 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 248 babies given the name that year.
John
John is the plainest name on this list, and it still ranks #23 for U.S. boys in 2025, with a best showing at #1 back in 1913. Scripture gives it twice over, to John the Baptist, who was Jesus’s cousin, and to the disciple who wrote the fourth Gospel. John Travolta kept it on marquees for decades. The name asks nothing extra of anyone who hears it, no clever spelling and no guesswork on pronunciation. It needs no revival, since it never really left.
- Origin: Hebrew, English
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: JON
- Variations: Jon
- Namesakes: John Travolta, an American actor known for his role in Grease.
- Popularity: #23 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #1 in 1913.
Joseph
Joseph turns up in two of the Bible’s best known stories. In Genesis he is Jacob’s favored son with the many-colored coat; in the Gospels he is the husband of Mary who raises Jesus. That gives the name a long association with patience and quiet responsibility. Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt and President Joe Biden are two very different modern bearers. Joe is the shortest possible landing.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Jehovah shall add
- Pronunciation: JOH-sehf
- Namesakes: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an American actor known for his role in Don Jon.
- Popularity: Ranked #29 for U.S. boys in 2025, down about 33% on the previous decade.
Josephine
Josephine is the feminine form of Joseph and a graceful way to honor a grandfather. It is a favorite in France as well as in the United States. Louisa May Alcott gave it Jo March, the most beloved bookish heroine in American fiction, which is most of its charm. Josie and Joey both work, whichever way your daughter leans.
- Origin: English, Hebrew, French
- Meaning: Jehovah increases
- Pronunciation: JOH-seh-feen, HOH-seh-feen
- Variations: Joséphine
- Namesakes: Josephine Foster, an American folk singer.
- Popularity: Sat at #53 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 1916 peak at #21.
Joshua
Joshua took command after Moses died and led the people into Canaan, and the biblical book named for him is mostly a record of what happened next, Jericho included. The name is honored in Christian and Muslim families alike, which widens its welcome considerably. English painter Joshua Reynolds gave it a gentler association, and Josh has been the default nickname for as long as anyone can remember.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is deliverance
- Pronunciation: JOSH-yoo-uh
- Namesakes: Joshua Reynolds, an English painter who specialized in portraits.
- Popularity: U.S. boys ranked Joshua #66 in 2025, with 4,773 babies given the name.
Josiah
Josiah became king of Judah at eight years old and is remembered for reforming a kingdom while still a boy. That story does most of the work here: little people can do serious things. Abolitionist and minister Josiah Henson carried the name into American history. Joss and Si both make good short forms.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God heals
- Pronunciation: joh-SYE-uh
- Namesakes: Josiah Henson, an American abolitionist, author, and reverend.
- Popularity: #54 for U.S. boys in 2025, against a best showing of #45 in 2019.
Juan
Juan is the Spanish John, and it still ranks #159 for U.S. boys in 2025. It is at home across Spain, Latin America and the Spanish-speaking United States. Families often pair it, as in Juan Pablo, so it works as half of a longer name. Baseball’s Juan Gonzalez is one of many bearers in sport. Parents after exotic names that mean God will find none simpler.
- Origin: Spanish
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: WAHN
- Namesakes: Juan Gonzalez, a Puerto Rican baseball player.
- Popularity: Ranked #159 for U.S. boys in 2025, down about 45% on the previous decade.
Lazarus
Lazarus is the man Jesus called out of the tomb, which makes this the most dramatic name on the list. A second Lazarus appears in one of Jesus’s parables. A later Saint Lazarus became patron of the sick, usually pictured with dogs at his feet. Mathematician Lazarus Fuchs took the name into the study of linear equations, and Laz shortens it for everyday use. Few names carry this much drama in three syllables.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: God will help
- Pronunciation: LAA-zah-ruhs
- Namesakes: Lazarus Fuchs, a German mathematician known for his work in linear equations.
- Popularity: Ranked #1,143 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 185 babies given the name that year.
Lisa
Lisa is four letters and one of the great mid-century American names. Elvis Presley named his daughter Lisa Marie, and the name has kept a little of that shine ever since. Actress Lisa Kudrow made it a fixture of nineties television. It has been out of fashion just long enough to feel fresh again, and it is still an adorable name for the petite princess.
- Origin: English, German, Hebrew, Dutch
- Meaning: God is abundance, pledged to God
- Pronunciation: LEE-sah
- Namesakes: Lisa Kudrow, an American actress known for her role in Friends.
- Popularity: U.S. girls ranked Lisa #991 in 2025, with 256 babies given the name.
Lisette
Lisette is the frilliest branch of the Elisabeth family, and it wears the ruffles well, with Liss and Lissy standing by as natural short forms. Soprano Lisette Oropesa gives the name a concert-hall association that suits its elegant sound.
- Origin: French
- Meaning: Pledged to God
- Pronunciation: lee-SEHT, LIS-eht, LIZ-eht
- Variations: Lizette
- Namesakes: Lisette Oropesa, an American soprano.
- Popularity: #4,712 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #616 in 1999.
Marcy
Marcy traces back to Mars, the Roman god of war and of agriculture, which is a stranger pairing than it sounds. It arrived as a pet form of Marcia and struck out on its own with the poodle-skirt generation. Figure skater Marcy Hinzmann keeps it in the record books. Choose it if you want a name that comes with a record player and a soda fountain attached.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: God of war
- Pronunciation: MAR-see
- Variations: Marcie
- Namesakes: Marcy Hinzmann, an American figure skater.
- Popularity: Ranked #3,500 for U.S. girls in 2025, up about 24% on the previous decade.
Marius
Marius is usually read as a masculine relative of Mars. Some trace it instead to Maria. It also carries the sense of sea, a fine thing for a boy born within sight of one. English stage actor Marius Goring is its best known bearer. It stays common in Europe and unusual in the United States, which is precisely why some parents want it.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: Dedicated to Mars, manly
- Pronunciation: MAR-ee-us
- Namesakes: Marius Goring, an English stage actor.
- Popularity: Sat at #2,555 for U.S. boys in 2025, well off its 1972 peak at #1,494.
Matteo
Matteo is the Italian Matthew, and it has been a continental classic for generations. American parents took to it in the late 1990s and have not let go since. Colin Firth chose it for his son, which did the name no harm. Italian author Matteo Bandello, known for his short stories, is the older namesake. Matt and Matty are both there when it is needed.
- Origin: Italian
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: muh-TAY-oh
- Namesakes: Matteo Bandello, an Italian author known for his short stories.
- Popularity: In 2025, 2,455 U.S. boys were named Matteo, good for #146 on the boys’ list.
Matthew
Matthew was a tax collector before he became one of the twelve, which is the kind of turnaround that keeps a name in circulation for centuries. One of the four Gospels carries his name, and that alone secures its standing. Poet and critic Matthew Arnold gave it Victorian literary weight. If you want a name that means gift of God and needs no explaining, this is the safe pick.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: MATH-yoo
- Namesakes: Matthew Arnold, an English poet and critic.
- Popularity: Matthew ranks #32 for U.S. boys in 2025, down from #2 in 1995.
Micah
The prophet Micah warned Jerusalem of its fall and then promised mercy on the other side of it, which is the whole shape of the book in one sentence. It is a unisex name that still lands mostly on boys. Actor Micah Williams grew up on Good Luck Charlie. Sarah Drew of Grey’s Anatomy chose it for her son. Two syllables, biblical, and not yet everywhere.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Who resembles God
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuh
- Variations: Mikah
- Namesakes: Micah Williams, an American actor known for his role on Good Luck Charlie.
- Popularity: Ranked #90 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 16% on the previous decade.
Micaiah
Micaiah appears in 1 Kings as a prophet who told a king exactly what he did not want to hear, and the account is brief but memorable. Fire Emblem players will recognize the name from the games. It is rare for boys and girls in equal measure, which makes it genuinely gender-neutral rather than nominally so.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Who is like God
- Pronunciation: muh-KYE-uh, mye-KAY-uh
- Variations: Mikaiah
- Popularity: Sat at #1,386 for U.S. boys in 2025, well off its 2001 peak at #1,274.
Michael
Michael is the chief archangel, and the name means who is like God, phrased as a challenge rather than a question. He appears in Jewish, Christian and Islamic tradition, so the name travels almost anywhere. Michael Jordan is the reason a whole generation of boys got it. It has been given to girls at times, though rarely now. It has spent more than a century near the top of the list and shows no sign of leaving.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift from God, he who is like God
- Pronunciation: MYE-kuhl
- Variations: Mikhail
- Namesakes: Michael Jordan, an American basketball player.
- Popularity: Michael held #21 among U.S. boys in 2025, a year 8,094 babies carried it.
Michelle
Michelle is the French feminine form of Michael, softened by two syllables and a shh. Full House put it on television every week for years, and it has stayed familiar ever since. Singer Michelle Branch carried it through the early 2000s. Shelly and Chelle are the usual short forms.
- Origin: French, Hebrew
- Meaning: Close to God, who resembles God
- Pronunciation: mih-SHELL
- Variations: Mychelle, Mashell
- Namesakes: Michelle Branch, an American singer and songwriter.
- Popularity: Michelle ranks #465 for U.S. girls in 2025, down from a near-#1 showing of #2 in 1968.
Natalie
Natalie descends from Natalia and means birthday of the Lord, so it was first given to girls born at Christmas. It is used across Europe as freely as it is in the United States. The Killers wrote Believe Me Natalie, one of several songs that borrowed it, and Nat and Lee remain the short forms most families reach for.
- Origin: French, Russian, Latin
- Meaning: Birthday of the Lord
- Pronunciation: NAT-uh-lee
- Popularity: Ranked #89 for U.S. girls in 2025, down about 46% on the previous decade.
Natasha
Natasha is the Russian pet form of Natalia, which is why it also means born on Christmas. Natasha Obama, known to the country as Sasha, made it a familiar White House name. Actress Natasha Richardson gave it grace and gravity. Tasha is the everyday version, and Sasha is the one the Obamas chose.
- Origin: Russian, Roman
- Meaning: Birthday of the Lord
- Pronunciation: nuh-TAH-shah
- Variations: Nitasha
- Namesakes: Natasha Richardson, an American actress known for her role in The Parent Trap.
- Popularity: U.S. girls ranked Natasha #1,148 in 2025, far below its #70 peak in 1986.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah wrote a first-person account of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Half the city told him it could not be done. It is a book about persistence, and the name inherits that. Puritan families used it heavily, and American parents have been rediscovering it, with Miah standing in when five syllables feel like a lot on a birth certificate.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Comforted by God
- Pronunciation: nee-uh-MYE-uh
- Popularity: Ranked #429 for U.S. boys in 2025, with 743 babies given the name that year.
Neptune
Neptune ruled every body of water in Roman legend, trident in hand, and the Greeks called the same god Poseidon. Astronomers gave the name to the icy planet at the far edge of the solar system, and astrology hands that planet to Pisces. That makes it an unexpectedly apt choice for a late winter baby. It is bold, and a boy named Neptune will never be one of three in his class.
- Origin: Latin, Roman
- Meaning: Roman god of the sea
- Pronunciation: NEP-toon
- Popularity: Neptune’s rank climbed to #9,453 for U.S. boys in 2025, nearing its 2022 high of #8,785.
Nilo
Nilo started as a short form of Danilo and became a name in its own right. It also reads as people’s victory or as a reference to the Nile, which gives it a wide geography. Composer Nilo Alcala is a Filipino bearer, and it is also used as a name in Brazil, so Americans who like Milo will find Nilo just as easy to say.
- Origin: Greek, Spanish
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Pronunciation: NYE-loh
- Namesakes: Nilo Alcala, a Filipino composer.
- Popularity: Ranked #3,821 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 162% on the previous decade.
Oarabile
Oarabile is a traditional South African name given to little girls, and it means God answered. It is too rare to register in Social Security Administration data at all. The rhythm of it is the appeal, four syllables that roll rather than land. A daughter with this name will introduce herself twice and be remembered both times.
- Origin: African
- Meaning: God answered
- Pronunciation: oh-or-ah-BEE
- Popularity: Too rare to appear in the U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names recorded at least five times in a year.
Odelia
Odelia belonged to a patron saint of the blind, one of the name’s earliest recorded bearers. It also reads as wealthy one, which parents can take in whichever sense they prefer. Israeli journalist Odelia Yakir is a modern namesake. Vintage names keep coming back, and this one has been waiting a long time for its turn. At under a hundred babies a year, it still feels genuinely rare.
- Origin: Hebrew, German
- Meaning: I will praise the Lord
- Pronunciation: oh-DELL-ee-ah, oh-DEEL-ee-ah
- Namesakes: Odelia Yakir, an Israeli journalist.
- Popularity: Ranked #2,985 for U.S. girls in 2025, with 56 babies given the name that year.
Othello
Shakespeare made Othello famous and, in doing so, made it hard to use, which is why the name stays rare outside the theater. The character is a skilled soldier undone by a lie, and the name still carries that tragic grandeur. It also reads as prosperity, and for a family that loves the stage, few names announce it so clearly.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: He has the sound of God
- Pronunciation: oh-THELL-oh, oh-TELL-oh
- Popularity: Othello ranks #9,476 for U.S. boys in 2025, well down from its best showing of #1,843 in 1914.
Raphael
Raphael is the archangel of healing, named in the book of Enoch as a protector and guide. The Italian painter Raphael filled his scenes with cherubs and gave the name its artistic reputation. Children will know it from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles instead, which is its own kind of endorsement. Brazilian racing driver Raphael Matos is a current bearer. Rafa and Raph both work.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has healed
- Pronunciation: RAF-eye-el
- Variations: Rafael
- Namesakes: Raphael Matos, a Brazilian race car driver.
- Popularity: Raphael climbed to #394 for U.S. boys in 2025, a rise of about 72% over the previous decade.
Samantha
Samantha grew out of Samuel, the boy who listened when God spoke to him in the night. Some sources also give it as flower, a softer reading for a spring baby. Sex and the City handed it a confident, grown-up association that has stuck. Sam and Sammi split the difference between tomboy and sweetheart.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has heard
- Pronunciation: suh-MAN-thah
- Popularity: Samantha ranks #151 for U.S. girls in 2025, a long fall from its #3 peak in 1998.
Samuel
Samuel was the son Hannah prayed for. She then gave him back to God, raised in the temple under Eli. He is remembered above all for listening when God spoke to him. Founding Father Samuel Adams and writer Samuel Johnson took the name into very different histories. It has barely moved in the rankings over the past year, a rare kind of steadiness for a top 20 name.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Told by God, requested from God
- Pronunciation: SAM-yool
- Namesakes: Samuel Johnson, an English poet and author.
- Popularity: Samuel landed at #18 among U.S. boys in 2025, given to 8,334 babies that year.
Seb
Seb usually arrives as a short form of Sebastian, though nothing stops a family from using it alone. It also reads as revered, which suits a boy others tend to follow. It should be the first stop for parents after short boy names that mean God.
- Origin: Egyptian, Greek
- Meaning: God of the earth
- Pronunciation: SEB
- Popularity: Too rare to appear in the U.S. Social Security Administration data, which lists only names recorded at least five times in a year.
Shai
In Egyptian mythology, Shai was the god of fate, appearing in masculine or feminine form depending on the telling. He stood at the judgment of souls and helped decide where each one would spend eternity. Ptolemaic Egypt knew him well, often depicting him as a serpent and pig hybrid. One syllable, ancient roots, and nothing else quite like it on a class list.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: Gift
- Pronunciation: SHYE
- Variations: Sai
- Popularity: Ranked #1,032 for U.S. boys in 2025, up about 262% on the previous decade.
Shauna
Shauna is a feminine form of Shawn, a name that works equally well as a surname. The Divergent books and Parks and Recreation both put a Shauna on the page and the screen. Canadian film producer Shauna Robertson is a real-world namesake. It belongs to the 1980s in the fond way that means it is due for another look.
- Origin: Hebrew, Irish
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: SHAWN-uh
- Variations: Shawna, Shaunna
- Namesakes: Shauna Robertson, a Canadian film producer.
- Popularity: Shauna ranks #9,374 for U.S. girls in 2025, a steep fall from #189 in 1979.
Simeon
Simeon covers several biblical figures in the Old Testament and the New Testament. One is a son of Jacob who founded a tribe; another is the old man who had been promised he would see the Messiah before he died, and whose song of thanks is recorded in Luke. That mix of patience and fulfillment gives the name unusual warmth. The three syllables give it a formal weight that shorter biblical names lack.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God has heard
- Pronunciation: SIM-ee-uhn
- Popularity: In 2025, Simeon ranked #1,094 among U.S. boys, with 197 babies given the name.
Siobhan
Siobhan is the Irish form of Joan, and the spelling is the whole adventure. It also reads as full of charm, which is a fair description of most girls who carry it. Author and editor Siobhan Vivian keeps it on bookshelves, and General Hospital put it on daytime television. Expect to spell it aloud, and expect people to remember it once you do.
- Origin: Irish
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: SEE-oh-BAHN, SHIH-bahn
- Popularity: #2,096 for U.S. girls in 2025, against a best showing of #629 in 1979.
Surya
Surya is the sun god of Hindu tradition, cast as the most powerful of the gods and a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. That makes it a bright, generous thing to name a son. Indian independence activist Surya Sen is a namesake with real history behind him. For a boy you already describe as sunny, the name says it outright.
- Origin: Indian
- Meaning: Sun god
- Pronunciation: SIR-yah
- Popularity: Ranked #2,750 for U.S. boys in 2025, holding steady against the previous decade.
Tanaquil
Tanaquil was a queen of Rome, which gives the name a certain authority. It also reads as worshipped at home, a lovely thing to tell a daughter, and Tan or Quil trims it for daily use. It is barely used in the United States and better known in Europe, so a daughter with this name will rarely meet another.
- Origin: Latin, Italian
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: TAH-nah-KEEL, TAH-nah-KWILL
- Popularity: Tanaquil is too rare to show up in Social Security Administration data, which only records names given at least five times in a year.
Taniel
Taniel is a rare feminine relative of Daniel and a traditional Hebrew girl name. Little about its history is documented, so it comes with more mystery than most, and Tanny stands ready as the obvious nickname. Israeli actress Taniel Yusuf, known for Tyrant, is its most visible bearer.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my judge
- Pronunciation: TAN-yuhl
- Popularity: Taniel last appeared in Social Security Administration data at #12,639 in 1986 and has not reached the five-birth threshold since.
Thea
Thea began as a short form of Dorothea and has long since outgrown the job. It also connects to Theia, the Greek goddess of light. Three letters of pure brightness, which is most of the appeal. It pairs easily with almost any surname.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Goddess
- Pronunciation: THEE-ah, THAY-ah
- Popularity: U.S. girls ranked Thea #353 in 2025, against its best-ever #268 in 2017.
Theodore
Theodore means gift of God and has been carried by presidents and saints alike. President Theodore Roosevelt is the bearer most Americans picture first. The Walking Dead and a shelf of children’s books have kept it in front of younger parents. Ted, Teddy and Theo give a family three completely different names to use.
- Origin: Greek
- Meaning: Gift of God
- Pronunciation: THEE-uh-dor
- Namesakes: Theodore Maiman, an American engineer who invented the laser.
- Popularity: Theodore is the highest ranked name on this list right now, sitting at #4 for U.S. boys in 2025.
Theodosia
Theodosia is the grandest name on this list, and it has been rare since the late 1800s. Hamilton fans will know it as the name of Aaron Burr’s daughter. Saint Theodosia, a martyr, holds the earlier claim, and English poet Theodosia Trollope the literary one. Theo and Dosia both make it wearable. It is a lot of name, and that is entirely the point.
- Origin: Greek, Russian
- Meaning: Giving to God
- Pronunciation: THEE-oh-DOH-see-uh
- Namesakes: Theodosia Trollope, an English poet and translator.
- Popularity: Sat at #4,159 for U.S. girls in 2025, well off its 1918 peak at #1,099.
Tobias
Tobias comes from Toviyah, a name built on the goodness of God. It is tied to the Book of Tobit, a favorite of Jewish and Christian storytellers alike. Actor Tobey Maguire and basketball’s Tobias Harris carry it now. It has slipped a little since its 2016 high but stays solidly inside the top 300.
- Origin: Greek, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is good
- Pronunciation: toh-BYE-us
- Namesakes: Tobias (Tobey) McGuire, an American actor known for his role in the Spider-Man movies.
- Popularity: 2025 saw 1,201 U.S. boys named Tobias, placing it #283 on the list.
Uriah
Uriah was Bathsheba’s husband, a soldier whose loyalty to his king was repaid with betrayal, one of the darkest passages in the story of David. The name survived that, and it survived the classic novel David Copperfield handing it to a memorable schemer. Author and minister Uriah Smith put it to better use. If you want a name that means God is my light and begins with a letter almost nobody uses, this is it.
- Origin: Hebrew
- Meaning: God is my light
- Pronunciation: yoo-RYE-uh
- Namesakes: Uriah Smith, an American author, and reverend.
- Popularity: U.S. boys ranked Uriah #650 in 2025, not far off its #505 best in 2014.
Zane
Zane is an offbeat cousin of John, and it means God is gracious just as plainly. Names beginning with Z have been climbing for years, and Zane is among the most used of them. Its bearers stretch across film, sport and fiction. It is one syllable, it looks good on paper, and it never needs repeating.
- Origin: English, Hebrew
- Meaning: God is gracious
- Pronunciation: ZAYN
- Variations: Zayne, Zayn
- Popularity: Ranked #324 for U.S. boys in 2025, holding steady against the previous decade.
Zebedee
Zebedee is the father of James and John, two of Christ’s disciples. It is an unusual name in most places today. It sits alongside Zebediah, with the same archaic charm, and Zeb and Zebby handle the everyday. English painter Zebedee Jones is a modern bearer, proof the name still finds its way into the world.
- Origin: English
- Meaning: Gift of Jehovah
- Pronunciation: ZEH-bih-DEE
- Namesakes: Zebedee Jones, an English painter.
- Popularity: Sat at #5,203 for U.S. boys in 2025, well off its 1934 peak at #1,607.
