150 Powerful Biblical Boy Names With Meanings

The Bible is one of the most influential books in human history.

The Bible didn’t fall out of the sky. It was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by over 40 different authors. Moses is given credit for the first five books of the Bible. I have hand-picked over 48 Biblical boy names (with meanings) so your decision to name your son is easier.

List Of Powerful Biblical Boy Names With Meaning:

Raphael

”God’s healer” or ”God has healed.” Raphael is an archangel first mentioned in 1 Enoch and in the Book of Tobit. Raphael was one of the four angels who stood around the throne of God.

Ephraim

Pronounced as EE-free-um. “Fruitful.” A tribe of Israel and a hill country use his name.

Zerubbabel

“Seed of Babylon.”

Jairus

“He enlightens.”

Aristarchus

It is made of Greek aristos and archos, “best ruler.”

David

David (“beloved”) beat Goliath with a sling and a single stone.

Nathaniel

Nathanael means ”gift from God.” He’s one of Jesus’s twelve apostles and was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God.

Timothy

From Greek timē and theos, “respecting God.”

Nicodemus

“Victory of the people,” Nicodemus was a Pharisee who came to Jesus by night.

Barnabas

“Son of encouragement.”

Elihu

“He is my God.”

Jeroboam

“The people contend,” and a jeroboam is a big champagne bottle.

Adam

Man, mankind, earth or “red.”

Mordecai

It is one of the principal personalities in the Book of Esther. It means behold a son. “Mordecai” is of uncertain origin.

Samson

“Sun,” and his strength lived in his uncut hair.

Zephaniah

“Yahweh has hidden.”

Jehoshaphat

“Yahweh has judged,” and the name inside an old cry, “jumping Jehoshaphat!”

Aquila

Eagle.

Elimelech

“My God is king.”

Jesse

“Gift” or “God exists”. He was the father of King David.

Reuben

Reuben was the first of the six sons of Leah and Jacob. His story is in Genesis chapters 29-50.

Haggai

One who celebrates.

Silvanus

Silvanus is one of the Seventy Apostles. He is mentioned in 1 Peter 5:12.

”With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother …”

Lael

”Belonging to God.”

”And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.” Numbers 3.24 (KJV).

Eliakim

“God raises up.”

Joshua

Joshua (“Yahweh saves”) circled Jericho until its walls collapsed.

Hezekiah

“Strengthened by Yahweh,” as well as a water tunnel in Jerusalem is named after him.

Moses

“Drawn out” or “son.”

Obadiah

“Servant of Yahweh.” Book of Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament.

Gideon

Gideon was a judge of ancient Israel.

It means a feller of trees.

Boaz

“In him is strength” is the meaning of Boaz. He was a landowner in Bethlehem who married Ruth the Moabite.

Josiah

“Yahweh supports.”

Zechariah

It is symbolizing Yahweh remembers. Zechariah is the father of John the Baptist.

Gilead

“Mound of witness”.

Absalom

“Father of peace,” and Faulkner used it twice in one novel title.

John

“Yahweh is gracious.”

Cyrus

Cyrus (“far-sighted”) is a Persian king who let exiled Jews return home.

Ishmael

Ishmael (“God will hear”) is the name Melville chose for his Moby-Dick narrator.

Elijah

Elijah was one of the most respected prophets in Israel’s history. It means “Yahweh is my God.” Save

Jesus answered them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things.” Matthew 17:11

Philemon

Affectionate.

Malchus

“King”.

Aaron

He was the elder brother of Moses and he is best known for his role in the exodus. The meaning of Aaron is unknown. He was born during the captivity in Egypt.

Aaron first functioned as Moses’ assistant. He agreed to help his brother Moses in the cause. He married Elisheba who was the daughter of Amminadab.

Lamech

“Strong youth” or “despairing.”

Dan

“Judge.”

Ezekiel

“God will strengthen”.

Rehoboam

”People are enlarged.” He became king when Solomon died. He was succeeded by his son Abijah.

Stephen

“Crown,” and Christianity’s first martyr.

Asahel

“Made by God,” as well as a runner as swift as a wild gazelle.

Peter

Peter is Greek petros, rock.

Manasseh

“Causing to forget.”

Melchizedek

Melchizedek (“king of righteousness”) was a priest-king of Salem.

Solomon

Solomon has a meaning that I love, ”peaceful.” He was probably born about B.C. 1035. He is the second son of David with Bathsheba. Solomon succeeded his father on the throne in early manhood.

He is considered the author of the Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and the Book of Proverbs.

He was deemed wiser than all the sages of the Middle East and Egypt. Under his rule Israel obtained unprecedented levels of wealth. He also had 700 wives and 300 concubines.

About one year after his death, Israel was divided into two kingdoms.

Saul

“Asked/prayed for.”

Peleg

Division, and in his days the earth was divided.

Baruch

“Blessed”.

Othniel

“Strength of God.”

Ira

“Watchful.”

Cleopas

Cleopas (“glory of the father”) met the risen Jesus on a road to Emmaus.

Abraham

“Father of multitudes.”

Jabez

“Sorrow,” and a prayer of his became a bestselling book.

Japheth

”Beautiful or may He extend.” He was one of the three sons of Noah. ”After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japhet.” Genesis 5:32

Gaius

Rejoicing.

Luke

“Light” or “man from Lucania.”

Caleb

He was a member of the tribe of Judah. It is popular in the US. Caleb means brave, bold, whole-hearted, and faithful.

Thaddeus

Heart, courage, praise or “gift of God.”

Philip

It combines Greek philos and hippos, “lover of horses.”

Gershom

“Exile,” and his naming verse is where “stranger in a strange land” comes from.

Jonathan

“Gift of Yahweh.”

Tertius

“Third,” and a scribe who signed his name inside Romans.

Zebedee

“My gift.”

Jared

“Descent/coming down.”

Levi

“Joined” or “attached.” He was the 3rd son of Jacob and Leah and his descendants are the Levites. It is pronounced as LEE-vye.

Uzziah

Yahweh is my might.

Job

“Persecuted” or “hated.”

Matthew

He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. He was one of the tax collectors whom Jesus saved. Matthew the Apostle is a prophet in the Druze tradition. He was the son of Alphaeus.

Benjamin

There are three men named Benjamin in the Bible. It means ”son of the right hand.”

Asher

Asher was the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Asher. It is symbolizing ”happy” or ”blessed.” Genesis 46:17 notes that Asher had four sons.

Ezra

Ezra is “help” in Hebrew. He was a scribe and priest who led a band of exiles out of Babylon to Jerusalem.

Isaac

“He laughs” is the meaning Isaac, a hint to Sarah, who laughed when told she would bear a son in old age.

Isaiah

”Yahweh is salvation.” His book runs 66 chapters and is the longest of the prophets.

Jonah

”Dove.” Jonah is the prophet who spent three days and three nights inside the great fish after trying to dodge God’s order to preach in Nineveh.

Micah

“Who is like Yahweh?” is the meaning of Micah.

Amos

Amos was a shepherd and fig farmer from Tekoa. It means “borne” or “carried” by God.

Seth

“Appointed” or “placed,” and is the third son of Adam and Eve.

Enoch

“Consecrated” or ”dedicated.”Enoch walked with God and “was not, for God took him,” one of only two men in the Hebrew Bible taken without dying, and the father of Methuselah.

Jedidiah

Jedidiah has a meaning that I like a lot: “beloved of Yahweh.”

Gabriel

Gabriel is symbolizing “God is my strength.” He is the archangel who appears to Daniel, to Zechariah, and to Mary.

Joel

“Yahweh is God.”

Malachi

Malachi is the word for “my messenger,” and the book closes the Old Testament on a promise that Elijah will return.

Nehemiah

“Yahweh comforts.”

Abner

“Father of light” or “my father is a lamp.” Abner commanded King Saul’s army.

Barak

Barak is Hebrew for “lightning.” The general teamed with prophetess Deborah to defeat the Canaanite commander Sisera in the Book of Judges.

Jacob

“Supplanter,” and God renamed him Israel after a night of wrestling.

Crispus

Crispus has a meaning that I find fun: “curly-haired.”

Ariel

“Lion of God,” and a spirit of the air in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Amram

“Exalted people.”

Andrew

Andrew comes from Greek andreios, manly.

Lemuel

“Devoted to God,” and a king whose mother’s advice closes Proverbs.

Simeon

Simeon comes from the idea that God “has heard.” There is Jacob who was known as the devout elder and cradled the infant Jesus in the Temple.

Eber

It comes from a Hebrew word for “beyond.”

Samuel

“Name of God” or “asked of God.”

Tobias

Tobias is the Greek form of the Hebrew Toviyah and is meaning “the Lord is good.” In the Book of Tobit, he travels with the archangel Raphael in disguise.

Jethro

“Abundance” or “excellence.”

Nahum

Nahum is symbolzizing “comfort.”

Hosea

“Salvation.”

Uriah

“Yahweh is my light”. Uriah the Hittite was a soldier whose wife caught King David’s eye.

Phinehas

Phinehas means “the Nubian” or “the dark-skinned one.”

Abel

“Breath” or “vapor.” Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve and was killed at the hands of his elder brother.

Barzillai

“Man of iron.”

Urbanus

Latin urbanus, “of the city.”

Gad

“Fortune” or “a troop.”

Hilkiah

Hilkiah (“my portion is Yahweh”) found a lost scroll of God’s Law in Jerusalem’s Temple.

Thomas

“Twin,” and an apostle remembered as doubting Thomas.

Ithamar

Palm island.

Titus

Titus is a Roman name of uncertain meaning. There is a Greek convert and traveling companion of Paul who received one of the New Testament letters.

Judah

“Praised,” and the word Jew comes from his name.

Joab

“Yahweh is father.”

Gamaliel

“God is my reward.” Gamaliel was a Pharisee who taught Paul.

Jotham

“Yahweh is upright”.

Esau

“Hairy,” and he traded his birthright for a bowl of red stew.

Methuselah

“Man of the dart” or “spearman.”

Zacchaeus

Zacchaeus (“pure”) climbed a sycamore to see Jesus over a crowd.

Zebulun

“Dwelling” or “honor.” He was the 10th son of Jacob.

Bartholomew

“Son of Talmai” or “son of furrows.”

Michael

“Who is like God?” Michael is an archangel at war with a dragon in Revelation.

Noah

“Rest.”

Asaph

Collector, or “gatherer.”

Elisha

My God is salvation.

Hiram

“Exalted brother.”

Onesimus

From Greek onesimos, “useful.”

Zadok

“Righteous,” and Handel’s anthem Zadok the Priest is sung at British coronations.

Asa

Physician.

Joseph

“He will add.”

Lazarus

Lazarus (“God has helped”) walked out of his tomb after four days.

Rufus

Red-haired.

Naphtali

“My struggle” or wrestling.

Shem

Name, or “renown.”

Issachar

Pronounced as ISS-uh-kar. “Reward.” Chronicles praises his tribe for understanding the times.

Theophilus

Theophilus (“friend of God”) is named in the opening lines of Luke and Acts.

Paul

“Small” or humble.

Elkanah

“God has acquired/created.”

Jehu

Pronounced as JEE-hyoo. “Yahweh is he.” In dated English slang, a jehu is a reckless driver.

Immanuel

“God with us.”

Cornelius

It has origins in Latin cornu, horn.

Habakkuk

“Embrace.”

Daniel

“God is my judge,” and a prophet who survived a night with the lions.

Linus

From Greek linon, flax.

Obed

Servant or “worshipper.”

Ethan

“Firm, strong, enduring, permanent.”

Jeremiah

“Yahweh will exalt.”