Biblical Names With Unusual Meanings
A lot of names from the Bible are in use today; we're used to meeting people named Elizabeth, Rebecca, Michael, Joseph etc. However, the bible has thousands of characters, some of them only mentioned in passing. Many of these names have odd or puzzling meanings. Here are a few! Boys' names are listed first, and girls' names come after. Because there are far fewer women listed in the Bible (and even fewer mentioned in the book I used), the girls' list is woefully small. (these are taken from a bunch of different sources, but mainly from the Holman Illustrated Pocket Bible Dictionary copyright 2006 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN).
BOYS' NAMES
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abel | vanity; breath; vapor |
| Abner | my father is a lamp |
| Agabus | locust |
| Ahaz | he has grasped |
| Ahikam | my brother stood up |
| Ahimaaz | my brother is counselor or brother is anger |
| Ahishahar | brother of the dawn |
| Aiah | hawk (sound imitating the cry of a hawk) |
| Alemeth | concealed; dark |
| Amasai | burden-bearer |
| Ammihud | my people are splendid |
| Amminadab | my people give freely |
| Amok | deep |
| Anah | answer |
| Anan | cloud |
| Anani | cloudy or 'he heard me' |
| Aniam | "I am people," "I am an uncle" or "mourning of the people" |
| Anub | "grape" or "with a mustache" |
| Appaim | nostrils |
| Arah | "ox" or "traveler" |
| Archippus | first among horsemen |
| Arnan | quick |
| Arza | "wood-worm" or "earthiness" |
| Asaf | he collected |
| Ashbel | having a long upper lip |
| Atad | thorn |
| Ater | crippled; left-handed |
| Azmaveth | "death is strong" or "strong as death" |
| Baara | burning |
| Bakbuk | bottle |
| Bakbukiah | Yahweh's bottle |
| Barzillai | made of iron |
| Bedad | "scatter" or "to be alone" |
| Belah | he swallowed |
| Ben-Hur | son of a camel |
| Beor | burning |
| Bera | "with evil" or "victory" |
| Bered | cool |
| Birsha | ugly |
| Bohan | thumb; big toe |
| Bunni | built |
| Buz | scorn |
| Caiaphas | "rock" or "depression" |
| Chenaanah | tradeswoman |
| Chidon | crescent sword |
| Chilion | sickly |
| Chimham | paleface |
| Chislon | clumsy |
| Cozbi | my falsehood |
| Cushan-Rihathaim | dark one of double evil |
| Dalphon | sleepless |
| Dardah | pearl of knowledge |
| Darkon | hard |
| Diblaim | two fig cakes |
| Dibri | talkative; gossip |
| Dishan | bison; antelope |
| Doeg | full of fear |
| Ebal | bare |
| Eder | "puddle" or "herd" |
| Efron | dusty |
| Elikah | "my god has vomited" |
| Ephah | darkness |
| Ephlal | notched; cracked |
| Ezbon | bare |
| Gaal | scarab or loathing |
| Gaash | rising and falling noisily |
| Gabbai | tax collector |
| Gaham | burning |
| Gahar | "hiding place"; "drought"; "small in spirit"; "red-faced" |
| Galal | "rolling" or 'turtle' |
| Gallio | one who lives on milk |
| Gareb | scabby |
| Gatam | puny |
| Gazez | sheep-shearing |
| Gazzam | "caterpillar" or "bird of prey" |
| Gemalli | "camel driver" or "my camel" |
| Genubath | "theft" or "foreign guest" |
| Gera | "stranger; traveler" |
| Gershon | "expelled" or "bell" |
| Geshem | rainstorm |
| Gideon | one who cuts to pieces; feller |
| Guni | black-winged partridge |
| Hadlai | "quit" or "fat sack" |
| Hagab | "grasshopper" or "chamberlain" |
| Hakkatan | small one; lesser |
| Hakkoz | the thorn |
| Hakupha | crooked; bent |
| Hallohesh | whisperer; exorcist |
| Hamor | ass |
| Hamran | vineyard |
| Hamul | pitied; spared |
| Happizzez | "hasty" or "the shattered one" |
| Harbona | barren |
| Hareph | "clever" or "reproach" |
| Hariph | "fresh" or "sharp" |
| Harsha | "mute; silent" or "magician" |
| Harumaph | split-nosed |
| Hashem | the name |
| Hashum | flat-nosed |
| Hasrah | lack |
| Hassenaah | "thorny" or "the hated one" |
| Hathath | weakling |
| Hatipha | robbed |
| Hatita | dug up |
| Hatita | "bored a hole", "festival" or "soft" |
| Hazarmaveth | court of death |
| Heldai | mole |
| Hepher | pit |
| heresh | "unable to speak" |
| Hezir | boar |
| Hezir | wild pig |
| Homan | confusion |
| Hori | bleached |
| Hotham | "seal" or "lock" |
| Hothir | he caused to be a remnant |
| Hul | ring |
| Hushah | hurry |
| Idalah | "jackal" or "memorial" |
| Idbash | sweet as honey |
| Ikkesh | perverted; false |
| Immer | lamb |
| Imrah | he is obstinate |
| Iri | "my city" or "my donkey's colt" |
| Ish-Bosheth | man of shame |
| Ishpah | bald head |
| Issachar | man for hire |
| Ithmah | orphan |
| Izhar | "olive oil" or "he sparkles" |
| Jabez | sorrow |
| Korah | bald |
| Lo-Ammi | not my people |
| Machir | sold |
| Mahlon | sickly |
| Merari | bitterness; gall |
| Nabal | "fool" or "rude; ill-bred" |
| Naboth | sprout |
| Naharai | "intelligent" or "snorting" |
| Nahbi | "hidden" or "timid" |
| Nahor | "snore" or "snort" |
| Nahshon | serpent |
| Naphish | refreshed |
| Nehushta | "serpent" or "bronze" |
| Nekoda | speckled |
| Nepheg | boaster |
| Nimshi | weasel |
| Nobah | barking; howling |
| Nohah | quiet |
| Obal | stout |
| Oreb | raven |
| Oren | cedar |
| Parosh | flea |
| Paruah | "blossoming", "joyous" or "increase" |
| Pasach | divider |
| Pedahzur | the rock redeems |
| Pekah | open-eyed |
| Pelet | escape |
| Perida | "unique" or "separated" |
| Phinehas | "dark-skinned", "serpent's mouth" or "mouth of brass" |
| Piram | wild ass |
| Rakem | multi-colored |
| Resheph | flame |
| Rinnah | ringing cry |
| Rohgah | cry out |
| Shaphan | wild hare |
| Shem | name |
| Tabbaoth | signet ring |
| Tahash | porpoise or dugong (related to manatees) |
| Tahath | "beneath; low" or "substitute; compensation" |
| Tappuah | apple or quince |
| Tebah | slaughter |
| Telah | breach; fracture |
| Terah | ibex |
| Tibni | "intelligent" or "straw" |
| Tiria | fear |
| Toi | error |
| Tola | crimson worm |
| Trophimus | nutritious |
| Ulla | burden; yoke |
| Uz | replacement |
| Vashni | weak |
| Zaavan | tremble; quake |
| Zaham | "fatness" or "loathing" |
| Zalaph | caper plant |
| Zebah | slaughter or sacrifice |
| Zebina | purchased |
| Zeeb | wolf |
| Zelek | cleft; fissure |
| Zelophehad | protection from terror |
| Zemira | song |
| Zerah | sunrise |
| Zeresh | shaggy-headed; disheveled |
| Zeror | "bundle; pouch" or "particle of stone" |
| Zethan | olive tree |
| Zia | trembling |
| Zibeon | little hyena |
| Zophah | jug |
| Zophai | honeycomb |
GIRLS' NAMES
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abishag | My father strayed; my father is a wanderer |
| Azubah | forsaken |
| Basemath | balsam |
| Bilhah | un-worried |
| Damaris | heifer |
| Dinah | "justice" or "artistically formed" |
| Eglah | heifer; young cow |
| Hazzalelponi | "coming shadows" or "overshadows my face" |
| Helah | jewelry for the neck |
| Hodesh | new moon |
| Huldah | mole |
| Iscah | they look |
| Mara | bitter |
| Naarah | "girl" or "mill" |
| Oholah | tent-dweller |
| Peninnah | "woman with rich hair", "coral", "pearl", "precious stone" |
| Reumah | coral |
| Rizpah | "glowing coals" or "bread heated over glowing coals" |
| Taphath | droplet |
| Timnah | "holding in check" or "she protects" |
| Zeruah | stricken; leprous |