ALL ABOUT JOE! - March 27th is National Joe Day

March 27th is considered National Joe Day! From a "cup of Joe", to Sloppy Joes to the Average Joe; from Joe DiMaggio, to Joe Jonas, to Joe Biden, there are a ton of Joes to celebrate! So today we will take a closer look at Joseph, Josephine, Joe and other similar names.

According to Behind the Name, Joseph comes from From Ioseph, the Latin form of the Greek Ιωσηφ (Ioseph), which was from the Hebrew name יוֹסֵף (Yosef) meaning "he will add". Since it his Hebrew in origin, of course it is a biblical name. In the Old Testament, Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachel.

Joseph is one of those names that translate well across a variety of languages and cultures around the world:

Yousef, Youssef, Yusef, Yusuf (Arabic) Youcef (Arabic (Maghrebi)) Hovsep (Armenian) Yusif (Azerbaijani) Joseba (Basque) Ioseph, Ioses (Biblical Greek) Yosef (Biblical Hebrew) Ioseph (Biblical Latin) Jusuf (Bosnian) Yosif (Bulgarian) Josep (Catalan) Ghjaseppu (Corsican) Josip, Joško, Joso, Jozo (Croatian) Josef (Czech) Josef (Danish) Josephus, Jozef, Jef, Joep, Joop, Joos, Joost, Jos, Sjef, Zef (Dutch) Jozefo, Joĉjo (Esperanto) Joosep (Estonian) Jooseppi, Juuso (Finnish) Xosé (Galician) Ioseb, Soso (Georgian) Iosif (Greek) Yosef (Hebrew) Josephus (History) József, Jóska, Józsi (Hungarian)

Seosamh (Irish) Giuseppe, Beppe, Peppe, Peppi, Peppino, Pino (Italian) Iosephus (Late Roman) Jāzeps (Latvian) Juozapas, Juozas (Lithuanian) Josif (Macedonian) Hohepa (Maori) Josef (Norwegian) Josèp (Occitan) Yousef, Yusef (Persian) Józef (Polish) José, Zé, Zezé (Portuguese) Iosif (Romanian) Iosif, Osip (Russian) Seòsaidh (Scottish) Josif (Serbian) Jozef (Slovak) Josip, Jožef, Jože (Slovene) José, Josepe, Pepe, Pepito (Spanish) Josef (Swedish) Yusuf (Turkish) Ýusup (Turkmen) Yosyp (Ukrainian) Yusup (Uyghur) Yussel (Yiddish)

There is also a handful of feminine forms of the name:

Jody, Josepha (English), Josée, Josèphe, Joséphine (French), Josepha (German)

And you can't forget the diminutives and "nickname" options:

Jo, Joe, Joey, Jojo (English), Jo, Sepp, Seppel (German)

As you can see, the various translations are quite unique and interesting. I'm sure we have all known a Joseph/Joe, but have you ever known anyone with one of these other, more cultural names? 

Now, Nameberry has quite an extensive list of famous Josephs. It is far too long to repost here, but I encourage you to take a look. 

As far as popularity goes, Joseph has always ranked very well. It has never ranked lower than #22, which happened in 2011. It has ranked as high as #5!  It ranked at #20 in 2016 and will probably linger within the Top 100 for a very long time to come.

Just "Joe" by itself even ranks well. Up until 1970, it was within the Top 100 in the US. Even now, as of 2016, Joe still came in at #618.

The lovely Josephine experienced a high popularity peak of 8,682 births in 1918. It declined after that, but is currently ticking upward. In 2016, there were 2,766 girls given the name which ranked it at #114 in the US.

If you're a Joe fan, here are some ideas for sibling names and middle names:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amelia, Caroline, Elizabeth, Isabelle, Lucy, Margaret, Sarah
Brothers: Benjamin, Isaac, Michael, Nathaniel, Simon, Vincent, William

Middle Name Ideas:
Joseph Alexander
Joseph Elliott
Joseph Martin
Joseph Riley
Joseph Thomas

Josephine Amelia
Josephine Claire
Josephine Grace
Josephine May
Josephine Rose

Joe Edward
Joe Harrison
Joe Julius
Joe Theodore
Joe Zachariah

As a Middle Name: 

Adrian Joseph

Carter Joseph

Gabriel Joseph

Maxwell Joseph

Tyler Joseph

Anna Josephine

Clara Josephine

Lily Josephine

Morgan Josephine

Wren Josephine

Benjamin Joe

Everett Joe

Henry Joe

Lincoln Joe

Timothy Joe

What do you think of these Joe names? Which would you choose? Have you already used one?

Jeremy

We took a look at all the names ending with the letters -my in the previous post. Today we'll pull one of those from the list and get to know it better. I chose Jeremy,  which may feel a bit dated to many of you but it still deserves usage today.

Jeremy comes from the name Jeremiah, it is the Medieval English version of it. Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "YAHWEH has uplifted". Jeremy was occasionally the form used in England in place of Jeremiah since the 13th century. It wasn't until the Protestant Reformation that Jeremiah gained more common usage.

Interesting related diminutives include Jez, Jezza, Jem, Jemmy, Jere and Jerry.  Other languages and cultures offer interesting choices such as the Finnish Jorma, Jarkko, and Jarmo; or the Biblical Greek Ieremias, the Biblical Hebrew Yirmiyahu, and the Biblical Latin Hieremias.  The French favor Jérémie and the Spanish use Jeremías.

Jeremy itself works internationally without being "translated". It has ranked at #445 in France recently, #390 in the Netherlands, and #497 in England and Wales. Canada, Australia, Belgium and Switzerland also have the occasional love for Jeremy.

In the US, Jeremy didn't gain usage until 1923, but was nearly always in the Top 1000 after that, starting in the 1940s. It peaked in 1977 in the US, which may make Jeremy feel most associated with the 1970s and 1980s. That's a valid feeling because it was suddenly very popular for only that short amount of time. It only had 641 births in 1968 but received a high of 21,012 by 1977 which labeled it as the 15th most popular name in the country.

Today, it is still finding itself ranked at a respectable #174 as of 2015, which means 2,380 boys were named Jeremy in that year. It is a solid, "alternative classic" name. It is biblical-based and very versatile over multiple languages which means Jeremy will always be around, even though it isn't as popular as it once was.

What do you think of this name? Do you know any children named Jeremy? If you're considering it, here are some sibling name ideas and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Amanda, Bethany, Danielle, Lydia, Nicole, Sabrina, Tabitha
Brothers: Aaron, Gerard, Joshua, Mitchell, Ryan, Samuel, Zachary

Middle Name Ideas:
Jeremy Brian
Jeremy Daniel
Jeremy Noah
Jeremy Oliver
Jeremy Tobias
Jeremy Zachariah

As a Middle Name:
Andrew Jeremy
David Jeremy
Ian Jeremy
Matthew Jeremy
Seth Jeremy
William Jeremy

Which  names would you pair with Jeremy? Share your thoughts below!

Phoebe

Today's featured girls' name, Phoebe, is brought to you by our previous article, The Very Best P Names for Boys and Girls.

Phoebe was Latinized from the Greek name Phoibe (Φοιβη) which means "radiant or bright". It is pronounced FEE-bee. There was a Titan named Phoibe in Greek mythology who was associated with the moon. One of Saturn's moons is named Phoebe after this Titan whose granddaughter was the moon goddess Artemis. Occasionally, Phoebe is considered as a synonym for Artemis.

Biblically, the name Phoebe appears in the New Testament and refers to a female minister from Cenchrea, mentioned by the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans. Spelled Phebe, there was a shepherdess by this name in Shakespeare's As You Like It, published in 1623. The name Phoebe gained usage in England after the Protestant Reformation which ended in 1648.

In the US, the name Phoebe has been in use since records began in 1880. It has very slowly gained more and more usage. It has regularly ranked within the US Top 1000 chart since 1989.

The name Phoebe had its ups and downs through the 1990s and early 2000s so it's hard to tell whether the character from the popular TV show Friends had any affect on the usage of the name. It has generally been climbing the charts overall even before the  show first aired in 1994.

It is currently more popular than ever before with 1,086 female births in the year 2014 and a rank of #298. It will probably continue slowly inching up the charts.

If you are considering this baby name, take a look at the following ideas for sibling names and middle names for Phoebe.

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Athena, Eleanor, Georgia, Hazel, Lydia, Rowena, Willa
Brothers: Adrian, Cyrus, Jonas, Lucian, Maxwell, Thomas, Weston

Middle Name Ideas:
Phoebe Amelia
Phoebe Isobel
Phoebe Madeline
Phoebe Sophia
Phoebe Violet

As a Middle Name:
Annalise Phoebe
Cordelia Phoebe
Ella Phoebe
Octavia Phoebe
Sabrina Phoebe

What would you pair with Phoebe? Share your thoughts on this name in the comments below! 

Ezra, Josiah and Luca: Boy Names Ending in the "Uh" Sound

In recent years, the majority of masculine names have ended in the letter N. The second runner up to that is the letter R. These endings, while also used for females, tend to denote a strong, masculine name.

However, there is a whole other breed of masculine names that happen to end with what some may consider the "most feminine sound." The names we're looking at today are mostly biblical and end in either -a or -ah. There are a few notable exceptions such as Dakota, Indiana and Ventura that aren't based on a biblical name but still work very well for boys.

Interestingly, though, it is this "uh" sound at the end that gives these biblical names their strength. More and more parents today are using these names. For example, our #1 boy name for the past two years is Noah which is leading the pack and paving the way for other "ah" names to rise to fame.

Take a moment to explore these masculine "uh-ending" names:

Abdullah     Adoniah Alijah Alva Andrea Asa Azariah Bautista Cinna Coda Dakota Dana Eliah Elijah Elisha Ezra Garcia Gianluca Hamza Hezekiah Hosea Indiana Ira

Isa Isaiah Ithaca Jebediah Jedediah Jeremiah Jonah Jorah Josemaria   Joshua Josiah Judah Judea Koda Luca Lucca Mattia Messiah Micah Micaiah Mischa Nehemiah Nikola

Noah Nova Obadiah Santana Sascha Sasha Seneca Shea Shia Tacoma Tobiah Uriah Urijah Uriyah Uzziah Ventura Yeshua Zachariah Zebediah Zechariah Zephaniah Zoriah Zuma

Which are your favorites? Are there any I missed?

Seraphina

There are so many lovely 4+ syllable names for girls; narrowing it down to one was difficult but I decided on beautiful Seraphina.

Seraphina is the feminine form of the Late Latin male name Seraphinus. This name comes from the biblical, Hebrew word seraphim meaning "fiery ones" and referring to an order of angels that had six wings each. The Seraphim were described by the prophet Isaiah in the bible. 

Seraphina was also the name of a 13th century saint from Italy who was known for making clothing for the poor. 

As a name, Seraphina was never really favored in the past. However, it is starting to take off as an usual but pretty name. Actors Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner named their second daughter Seraphina Rose Elizabeth Affleck in 2009 which put the name on people's radars more, but yet it still remains mostly unused.

The celebrity endorsement bumped Seraphina from having only 50 births in 2008 to having 88 in 2009 and 107 in 2010. However, it has still only reached as high as 168 births in 2013 for a ranking of #1373. It may not popular, but that isn't a bad thing. Since it still lingers below the Top 1000 chart, it is actually quite a beautiful and rare gem, which makes it a great, unique name.

Sister-name Serafina (with an F) has surprisingly had more usage! Serafina first appeared on American babies in 1901 whereas Seraphina didn't pop up until 1981.  Serafina had 117 births in 2013 ranking it at #1751.  The spellings Saraphina (18 births) and Sarafina (25 births) are even less popular, but still viable options if you want Sara as a nickname.  Other possible nicknames could include Phina/Fina, Sera, Fifi, and Sephy. 

Why do you think this name is so unheard of? Do parents shy away from the association with angels? Putting that aside, Seraphina sounds and looks so beautiful and elegant, it's a wonder it hasn't caught on yet. Perhaps it makes a better middle name and has more usage in that spot. Any thoughts?

If you are considering using Seraphina or Serafina, here are some potential sibling and middle name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:

Sisters: Anastasia, Arabella, Evangeline, Francesca, Gabriella, Genevieve, Madeleine, Penelope, Vivienne

Brothers: Alexander, Augustin, Elijah, Gabriel, Maximilian, Raphael, Sebastian, Theodore, Valentino

Middle Name Ideas:

Seraphina Alexis

Seraphina Grace

Seraphina Maeve

Seraphina Rose

Seraphina Wren

As a Middle Name:

Audrey Seraphina

Daphne Seraphina

Harper Seraphina

Lily Seraphina

Violet Seraphina

I think Seraphina and Evangeline would be beautiful for sisters since both have a nod toward a biblical association. What do you think? Perfect or too much?

Jeremiah

After looking at all of the 4+ syllable boy names available, I wanted to pick one that was legitimately 4 syllables on its own as opposed to a name that earned 4 syllables by adding an -o to the end of a name that is usually 3-syllables. With this criteria, it was actually rather tough to find a good one that hasn't already been featured. I settled on the biblical Jeremiah.

Jeremiah comes from the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "Yahweh has uplifted". In the bible, he was one of the major prophets in the Old Testament who wrote the Book of Jeremiah as well as the Book of Lamentations. He lived in the 6th century BC during the time of the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem.

In England, the Protestant Reformation brought about the usage of a lot of names that were later carried to Colonial America with the pilgrims. Jeremiah was one of those names. However, the shorter variation Jeremy was sometimes used since the 13th century in England.

Overall, Jeremy has had much more usage in the US than Jeremiah, but currently, their roles have swapped. Jeremiah has climbed the charts to #58 in 2013 while Jeremy's popularity of the 1970s-1980s has declined. Jeremy ranked at #159 in 2013 whereas it once ranked as high as #14 in 1976.

Jeremiah had a small peak of popularity in the late 70s during Jeremy's heyday but it is currently seeing its highest numbers ever, even though it has been in solid usage since 1880.  Possible nicknames could include Jere/Jer, Jerry, Jem, Jeremy, Miah.

What do you think of Jeremiah? Or would you prefer Jeremy? If you're in the market for some sibling or middle name ideas, here's some I came up with:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Elizabeth, Hadassah, Leah, Michaela, Ruth, Simone
Brothers: Benjamin, Ezra, Isaac, Jonathan, Malachi, Noah

Middle Name Ideas:
Jeremiah Blake
Jeremiah Carter
Jeremiah James
Jeremiah Parker
Jeremiah Robert

As a Middle Name:
Colton Jeremiah
Henry Jeremiah
Lucas Jeremiah
Tyler Jeremiah
Wesley Jeremiah

What middle names would you pair with Jeremiah? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Asa

I just could not decide which 3-letter boys' name to highlight this week so I picked a few that I liked and took the question public! I put up a poll and 53 of you voted for the next featured name! The winner was Asa with 13 votes. So let's learn a little more about the boys' name Asa, pronounced AY-suh.

According to BehindTheName, Asa is a Hebrew name meaning "doctor". However, Nameberry says the meaning of Asa is "born in the morning". BabyNames agrees with both meanings, listing Asa's meaning as "physician" and including a note that in Japanese, Asa means "Born at Dawn". This led me to look a bit further. According to Wikipedia, there are several different meanings for this name in different cultures around the world so take your pick!:

• Hebrew: Healer and/or physician
• Yoruba Nigerian: Hawk or little hawk
• Igbo Nigerian: Beautiful
• Japanese: Morning
• Indonesian: Hope
• Portuguese: Wing

Biblically, it was worn by the third King of Judah who reigned for forty years in the Old Testament. The name gained popularity with the Puritans in the 17th century since they were big on Biblical names. A more modern association was that of patriarch Asa Buchanan on the soap opera One Life to Live. This was the first place I ever heard the name Asa. He was a big character on daytime TV from 1979-2008.  There is also a young British actor quickly rising to fame who goes by the name Asa Butterfield.

The name Asa is very old and has been in [recorded] use in the US since the 1880s. Parents might consider this name as a formal way to get the nickname Ace, or even as an alternative to the fast-rising Asher. It fits in well with other soft boys names that end in the A-sound like Noah. Despite ranking at #562 on the US Top 1000 in 2012, this name has never been popular.

Asa had the tiniest of popularity spikes around 1915 which lasted through the 20s. It wasn't until the late 70s and early 80s that this name slowly climbed upward on the chart again. With ups and downs over the past 40 years, Asa is now ranking the highest it has ever ranked. However, the number of births per year is still shy of 500. Asa is perfect for those who are looking for something known and familiar but still flying under the radar. It will surely continue to slowly rise in popularity but I don't see it becoming "the next big thing" anytime soon. That's good news!

There is also a handful of girls who receive this name every year but it is all boy to me!

What do you think of the name Asa? Would you use it or do other biblical names catch your eye instead? If it is in consideration, perhaps you'd benefit from the following name ideas:

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Abigail, Calista, Evelyn, Hannah, Mira, Rebecca
Brothers: Cyrus, Ezekiel, Jonah, Levi, Malachi, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Asa Lemuel
Asa Miles
Asa Nathaniel
Asa Porter
Asa Theodore

As a Middle Name: 
Benjamin Asa
Caleb Asa
David Asa
Henry Asa
Reuben Asa

Similar Alternatives:
Abel, Adam, Amos, Asher, Eli, Ezra, Ian

These are just suggestions that I came up with. What would you pair with Asa?

Mara

The name Mara seems to come from a few different possible origins. Firstly, Mara is a Hebrew name that means "bitter". It was taken by Naomi in the Old Testament at Ruth 1:20.  Since it does mean "bitter" or "sorrow", she took it as an expression of her grief after her husband and sons died.

As another possibility, Mara is the Hungarian variant of Maria and the Croatian and Serbian variant of Marija.  Of course Maria is the Latin form of the Greek Μαρια which comes from the Hebrew  מִרְיָם or Mary.  Marija also comes from Maria.  The name Mary comes from the Hebrew name  מִרְיָם  or Miryam which does not have a known meaning. Theories include "sea of bitterness", "rebelliousness" and "wished for child." However! There is a possibility that Mary comes from an Egyptian name that is partly derived from mry which means "beloved," or mr which means "love".

Whew! Sorry about all of that technical jargon. The point is, even though this name potentially means "bitter", Mary and Maria are notably two of the most-used feminine names in history. None of the parents over the years seemed to mind that it means "bitter" so I don't think parents today will care either.

Mara is a beautiful name: she is short and sassy, sweet and bold.  She's also related to a ton of other M names that come in various languages like Miriam, Mariska, Marilyn, Molly, Marielle, Mia, Moira, Maureen, and Marianne.

As for popularity, Mara is sitting in the sweet spot between common and unusual. She ranks at #800 in the US. Mara first appeared in the US in 1892 when it was used for 6 baby girls. It was not on record again until 1911 when it gained regular usage. The birth count hit triple digits in 1951, peaking at 441 births in 1990 (#539).  Mara has consistently been in the Top 1000 since 1950.

Source

Famous Maras include 3 actresses: Mara Wilson, Kate Mara and Rooney Mara. There is also a fashion designer named Mara Hoffman.   On the mythological side, Mara (or Marzanna) is the Slavic goddess of winter, death and harvest.  Mara is also a goddess in Latvian myths.

What do you think of this name? Do you prefer a different variation of Mary?

Sibling Name Ideas: 
Sisters: Abigail, Anna, Clara, Elena, Hannah, Leah, Naomi, Ruth, Vera
Brothers: Asher, Eli, Henry, Ian,  Jonah, Liam, Nathan, Noah, Sean

Middle Name Ideas: 
Mara Abilene
Mara Elizabeth
Mara Genevieve
Mara Josephine
Mara June

As a Middle Name:
Anneliese Mara
Eleanor Mara
Lillian Mara
Lorelei Mara
Violet Mara

Colonial Names for Boys and Girls

The Freake Limner
(American Colonial Era Painter,
active 1670-c 1680)
Mrs Elizabeth Freake and Baby Mary 1674

British Colonial America was a very important time in our history. They are the ones that started it all with a sense of freedom and independence. The ones who made the voyage over were discovering a whole new land and developing their own rules in their own new towns.

They also had some interesting names, some of which you don't hear often today, and others that might just be cool enough to actually use again. These names were popular in colonial times, taken straight from the 18th century!

Some of these overlap with the Biblical names list, and they seem to be much different than the names popular in England during the Victorian era. If you're looking for some cool, historical choices, perhaps you'll find a name that you like here!

Boys:                              Abel Abiel Abijah Abimael Abner Abraham Absalom Adonijah Ajax Alden Amias Amiel Ammiras Amos Amzi Ansel Archibald Asa Asahel Azariah Balthasar Barnabas Bartholomew Bazel Benajah Boaz Chauncey Clement Comfort Constant Cotton Cyrus Duncan Ebenezer Elbert Eleazar Eli Eliab Eliakim Elias Elihu Elijah Eliphalet Elisha Emanuel Emory Enoch Enos Ephraim Experience Ezekiel Garvan Gawen Gerrard Gideon

Hannibal Hercules Hezekiah Hiram Holmes Homer Horatio Hosea Increase Isaac Isaiah Isham Israel Jabez Jared Jedidiah Jehu Jeremiah Jethro Job Jonas Josiah Jothan Kenelm Lazarus Lemuel Levi Linus Matthias Micajah Miles Nehemiah Noble Obadiah Philo Philomon Phineas Prosperity Reason Rufus Salmon Sampson Seth Silas Simon Solomon Thaddeus Theophilus Truth Zaccheus Zachariah Zadock Zebulon Zephaniah Zophar

I noticed that there were a lot of Ab- and El- names. The list includes some biblical names that are common and even popular today like Elijah, Isaac, Josiah and Seth to name a few.

Click here to view an updated report on the 10 Best Colonial Names for Boys and Girls!

As for the girls, the list is a bit more limited. Again, there are some biblical names but also some virtue names that were popular with the puritans.

Girls:                       Abigail Abitha Amity Anne Aphra Aurinda Azuba Candace Catherine Charity Charlotte Chastity Clarity Comfort Cornelia Constance Dorcas Edith Eleanor Electa Elizabeth Emeline Esther Fanny Fidelity Georgine Harriet Hecuba Helen Henrietta Hepzibah

Hester Isabella Jane Joy Judith Keturah Keziah Lydia Mahala Martha Mary Mercy Modesty Patience Phila Phoebe Primrose Prudence Rebekah Remember Rosanna Sarah Selah Silence Susanna Tabitha Temperance Theodosia Verity Virginia Zipporah

Do you find any of these names completely unusable for a modern baby? Which is your favorite?

Name of the Week: Esther

The Name of the Week is the biblical girl's name Esther.  Esther is considered a Persian name that means "star" and is related to names like Estee and Hester. However, as an alternative, the origin could possibly come from the goddess name Ishtar.

In the Old Testament, Queen Esther was the focus of the Book of Esther. She was the Jewish wife of the King of Persia who is known for saving the Jews from being killed.  Esther's original Hebrew name was Haddassah.

In American history, President Grover Cleveland named his daughter Esther in 1893 which gave the name a popularity boost. Esther jumped from 824 births in 1892 to 1,382 births in 1893. It continued to gain popularity over the next couple decades, peaking at 6,575 births in 1918 (#38). The name declined in usage after that, but has never dipped lower than #348.

Source

Esther has had a slight boost in usage since 2000. In 2012, there were 1,313 baby girls given the name, ranking it at #242.

This is a lovely name with a vintage feel to it since it had such popularity in the 1920s. It could very well join the other names that fit the "100 year rule" and see a boost in usage in the coming years. It fits right in with Edith.

I would pair something equally feminine and lovely with it.  What would you pair with it? What do you think of the name overall? Let me know in the comments below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Adeline, Clara, Edith, Hazel, Lola, Mabel, Miriam, Ruth, Sarah, Tabitha, Violet
Brothers: Arthur, Bennett, Charles, George, Henry, Ian, James, Josiah, Miles, Silas, Zachariah

Middle Name Ideas;
Esther Catherine
Esther Magnolia
Esther Pearl
Esther Victoria
Esther Josephine

As a Middle Name:
Leona Esther
Vivian Esther
Genevieve Esther
Lillian Esther
June Esther

Biblical Names for Girls

I've always felt that coming up with lovely biblical names for girls was a bit of a difficult task. After all, there are so many men in the bible and sometimes the women aren't named. It turns out there are many more name options than you might think.  Here is a list of some of the more wearable choices for a modern girl.

Be sure to do some research about the biblical person to make sure the name you're choosing is a good one!  :)  Which is your favorite?

Abiah
Abigail
Abra
Ada
Anna
Azubah
Beulah
Chloe
Deborah
Delilah
Dinah
Dorcas
Elizabeth
Esther
Eunice
Eve
Galilee
Hannah
Havilah
Hepzibah
Jael
Jemima
Jerusha
Joanna
Judith
Junia
Keturah
Keziah
Leah
Lydia
Magdalen
Magdalena
Martha
Mary
Mehitabel
Miriam
Naomi
Orpah
Peninah
Phoebe
Priscilla
Rachel
Rebekah
Rhoda
Ruth
Salome
Sarah
Selah
Susannah
Tabitha
Tamar
Zillah
Zilpah
Zipporah

There are even more options than that! Here is a full list of names that come from the bible.

Name of the Week: Simeon

The Name of the Week is the biblical boy's name Simeon. Its cuter than Simon but follows the coolness of Gideon. It is pronounced SIM-ee-ən.

It comes from the Hebrew name שִׁמְעוֹן Shim'on which means "he has heard" or "God is listening."  In the Old Testament, Simeon was the second some of Jacob and one of the ancestors of the 12 tribes of Israel. In the New Testament, Simeon was a man who blessed Jesus as a newborn.  There was also a powerful ruler in Bulgaria who bore this name in the 10th-century. Simeon has also been a popular name for saints.

In 2012, Simeon popped back onto the US Top 1000 chart at #980, with 202 male births.  It has always been at the bottom of the chart, or just outside of it. It ranked as high as #360 back in 1880 (with 23 boys born).  It ranked as low as #2034 in 1928, but has always has usage.  Despite the number of births being higher today than ever, the name is still fairly rare but since it is biblical, its not unfamiliar.

Source

You wouldn't necessarily have to pair this name with another biblical choice. What would you pair with it? What do you think of the name overall? Let me know in the comments below!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sister: Amelia, Chloe, Delilah, Hannah, Lucy, Ruth, Sarah, Zoey
Brothers: Caleb, David, Elijah, Joshua, Matthew, Nathan, Samuel

Middle Name Ideas:
Simeon Paul
Simeon Todd
Simeon Edward
Simeon Henry

As a Middle Name:
Mark Simeon
Noah Simeon
Tyler Simeon
Oliver Simeon

Biblical Names for Boys

There are many names that have stood the test of time. Of those names, are names that come straight from the Holy Bible. Yes, Biblical names are still in fashion today and always have been. You cannot go wrong with these names, but I would recommend researching the people who first wore these names to make sure they were favorable. I personally would never consider using Cain because of who he was in the bible, but I'll leave those decisions to you!

Here are some of the more popular biblical boy names. Which ones are your favorites?

Abel
Abner
Abraham
Adam
Amos
Andrew
Asa
Asher
Azariah
Balthasar
Barnabas
Bartholomew
Benjamin
Boaz
Cain
Caleb
Daniel
David
Eli
Elijah
Enoch
Ephraim
Ethan
Ezekiel
Ezra
Gideon
Isaac
Isaiah
Jabez
Jacob
Jadon
James
Jared
Jedediah
Jeremiah
Jethro
John
Jonah
Joseph
Joshua
Josiah
Jothan
Jude
Laban
Lazarus
Levi
Luke
Malachi
Mark
Matthew
Micah
Moses
Nathan
Nathaniel
Nehemiah
Noah
Obadiah
Paul
Peter
Phineas
Reuben
Samson
Samuel
Seth
Silas
Simeon
Simon
Solomon
Thomas
Tobiah
Zachariah
Zebedee

Of course, there are plenty more biblical names out there. Here is a much longer list!  Don't forget to check out the list of Biblical Girl names too!

Boy Name of the Week: Felix

The Boy's Name of the Week is the bold and playful Felix.  Beyond "Felix the Cat," this is a Latin name that means "happy and fortunate".

Felix has been the name of four popes and a whopping 67 saints! A biblical Felix was the governor of Judea who imprisoned Saint Paul.  In Ancient Roman times, General Sulla adopted the name Felix because he felt as though the gods blessed him with luck and fortune.

Felix has been all over various literature and films, too many to list. There are also many modern day examples and a couple celebrity babies.

If you zoom out and look internationally, the name Felix is very diverse! It works well in Spanish, German, Austrian, Russian and Polish. It is also quite popular in England/Wales, Denmark, France, The Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Here in the U.S., it is definitely picking up steam!

It ranked at #316 in 2012 when 1,025 boys were born. There were even 15 female births, but Felix comes across as an all-boy name to me, despite it occasionally being used on girls since 1917.

Felix peaked in 1918, declined in usage, and then was moderately used through the 50s and 60s.  Usage increased again around 1990 and Felix hit its modern peak in 2011.   Since 1880, it has been above #394 on the Top 1000 chart, but yet it feels so very under-the-radar still.

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I think this name has potential to continue climbing the charts. It is a simple name with one possible spelling and it is unique but antique enough to be familiar. The fact that it is Latin and has such a wonderful meaning will boost the name in parents' eyes, and that X on the end gives it a stylish vibe.

What do you think of the name Felix? Is it on your list?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Audrey, Beatrice, Fiona, Ivy, Lorelei, Ramona, Sophia
Brothers: Dexter, Elliott, Jasper, Julian, Maxwell, Oliver, Xavier

Middle Name Ideas:
Felix Alexander
Felix John
Felix Nathaniel
Felix Oliver

As a Middle Name:
Milo Felix
Oscar Felix
Charles Felix
Brody Felix
Henry Felix

Name of the Day: Asher

Today's Name of the Day is a soft, handsome boy name from the Old Testament: Asher.

This name is a Biblical Hebrew name meaning "happy" or "blessed." Asher was the son of Jacob and Zilpah, (Leah's handmaid), and he was also the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.

This name is definitely a favorite with today's parents! It has been climbing up the charts quickly! A very rare name at the end of the 19th century (only 42 boys received this name between 1880 and 1895.) It wasn't heard from again until 1910 and it remained rarely used.

It finally hit the Top 1000 chart in 1983 at #934. In 2000, it ranked at #579 and has shot up since then. In 2012, Asher ranked at #108 with a total of 3,514 baby boys receiving the name (and 44 girl!)

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What do you think of this handsome, biblical name? It falls into the new trend of giving boys "softer-sounding" names.  Asher is possibly the favorite of the bunch that contain the "sh" sound. And of course, the nickname Ash is appealing! Let me know your thoughts on this name!

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Ella, Hannah, Isla, Olivia, Ruby
Brothers: Caleb, Ethan, Jonah, Milo, Owen

Middle Name Ideas:
Asher Maxwell
Asher Thomas
Asher Samuel
Asher Levi

As a Middle Name:
Nathan Asher
Daniel Asher
Brendan Asher
Michael Asher

Name of the Day: Gideon

The Name of the Day for June 1, 2013 is Gideon, a boy name taken straight from the pages of the Old Testament.

Biblical Gideon was known as a modest and humble young man of the tribe of Manasseh. With the help of an angel, he was divinely called upon to save the Israelites from Midianite oppression. Before he could do this, he had to be tested to prove himself worthy for battle. God asked Gideon to destroy his father's alter to Baal and to cut down the sacred pole that stood with it.

For this reason, the name Gideon means "Destroyer" or "Feller [of trees]" or even "One who cuts down".  It may also mean "Hewer" or "Great Warrior", depending on where you look.

Many parents opt for biblical names for their sons, but for those who are tiring of the traditional Benjamin, James or Jacob, Gideon offers a fresh approach to naming. This name has began climbing the charts in recent years. It was always rather popular among the Puritans of the 16th-18th centuries who preferred Old Testament names.

You may hear the name Gideon and think of the Gideon Bibles in every hotel room across the country, but this isn't necessarily a bad association. They were named because Gideon symbolizes great work done by few people. He famously led very few men against a larger army and won.

Take a look at this popularity chart. Gideon has been used since the US began keeping baby name records in 1880. However, there were several years that had single-digit births per year or none at all. It wasn't until 1912 that the name received regular usage and it finally hit triple-digit births in 1993. Gideon received a spike in popularity starting around 2000, and it currently sits at #390 on the US Top 1000 chart in 2012.

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Perhaps Gideon is a name that you'd consider for your son. It certainly has a strong history and a positive, biblical association!   What do you think of it?

Sibling Name Ideas:
Sisters: Annika, Esther, Olivia, Simone, Violet
Brothers: Aaron, Caleb, Ezra, Isaac, Silas

Middle Name Ideas:
Gideon Oliver
Gideon James
Gideon Andrew
Gideon Alexander
Gideon Blake

As a Middle Name:
Henry Gideon
Theodore Gideon
Nathaniel Gideon
Zane Gideon