The Bible is replete with names that start with the letter J, and many of them have meanings and biblical bearers that make them appealing to expectant parents looking for spiritual baby boy names. From popular names like James, Jacob and John to more unique options such as Joses and Jasher, our list of biblical J-names covers the entire popularity spectrum, and comes with biblical meanings and references to boot.
In the Bible, personal names are not just random words, but in many cases, they carry deeper meanings which are often intertwined with the biblical stories in which they appear.
The popular J-beginning biblical boy name Jacob, for example, means "heel" or "supplanter", which reflects the circumstances of the biblical character's birth: As the story goes, Jacob was the second-born twin son of Isaac and Rebekah, with his twin Esau being the first. As the twins were being born, Jacob was holding Esau's heel, which is why he was given the name Jacob (Genesis 25:24-26).
The meaning of Jacob's name also foreshadows his later actions in life, particularly the way he stole his older brother's birthright (Genesis 27:36-38).
But Jacob is just one of many J-beginning biblical boy names with interesting biblical meanings. While the meaning of Jacob is easily inferred from the context in which it appears in the Bible, other biblical J-names boast meanings that are less obvious.
However, lucky for parents interested in biblical baby names, scholars have put a great deal of effort into trying to decipher the meanings of all biblical names, and given that the Bible is one of the oldest and most researched anthologies, there's plenty of information available about the origins and meanings of biblical personal names.
If you love the idea of giving your future son a meaning-rich biblical moniker that starts with the letter J, then check out our list of biblical J-names for boys below. To keep things practical, we have provided a concise meaning for each name, rather a long-winded paragraph that discusses all possible variations of the meaning.
However, that does not mean resorting to the oft-repeated meanings that appear on many other baby name sites and that may be hard to confirm due to the absence of references or citations. Instead, we have consulted venerable bible dictionaries such as Hitchcock's New and Complete Analysis of the Holy Bible, Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary, all created by historically-important biblical scholars (a full list of references is provided at the end of this article).
When trying to capture the meaning of each biblical J-name listed below, we have taken into account the degree of consensus, meaning that if all but one source seem to agree on a meaning—even if they express it in slightly different ways—the outlier may have been excluded. After all, we are trying to create a practical baby name guide for parents here.
To help you understand the process of how the meanings were derived for the table below, let's look at an example: the name Joseph. If you look up the meaning of this classic J-name in a biblical dictionary, you'll get meanings such as "increase", "addition" and "He shall add". To keep it simple but not simplistic, we have listed "increase, addition" as the concise meaning for Joseph.
Here's another example: for the name Joshua, biblical dictionaries will give you meanings such as "savior", "deliverer", "Jehovah is his help", "Jehovah the Savior", "The Lord is his salvation" and "Lord of salvation". To not overcomplicate things, we have simply listed the meaning "savior, deliverer".
Aside from the meanings, we have included details about the biblical bearer or bearers of the name, such as the role they play in the biblical narrative. Especially if the meaning of your favorite J-name turns out to be not that great, its biblical bearer might still make the name an appealing choice for a Christian baby boy.
So, without further ado, here's our collection of biblical boy names that start with the letter J. The names are ordered roughly by their popularity1, with the most popular and well-known biblical J-names like James, Jacob and John appearing first and the more unique options last.
| Name | Meaning 2-6 | Biblical background |
|---|---|---|
| James | heel; supplanter | This classic J-name is doubly great, having two notable biblical bearers, both disciples of Jesus: James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus (aka James the Just). |
| Jacob | heel; supplanter | Jacob is a key patriarchal figure in the Bible, known for fathering twelve sons who eventually became the leaders of the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| John | God's grace, mercy or gift | This short, succinct biblical boy's name pays tribute to the apostle who lent his name to the Gospel of John and the three Johannine Epistles. Whether John actually authored any of these New Testament books, however, is subject to debate. |
| Joseph | he will increase or add | Both Testaments feature an important Joseph: the Old Testament Joseph was one of Jacob's twelve sons, whereas the most famous New Testament Joseph was Mary's husband and the earthly father of Jesus. |
| Josiah | God heals; fire of the Lord | This popular J-beginning boy's name is borrowed the righteous biblical king who began his reign at the age of eight. |
| Joshua | savior; deliverer | The biblical Joshua is best known as the faithful and skilled leader who succeeded Moses in leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. |
| Jonathan | gift of God; God has given | This classic biblical name comes from the Old Testament, where it belongs to the eldest son of King Saul in the Old Testament. |
| Jeremiah | exaltation or grandeur of God; God throws | This long, somewhat serious-sounding name pays homage to the biblical prophet who lived in the final days of the crumbling kingdom of Judah and whose prophesies are recorded in the Book of Jeremiah. |
| Jordan | river of judgement; descending | This beloved baby name gets its biblical cred from the Jordan River, which is the scene of many important biblical events including the baptism of Jesus Christ. |
| Jason | healer | This 1970s' baby name hit has biblical bona fides via Jason of Thessalonica, a Christian convert featured prominently in the New Testament. |
| Jonah | dove; oppressor | This beloved boy's name is borrowed from an Old Testament prophet. |
| Jadon | judge | If you're upset that the name Jayden is not in the Bible, you'll be happy know that the similar-sounding Jadon boasts biblical origins: In the Old Testament, Jadon is one of the men who took part in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. |
| Jude | praise of the Lord | Etymologically related to Judah, this name is perhaps best known as the name of the author of the penultimate book of the Bible, the Epistle of Jude. |
| Juan | grace of mercy of the Lord | This is the Spanish form of John. |
| Jesus | savior; deliverer; help of God | Using the name of the Messiah may be a no-go for English-speaking parents, but it's a considered perfectly baby-appropriate moniker in Latin America where it's pronounced hay-SOOS and spelled with an accent on the "u". |
| Judah | praise God; praised; confession | This stylish J-name belongs to the fourth son of Jacob and Leah in the Bible. |
| Jesse | gift; wealth; to exist; manly | This well-established biblical name belonged to the father of King David. |
| Joel | he that wills or commands; The Lord is God | This familiar but not overused baby boy name has biblical associations as the name of the prophet who called for repentance and authored the Book of Joel. |
| Jeremy | exaltation or grandeur of God; God throws | While Jeremiah is the biblical original, the modern variation Jeremy counts as a Bible-inspired name, too. |
| Jared | descent; commander | This name reaches all the way back to Genesis, where it belongs to one of Adam and Eve's great-great-great grandsons. |
| Jonas | dove; oppressor | In some versions of the Bible, this is the name of the prophet Jonah, but Jonas can also refer to the father of the apostles Peter and Andrew, though in most versions he's called John. |
| Jaziel | comforted by God | Jaaziel, or Jaziel, was a Levite musician mentioned in 1 Chronicles. |
| Jedidiah | beloved of the Lord | In the Second Book of Samuel, God uses the prophet Nathan to bestow this "blessing name" on King David's son Solomon. |
| Jericho | city of the moon; fragrant place | This biblical place name makes for a captivating baby boy name. |
| Jesiah | sprinkling or gift of the Lord | This name has numerous biblical bearers—and an equally large number of spelling variations. |
| Jair | my light; enlightener | This name belongs to several biblical figures, the most notable being the eighth of the Judges who ruled over Israel before the time of the Kings. Today, Jair is a well-established name in Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries, while the Hebrew version Yair is a common given name in Israel. |
| Josias | healed by God; fire of the Lord | This is the French version of Josiah. |
| Justus | just, upright | This Justin alternative traces its biblical roots to the New Testament, where it belongs to several minor characters. |
| Jethro | excellence | The Midianite priest Jethro became Moses's father-in-law when he gave his daughter Zipporah to Moses as a wife. |
| Jael | mountain goat; climber; kid | This name traces its biblical provenance to the Book of Judges, where it belongs to a heroic woman who delivers Israel from King Jabin's Canaanite army. While the biblical Jael was a female, this name counts as unisex in the contemporary U.S. |
| Jasiel | God's work; made by God | Whether spelled Jasiel or Jaasiel, this biblical boy name with the stylish el-ending belongs to a couple of minor biblical figures. |
| Jeriah | built by God; fear of the Lord | This unisex name makes a brief appearance in the Bible as Hebron's firstborn son. |
| Jahaziel | seeing God; seen by God | The name of several characters mentioned in the Bible, the most famous of whom is Jahaziel the Levite, a worship leader who delivered a divine message to King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah. |
| Jacques | heel; supplanter | This is the French equivalent of the English James. |
| Joah | God is his brother; God is helper | This is the name of several minor Old Testament characters. |
| Job | persecuted; he who weeps | Pronounced "Jobe", this mini moniker is borrowed from the hero of the Book of Job who remained faithful to God despite losing everything. |
| Jairus | enlightener | In the Bible, the name Jairus belongs to the father of a young girl resurrected by Jesus in the New Testament. |
| Jahleel | hope of God; hope in God | The biblical Jahleel was one of Zebulun's sons and the patriarch of a tribe called the Jahleelites. |
| Joab | God is father; voluntary | Prominently featured in the Bible, Joab was one of King David's soldiers as well as his nephew. He played a leading part in many of David's victories, but his ruthlessness may give some baby namers pause. |
| Johannes | God's grace, mercy or gift | This is the German, Dutch and Swedish version of John. |
| Jeriel | fear, or vision of God; founded by God | This is the name of a minor biblical figure mentioned in passing in 1 Chronicles. |
| Jamin | right hand; south wind | Quite a few Jamins can be found throughout the Old Testament. |
| Javan | clay; deceiver | In the Bible, Javan figures as the fourth son of Japheth and the ancestor of the people who populated what is today known as Greece. |
| Jeziel | assembled by God | The name makes a short appearance in the Old Testament as one of the valiant warriors of the tribe of Benjamin who joined David's forces at Ziklag. |
| Jorah | autumnal rain; casting forth; cauldron | Jorah may be a Game of Thrones character, but the name Jorah also has a surprising biblical link: in the Old Testament, "the sons of Jorah" are among the first to return from the Babylonian exile. |
| Japheth | handsome; enlarged; persuading | Whether spelled Japheth or Japhet, this name belongs to one of Noah's three sons. |
| Jeshua | savior; deliverer; God saves | In the Bible, this is the name of both a city and several men. |
| Judas | praise (of) the Lord; confession | Judas Iscariot is infamously known for betraying Jesus, but at least his name has a beautiful meaning ("praise of the Lord"). Still, there are better names for Christian baby boys. |
| Jehu | God is he | The biblical roots of this name go back to the Old Testament, where Jehu is the tenth king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. |
| Jasher | righteous; upright | This name comes from the Book of Jasher, also known as the Book of Jashar, which is mentioned in the Old Testament but left out of the canon of Scripture. As a baby name, it could make an interesting alternative to the hugely popular biblical name Asher. |
| Joash | he who despairs or is on fire; God gave | This name belongs to several biblical figures, including two infamous kings. |
| Jotham | perfection of the Lord; God is upright | This is the name of several biblical personages, including the eleventh king of Judah. |
| Jabez | sorrow; trouble | On sound alone, this name borrowed from a minor biblical character could succeed as a modern baby name, but the fact that its roots are in the Hebrew word for "pain" makes it less appealing. |
| Jubal | music, trumpet or jubilee; or he that runs or produces | Music-loving parents, listen up: Lamech's son Jubal is credited in the Old Testament with being the father of "all those who play the lyre and flute". |
| Jalon | lodging; murmuring | This one is mentioned fleetingly in the biblical genealogies as the name of the fourth son of a certain Ezrah (not the famous one). |
| Jedaiah | praise of the Lord; God knows | Seriously overlooked by 21st-century parents, the name Jedaiah is borne by several minor characters in the Old Testament. |
| Jachin | he that strengthens | This name is famously associated with "Boaz and Jachin", the two pillars that stood at the entrance to Solomon's temple, both named after biblical figures. |
| Jonan | dove; multiplying of the people | The name Jonan, sometimes spelled Jonam, appears in Luke's account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. |
| Jehiel | He lives of God; God lives | This is the name of multiple minor biblical figures. |
| Jabin | intelligent | This intriguing Jacob alternative does appear in the Bible, but as the name of two Canaanite kings, both of whom were enemies of Israel. |
| Jahzeel | God divides | This name derives its biblical significance from belonging to the progenitor of a family called the Jahzeelites, descendants of Naphtali. |
| Janoah | rest; quiet | Taken from the biblical town of Janoah located on the border of Ephraim, Janoah makes an unusual but wearable baby name possibility. |
| Jakim | establisher; rising | This name belongs to a couple of minor biblical figures. |
| Jerusalem | foundation or vision of peace | If you're drawn to place names, here's a unisex option with an impeccable biblical pedigree. |
| Jahmai | God guards; making warm | Briefly mentioned in 1 Chronicles as a grandson of Issachar and a son of Tola. |
| Jathniel | gift of God | All we know about the biblical Jathniel is that he was as a son of a temple guard called Meshelemiah. |
| Jazer | God helps | Jazer was a city located east of the Jordan River, known to us from the Old Testament. |
| Jered | descent; ruling | This name belongs to a couple of minor figures in the Old Testament. |
| Jaaziah | strength of the Lord; comforted by God | Only mentioned in passing in the Bible as a descendant of Merari the Levite. |
| Jagur | lodging | The name of a biblical city located on the southern border of Judah. |
| Jediael | God knows | This name belongs to a couple of minor figures in the Old Testament. It can also be spelled Jediel. |
| Jeiel | God's treasure | Several men don the name Jeiel in the Bible, a presumably common name in biblical times. |
| Jemuel | God's day | The name Jemuel makes a fleeting appearance in the Bible as one of the sons of the Old Testament Simeon. |
| Jeshaiah | God's salvation | This name belongs to several minor figures in the Bible. |
| Jezer | image; form; island of help | In the Bible, Jezer is the third son of Naphtali and the patriarch of a tribe called the Jezerites. |
| Joed | God is witness | This name may look like a spelling variation of Joel, but it's actually a biblical name in its own right, being the name of a Benjaminite man mentioned in passing in the Old Testament. |
| Johanan | God's gift | The Bible is peppered with men called Johanan, lending this name plenty of biblical cred. |
| Jorim | he that exalts the Lord | This name appears in Luke's genealogy of Jesus. |
| Joses | raised; who pardons; savior | Reminiscent of both Moses and Joseph, Joses is best known as the name of one of the four brothers of Jesus. |
| Judea | praise of the Lord; praised; confession; Jewish | This biblically-referenced region passes as a baby name, too. |