New Testament Boy Names, from A to Z

Expecting a baby boy? Deciding on a name is one of the most exciting things to cross off your checklist before it's go time, and if you're a Christian family, where better to turn to for inspiration than the New Testament. From popular boys' names (James, Luke, Thomas) to more unusual options (Jericho, Lucius, Thaddeus), here's a bumper crop of New Testament names to help you get started on your own baby name list.

• Abiud. This name appears only once in the Bible: in the Gospel of Matthew, Abiud is listed as an ancestor of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.
• Achaicus. The name of a Corinthian Christian who, according to the New Testament, was one of the men who carried a letter from the Corinthians to the apostle Paul.
• Achim. The name Achim appears in Matthew's genealogy of Christ as an ancestor of Joseph.
• Aeneas. In the New Testament, this name belongs to a cripple healed by Peter in the name of Jesus. Outside the Bible, Aeneas also has mythological significance, appearing as a Trojan hero in Greco-Roman mythology.
• Agabus. This boy's name is virtually unheard of in the U.S., despite having deep biblical roots (in the New Testament, Agabus is an early follower of Jesus as well as a prophet).
• Alexander. This is the name of several saints and popes, as well as a handful of New Testament figures (though not all of them were good guys).
• Alpheus. (or Alphaeus). For many Christians, Alpheus first brings to mind the father of Matthew and the second James mentioned in the New Testament. The name also has mythological roots, appearing as the name of both a river and a river god in Greek mythology.
• Ananias. The name of several biblical characters, all of whom we learn about in Acts. Our favorite biblical bearer of the name? Ananias of Damascus!
• Andreas. The name of the apostle Andrew in German, Dutch and Swedish.
• Andrew. A biblical classic—with plenty of secular appeal to boot.
• Apollos. This name belongs to a colleague and contemporary of the apostle Paul in the New Testament.
• Aquila. In the New Testament, Aquila is one half of the "Priscilla and Aquila" duo, a married missionary couple who lived, worked, and traveled with the Apostle Paul. Bonus points for the cool meaning (Aquila means "eagle" in Latin).
• Artemas. With Artemis emerging as a modern baby name, similar-sounding Artemas could be next. As for its biblical connection, Artemas was an early emissary of Jesus mentioned by name in the Pauline epistle to Titus.
• Augustus. Biblical but not eminently Christian, this name appears in the Bible at the beginning of the well-known Christmas story recounted in Luke 2.
• Azor. In the New Testament, this name belongs to an ancestor of Joseph, Jesus' earthly father.
• Barnabas. Granted, Barnabas isn't the hippest name out there by today's naming standards. But there's no denying that as a baby name, Barnabas does offer that element of surprise so many 21st-century parents are desperately looking for.
• Bartholomew. A serious and solemn name borrowed from one of the Twelve Apostles.
• Cainan. This name appears in the New Testament in Luke's genealogy of Jesus.
• Caius. A variant of Gaius.
• Cephas. A biblical name of Aramaic origin meaning "rock".
• Claudius. Though there are two biblical characters called Claudius, most Christians will (hopefully) associate this name with Claudius Lysias, a military commander who rescued Paul from a group of hostile men in Jerusalem.
• Clement. The name of several saints and more than a dozen popes, this old-fashioned biblical boy name screams spirituality.
• Cleopas. One of the two men who saw the resurrected Jesus on their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus. The name can also be spelled Cleophas.
• Cleophas. See Cleopas.
• Cornelius. Borrowed from an early Christian convert whose story is told in Acts 10, Cornelius was once a beloved boy's name in America. Fast forward to 2024, and you're unlikely to hear the name Cornelius called out on a playground.
• Crescens. An early emissary of Jesus mentioned in the New Testament.
• Crispus. In the Bible, Crispus is the name of an early Christian convert baptized by Paul. In the baby name world, Crispus is as rare as can be.
• Demas. Demas figures in the New Testament as an early follower of Jesus and a close associate of the apostle Paul.
• Demetrius. For some readers of the Bible, this name may first bring to mind the rabble-rousing silversmith from Acts. Forget him, and let your child know he was named after the other biblical Demetrius, the well-respected Christian man mentioned in the Gospel of John.
• Dionysius. This name has languished in the U.S., despite having a strong Christian backbone—Dionysius the Areopagite was one of Paul's converts and is considered a saint in the Catholic Church.
• Eliud. Yet another name mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as an ancestor of Joseph.
• Emmanuel. A variation of Immanuel.
• Emmaus. An unusual boy's name with biblical place name panache.
• Erastus. This name is mentioned three times in the New Testament, but scholars have debated whether all three passages refer to the same early member of the Christian community.
• Felipe. The name of the apostle Philip in Spanish.
• Felix. Though the Bible also features a man with this name, it's more likely Felix's appealing sound, literary connotations, and wonderful meaning ("happy" or "lucky") that are attracting parents to this ancient name.
• Festus. Famously associated with Porcius Festus, a somewhat controversial biblical figure known to us from the Acts of the Apostles, the fifth book of the New Testament.
• Filippo. The name of the apostle Philip in Italian.
• Gabriel. The name of the archangel who appears to the prophet Daniel has made a strong showing in the 21st century.
• Gaius. For history buffs, this name may first bring to mind Gaius Julius Caesar, but Gaius was also the name of a couple of early Christians mentioned in the Bible.
• Gamaliel. Introduced in the Bible as a well-respected Jewish rabbi who taught Saul of Tarsus (later known as Paul the Apostle).
• Giovanni. The name of the apostle John in Italian.
• Hermas. In the New Testament, Hermas appears in the apostle Paul's Epistle to the Romans. Not to be confused with Hermes.
• Hermes. For some, Hermes evokes Greek mythology; for others, it's a handbag. But Hermes also counts as a scriptural name as it makes an appearance in the Pauline epistle to the Romans.
• Immanuel. A faith-filled name with countless spelling variations, with Emmanuel leading in the U.S.
• Jacques. Whether you have French ancestors or you just love all things Français, the French form of James might be perfect for your petit.
• Jairus. A biblical name rarely seen outside of the New Testament. In the Bible, Jairus was the father of a young girl resurrected by Jesus.
• James. The name of two of the Twelve Apostles, the biblical credentials of this name are impeccable!
• Jason. An early follower of Jesus from Thessalonica, mentioned several times in the New Testament.
• Jericho. An elusive "uncommon-but-not-too-weird" baby name taken from the New Testament.
• Jerusalem. A big mantle for a small child...
• Jesus. Generally deemed inappropriate for English-speaking Christians, Jesus is a perfectly wearable name in Spanish-speaking countries where it's spelled with an accent on the "u" and pronounced hay-SOOS.
• Johannes. The name of the apostle John in a number of languages, including German, Dutch and Swedish.
• John. If your taste in names skews towards the reliable and well-known, John could be just the kind of safe, middle-of-the-road option that might strike a chord with you.
• Jonam. The name Jonam shows up in Luke's account of the genealogy of Jesus.
• Jonan. A variation of Jonam.
• Jordan. The name of a biblical river venerated by Christians as the place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.
• Jorim. Another name that appears in Luke's genealogy of Jesus.
• Joseph. Given Joseph's importance in the Christian narrative, it's hardly surprising that so many Christian parents continue to choose this biblical name for their sons.
• Joses. This one may look like a mash-up of Joseph and Moses, but Joses is actually a perfectly legit biblical name in its own right, belonging to one of the four brothers of Jesus.
• Juan. John in Spanish.
• Judas. Irrevocably associated with the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Not recommended.
• Jude. Some parents will immediately think of the Epistle of Jude and its author; for others, the first association is the British actor Jude Law.
• Judea. If you pick this unisex name with biblical place name credentials, you'll be good even if your baby turns out not to be a boy.
• Justus. Could make an interesting alternative to the well-trodden Justin.
• Lazarus. A doubly biblical name belonging to two characters in the New Testament, the first being a man from Bethany whom Jesus restored to life several days after his death, and the second being a beggar in a parable from the Gospel of Luke. As a baby name, Lazarus has yet to be adopted en masse.
• Linus. This one doesn't strike a particularly religious vibe, but yes, Linus is an early Christian mentioned in the New Testament. And let's not forget St. Linus, the second pope in Catholic history (who may actually have been the same person as the one mentioned in the New Testament).
• Lucas. The Latin equivalent of the English Luke.
• Lucius. A long-forgotten New Testament name that's floated back onto the naming radar.
• Luke. A succinct, no-nonsense New Testament name that has experienced a huge surge in popularity this century.
• Marcus. If you're looking for a moniker that's nicely familiar but not overly popular, this variation of Mark might suit.
• Mark. Mark is a classic biblical name that has secular appeal as well.
• Mateo. The name of the apostle Matthew in Spanish.
• Matteo. The name of the apostle Matthew in Italian.
• Matthan. The grandfather of Joseph has a name that's rare—but wearable.
• Mattheus. The Latin version of Matthew.
• Matthew. A biblical powerhouse with cross-generational appeal.
• Matthias. The name of the man who replaced Judas Iscariot as the twelfth apostle.
• Matthieu. The French equivalent of the English Matthew.
• Melchi. This is the name of two separate biblical figures, both appearing in Luke's account of the genealogy of Christ.
• Messiah. Who would've guessed that Messiah, once off-limits as a baby name, would become a beloved baby name choice in the 21st century?
• Michael. A well-established classic without a date stamp.
• Nahshon. Belonging to an ancestor of Jesus Christ (and of King David in the Old Testament), this name has a solid biblical background. Can also be spelled Naasson.
• Nain. A biblical place name: in Luke 7, Jesus raises the son of a widow from the dead near the gate of a town called Nain.
• Nathanael. The name Nathanael, belonging to one of Jesus' disciples, only appears in the Gospel of John, but many scholars maintain that Nathanael is the same as the apostle Bartholomew, who also appears in the other Gospels.
• Nathaniel. A modern take on the old biblical name Nathanael.
• Nazareth. A long, strong biblical place name made more accessible by the zippy nickname Naz.
• Neri. Are you after an uncommon biblical name that means "light"? Try Neri, a short unisex name that comes from the old Hebrew word ner, meaning "candle" (or another source light). As for its biblical connection, Neri shows up in the New Testament in Luke's genealogy of Jesus.
• Nicanor. This name belongs to one of the Seven Deacons, leaders of the early Christian church mentioned in the New Testament.
• Nicholas. The modern English version of Nicolas, an ancient masculine given name with both biblical and saintly bona fides.
• Nicodemus. If Nicodemus in its full form feels like too much for a baby, you can always shorten it to Nick or Nico until your son is ready to embrace the full version. As for its biblical background, Nicodemus appears in the Bible as the name of a Christian convert who, together Joseph of Arimathea, assumed responsibility for the burial of Jesus.
• Nicolas. This name belongs to one of the Seven Deacons in the New Testament, but the most famous Christian Nicolas comes from outside the Bible: St. Nicolas of Myra, who is the inspiration behind the modern Santa Claus, was an early Christian bishop who lived in Asia Minor and became famous for his habit of secret gift-giving.
• Nicolaus. The Latin, German and Greek form of Nicolas/Nicholas.
• Onesimus. This one has an intriguing biblical namesake (Onesimus was a runaway slave who became Paul's spiritual son), but might be a stretch for wearability.
• Paul. A biblical classic that occasionally takes a dip in popularity but always comes back again.
• Paulus. Paulus is the Latin version of Paul, but it also appears as such in English transliterations of the Bible in the context of Sergius Paulus, a Roman official who became a convert to Christianity after hearing the preaching of Paul and Barnabas.
• Pedro. The name of the apostle Peter in Spanish and Portuguese.
• Peter. Peter is a classic biblical name that doesn't sound overly religious.
• Petros. The original Greek version of Peter, derived from the Greek word for "rock".
• Petrus. The name of the apostle Peter in Latin and a number of other languages, such as German and Dutch.
• Phanuel. Phanuel is only mentioned in passing in the New Testament as the father of the prophetess Anna.
• Philemon. For some reasons, today's parents aren't falling in love with Philemon despite its deep biblical roots and beautiful meaning ("loving").
• Philip. A classic, currently underused biblical name that doesn't sound overly religious.
• Philippe. Philip French-style.
• Phillip. A variation of Philip.
• Pierre. Peter à la française. Like the Greek original, Pierre literally means "rock" in French.
• Pietro. The name of the apostle Peter in Italian.
• Rhodes. The gorgeous Greek island of Rhodes, which may or may not have a link to the Ancient Greek word rhodon ("rose"), is also briefly mentioned in the Bible. Actress Emma Roberts has a son called Rhodes.
• Rufus. The name a first-century Christian mentioned a few times in the New Testament; as a baby name, Rufus has seen better days...
• Salem. Salem may be a biblical (and contemporary) city, but it definitely passes as a baby name, too.
• Salim. The site of John's last baptisms has occasionally been used as a baby name.
• Santiago. The name of the apostle James in Spanish.
• Sidon. A biblical city mentioned several times in the New Testament.
• Silas. Borne in the Bible by a leading member of the early Christian community, the 19th-century charmer Silas is back in the baby name game!
• Silvanus. The biblical Silvanus was a leading member of the early Christian community and a companion of Paul. As a baby name possibility, Silvanus might appeal to intrepid parents looking for an attention-grabbing biblical name of Latin origin.
• Simeon. A variation of Simon (see below).
• Simon. Simon is a classic biblical name that appeals to non-believers as well.
• Stephan. A variation of Stephen; relatively common in German-speaking countries.
• Stephen. A hugely popular baby name choice in the 1950s, the name of the first Christian martyr hasn't managed to stage a comeback.
• Tadeo. The Spanish equivalent of Thaddeus.
• Tertius. The name of the scribe to whom Paul dictated his Epistle to the Romans.
• Thaddeus. In the New Testament, Thaddeus is one of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus.
• Theophilus. An alternative to the vintage name Theodore, Theophilus crops up in the New Testament as the name of the addressee of the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles.
• Thomas. The name of one of the Twelve Apostles.
• Tiago. James in Portuguese.
• Tiberias. A distinctive boys' name with biblical place name credentials via the Sea of Tiberias, also known as the Sea of Galilee. Not to be confused with Tiberius, who was the reigning Roman emperor during Jesus' public ministry and his crucifixion.
• Tiberius. This name of the reigning emperor during Jesus' public ministry.
• Timon. The name of one of the Seven Deacons listed in the New Testament.
• Timotheus. The good old English Timothy with a Latin/Greek twist.
• Timothy. This currently-neglected name brings together a solid New Testament legacy, a nature link (via the perennial grass), and a whole slew of inspiring namesakes from all walks of life.
• Titus. This name traces its biblical origins to the The Epistle to Titus, one of the three pastoral epistles of the New Testament.
• Tychicus. The name of an early follower of Jesus mentioned in the New Testament.
• Zacchaeus. A Z-powered New Testament name rarely encountered outside of the Bible. Can also be spelled Zaccheus.
• Zaccheus. See Zacchaeus.
• Zebedee. An overlooked biblical choice belonging to the fisherman father of the apostles James and John.
• Zenas. In the New Testament, the name Zenas makes a brief appearance in the Epistle to Titus.
• Zidon. A variation of Sidon.