First Testament Names: Meaning and Significance

This comprehensive list delves into the rich tapestry of names found within the First Testament, exploring their meanings and significance within the biblical narrative. From patriarchs to prophets, each name holds a story and a deeper spiritual resonance. Whether you're researching for your own understanding or seeking inspiration for a meaningful name, this guide offers valuable insight into the First Testament's naming traditions and their enduring relevance.
1. **Abraham:** Father of many; exalted father. A name given by God, symbolizing his role as the father of the Jewish people and the ancestor of Jesus.
2. **Adam:** Man; red earth. The first human created by God, representing humanity in its original state.
3. **Ahab:** Brother's father. A king of Israel, known for his wickedness and idolatry.
4. **Ahaz:** He has seized. A king of Judah, known for his apostasy and alliance with Assyria.
5. **Ahijah:** Brother of Yahweh. A prophet who anointed Jeroboam as king of Israel.
6. **Ahimaaz:** Brother of the people. A priest and messenger, known for his courage and loyalty to David.
7. **Akim:** He stands. The name of a high priest mentioned in the book of Nehemiah.
8. **Amos:** He bears a burden. A prophet who criticized Israel for social injustice and idolatry.
9. **Anna:** Grace; favor. A prophetess who recognized the baby Jesus as the Messiah.
10. **Ananias:** Yahweh is gracious. A disciple who was struck dead for lying to the Holy Spirit.
11. **Asa:** He heals. A king of Judah, known for his piety and reforms.
12. **Asher:** Happy; blessed. One of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its prosperity and abundance.
13. **Barnabas:** Son of encouragement. A disciple and missionary, known for his generous spirit and leadership.
14. **Bathsheba:** Daughter of the oath; oath of abundance. The wife of King David, known for her beauty and the scandal surrounding her relationship with David.
15. **Benjamin:** Son of the right hand. The youngest son of Jacob, known for his strength and cunning.
16. **Boaz:** In him is strength. A wealthy landowner who redeemed Ruth, his kinswoman.
17. **Caleb:** Dog; faithful. A spy sent into Canaan who remained faithful to God's promise.
18. **Cain:** Possession; to forge. The firstborn son of Adam and Eve, known for his jealousy and murder of his brother Abel.
19. **Calvary:** Place of the skull. The hill outside Jerusalem where Jesus was crucified.
20. **Cephas:** Rock. An alternative name for Peter, signifying his role as the foundation of the church.
21. **Daniel:** God is my judge. A prophet and statesman known for his wisdom, faith, and loyalty to God.
22. **David:** Beloved. A king of Israel known for his courage, skill as a musician, and his relationship with God.
23. **Deborah:** Bee. A prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory against Sisera.
24. **Delilah:** Delicate; tender. A Philistine woman who betrayed Samson by cutting off his hair, his source of strength.
25. **Eli:** My God. A high priest of Israel, known for his weakness in discipline and his faithfulness to God.
26. **Elijah:** Yahweh is my God. A prophet known for his miracles, his confrontation with the prophets of Baal, and his ascension to heaven.
27. **Elisha:** My God is salvation. A prophet who succeeded Elijah and performed many miracles.
28. **Enoch:** Dedicated; initiated. A righteous man who walked with God and was taken to heaven without dying.
29. **Esau:** Hairy. Jacob's twin brother, known for his physical strength and his pursuit of material wealth.
30. **Esther:** Hidden; star. A Jewish woman who saved her people from annihilation by King Ahasuerus.
31. **Eudoxus:** Good glory; well-pleasing. A Greek philosopher and astronomer who influenced early Christian thought.
32. **Ezekiel:** God strengthens. A prophet known for his visions and messages of judgment and restoration.
33. **Ezra:** Help. A priest and scribe who led the Jewish people in their return to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
34. **Gabriel:** God is my strength. An archangel who delivered messages from God to Daniel and Mary.
35. **Gideon:** Destroyer. A judge of Israel who defeated the Midianites with a small band of soldiers.
36. **Hannah:** Favor; grace. The mother of the prophet Samuel, known for her fervent prayers and devotion to God.
37. **Hezekiah:** Yahweh strengthens. A king of Judah known for his piety and reforms.
38. **Hosea:** Salvation. A prophet who was called to marry a prostitute, symbolizing God's love for Israel.
39. **Isaac:** He laughs. The son of Abraham and Sarah, known for his faith and obedience to God.
40. **Isaiah:** Yahweh saves. A major prophet who prophesied about the coming of the Messiah and the restoration of Israel.
41. **Jacob:** He supplants; may God protect. The son of Isaac and Rebekah, known for his cunning, his wrestling with God, and his renaming as Israel.
42. **James:** Supplanter; may God protect. One of Jesus' disciples and the author of the book of James.
43. **Jeremiah:** Yahweh raises up. A prophet who prophesied about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Babylonian exile.
44. **Jesse:** He exists. The father of King David.
45. **Job:** Reproach. A righteous man who endured great suffering, but remained faithful to God.
46. **Joel:** Yahweh is God. A prophet who prophesied about a coming day of judgment and restoration.
47. **Jonah:** Dove. A prophet who was commanded by God to preach to the people of Nineveh, but initially disobeyed.
48. **Jonathan:** Yahweh has given. The son of King Saul, known for his courage and his friendship with David.
49. **Joseph:** He will increase. The son of Jacob and Rachel, known for his dreams, his betrayal by his brothers, and his rise to power in Egypt.
50. **Joshua:** Yahweh is salvation. The successor to Moses who led the Israelites into the Promised Land.
51. **Judas:** Praise. One of Jesus' disciples who betrayed him to the Romans.
52. **Judith:** Praised. A Jewish widow who saved her people by killing the Assyrian general Holofernes.
53. **Lazarus:** God is my help. A man whom Jesus raised from the dead.
54. **Levi:** Joined. One of the twelve tribes of Israel, known for its role as the priestly tribe.
55. **Lot:** Covering. The nephew of Abraham, known for his hospitality and his escape from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
56. **Luke:** Light; bright. One of the four Gospel writers, known for his emphasis on the Holy Spirit and the universality of the gospel.
57. **Malachi:** My messenger. The last prophet in the Old Testament, who called for a return to God's covenant.
58. **Manasseh:** He who makes forget. A king of Judah, known for his wickedness and idolatry.
59. **Mark:** Hammer; warrior. One of the four Gospel writers, known for his concise and action-oriented style.
60. **Martha:** Mistress; lady. The sister of Mary and Lazarus, known for her hospitality and her focus on practical matters.
61. **Mary:** Bitter; rebellious. The mother of Jesus, known for her faith and her role in God's plan of salvation.
62. **Matthew:** Gift of Yahweh. One of the four Gospel writers, known for his emphasis on the teachings of Jesus.
63. **Micah:** Who is like Yahweh? A prophet who condemned social injustice and idolatry, and called for repentance.
64. **Michael:** Who is like God? An archangel known for his power and his role in the battle against evil.
65. **Miriam:** Bitter; rebellious. The sister of Moses and Aaron, known for her role in the exodus and her leadership among the women of Israel.
66. **Moses:** Drawn out. The leader of the Israelites who led them out of Egypt and received the Ten Commandments from God.
67. **Nathan:** Yahweh has given. A prophet who rebuked King David for his sin with Bathsheba.
68. **Nehemiah:** Yahweh comforts. A Jewish leader who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile and rebuilt the city walls.
69. **Nicodemus:** Victorious people. A Pharisee who secretly became a disciple of Jesus.
70. **Noah:** Rest; comfort. A righteous man who built an ark to save his family and the animals from the Great Flood.
71. **Obadiah:** Servant of Yahweh. A prophet who prophesied against the Edomites for their cruelty to Israel.
72. **Paul:** Small; humble. A Jewish apostle who was originally named Saul, but changed his name after his conversion to Christianity.
73. **Peter:** Rock. One of Jesus' disciples, known for his leadership, his denial of Jesus, and his later repentance.
74. **Philip:** Lover of horses. One of Jesus' disciples, known for his evangelistic zeal and his willingness to share his faith with others.
75. **Phinehas:** Face of Yahweh. A priest who stopped a plague by killing a man and woman who were committing adultery.
76. **Rachel:** Ewe. The wife of Jacob, known for her beauty and her longing for children.
77. **Rebekah:** To tie; to bind. The wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau, known for her faith and her role in God's plan for the Jewish people.
78. **Rehoboam:** He is a people of Yahweh. The son of Solomon, known for his weakness and his division of the kingdom.
79. **Ruth:** Friend; companion. A Moabite woman who became a faithful follower of God and a loyal companion to her mother-in-law, Naomi.
80. **Samuel:** God has heard. A prophet who anointed Saul and David as kings of Israel.
81. **Sarah:** Princess; noblewoman. The wife of Abraham, known for her faith, her beauty, and her role in God's plan for the Jewish people.
82. **Saul:** Asked; desired. The first king of Israel, known for his initial faithfulness to God, but later for his disobedience and pride.
83. **Shadrach:** Command of Anu. One of the three Hebrew men who refused to bow down to the golden statue of Nebuchadnezzar.
84. **Shem:** Name; fame. One of Noah's three sons, known for his righteousness and his role in the repopulation of the earth after the Flood.
85. **Silas:** The woods. A missionary who accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys.
86. **Simon:** He has heard. One of Jesus' disciples, also known as Peter.
87. **Solomon:** Peace; peaceful. A king of Israel, known for his wisdom, his building of the Temple, and his later apostasy.
88. **Stephen:** Crown; garland. The first Christian martyr, known for his faith and his boldness in proclaiming the gospel.
89. **Susanna:** Lily. A young woman who was falsely accused of adultery and saved by the prophet Daniel.
90. **Timothy:** Honoring God. A disciple of Paul and a faithful missionary who worked alongside him.
91. **Titus:** Honoring. A disciple of Paul and a faithful missionary who worked alongside him.
92. **Uriah:** Yahweh is my light. The husband of Bathsheba, who was killed by King David so that he could marry her.
93. **Zechariah:** Yahweh remembers. A prophet who prophesied about the coming of the Messiah and the restoration of Jerusalem.
94. **Zephaniah:** Yahweh hides. A prophet who prophesied about the coming judgment on Judah and the nations.
95. **Zilpah:** Flowing. The handmaid of Leah, who bore two sons for Jacob: Gad and Asher.