Women in the Bible are named far less than men, and many appear in a single verse. Hannah was the third most used H name for US girls in 2025. These are 160 biblical girl names, each with its meaning.
List Of Biblical Girl Names And Their Meanings:
Hagar
Hagar – ‘Flight.’ Genesis 16:13 says: “And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”
Ruth
ruth means friend and is from hebrew re’ut.
Mehetabel
Being of Hebrew origin, Mehetabel means “God makes happy” and “God benefits”. Besides these meanings, Mehetabel has meanings such as “how good is God!” in Hitchcock’s list. Don Marquis (1878-1937) wrote mehitabel the alley cat into his newspaper columns.
Milcah
“Queen.”
Esther
Esther comes from Persian stara, “star.” Mordecai tells her in Esther 4:14: “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
Persis
Persis is meaning Persian woman in Greek.
Hadassah
Hadassah is symbolizing a myrtle, and Esther 2:7 introduces Esther under it. In 1912 Henrietta Szold founded the Hadassah women’s group.
Tirzah
favorable/delight.benevolent/pleasing
Naomi
Fits families after a short classic with a vowel ending. Naomi was the third most used N pick for US girls in 2025, after Nora and Nova.
Eglah
Heifer.
Keren-happuch
Mentioned in Job 42:14, Keren-happuch means “horn of eye paint,” which is a little flask of black kohl. The origin comes from the words keren (קֶרֶן) meaning horn and puk (פּוּךְ) meaning eye paint.
Dinah
dinah means judged and is from hebrew din.
Bathsheba
Daughter of the oath, and the name is derived from bat, daughter, and comes from sheva, oath. She was Solomon’s mother.
Selah
Selah (SEE-luh/SAY-lah) – Means “pause” or “lift up”
Junia
If you’re looking for a short and cute biblical girl pick, Junia may fit the bill. It’s the feminine form of Junius, which comes from Juno, the Roman goddess. Paul sent greetings to her and Andronicus in Romans 16:7.
Serah
Serah is meaning abundance.
Rachel
Rachel is from Hebrew rachel (רָחֵל), “ewe.” Matthew 2:18 pictures her grief: “Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.”
Bilhah
According to Behind the Name, Bilhah means “bashful” in Hebrew.
Jael
‘Mountain goat.’ She drove a tent peg through Sisera’s temple (Judges 4:21). Fun fact, the same word still means ibex in Hebrew (JAY-ul).
Basemath
perfumed/spice.fragrance/balsam
Delilah
Fits parents who want three lyrical syllables (I’d still hesitate, given Samson). Delilah was the top US girl pick starting with D in 2025, ahead of Daisy.
Zilpah
“Distillation from the mouth.”
Mary
The name Mary has various different meanings in different languages depending on its root. In Hebrew, Mary comes from Miriam (מִרְיָם), and the meaning most cited is “bitter”. In Egyptian, mry means “beloved”, and in Latin, stella maris means “star of the sea”, a title for Mary from Jerome’s reading of Miriam.
Eden
“Delight” in Hebrew, and eden means one in Macedonian.
Huldah
Being of Hebrew origin, Huldah means “weasel” and “mole”. Besides these meanings, Huldah has meanings such as “the world”. Josiah’s officials went to her for counsel (2 Kings 22:14), and the Huldah Gates on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount are called after her, though most visitors walk past them without knowing who she was.
Noa
Noa is meaning motion, from nua, to move.
Asenath
Asenath is pronounced AS-uh-nath and means ‘belonging to Neith’. She was Joseph’s Egyptian wife, and her sons Ephraim and Manasseh each became a tribe of Israel.
Haggith
‘Festive.’
Hosanna
Mentioned in Matthew 21:9, Hosanna means “save, please,” which is what Palm Sunday crowds shouted. The origin comes from the words yasha (יָשַׁע) meaning save and na (נָא) meaning please.
Grace
Favor in Latin, from gratia, and Spanish uses gracia.
Priscilla
Priscilla is a version of Latin Prisca meaning “ancient” and “venerable”. It is also the tentmaker who taught Apollos with her husband Aquila (Acts 18:26).
Puah
“mouth/corner.”
Faith
Fits families who want a one-syllable virtue word. Faith was the second most used F pick for US girls in 2025, after Freya.
Hannah
Hannah: Hannah mean favor and grace in Hebrew.
Rizpah
Being of Hebrew origin, Rizpah means “hot stone” and “coal”. Besides these meanings, Rizpah has meanings such as “bed” and “extension”. She guard her sons’ bodies from barley harvest until the rain came (2 Samuel 21:10).
Rebekah
”captivating”/”fat”/”fattened”/”a quarrel appeased”
Deborah
Deborah comes from Hebrew devorah (דְּבוֹרָה), “bee.” In her song she says: “until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.” (Judges 5:7)
Jerioth
‘Curtains,’ and one of Caleb’s wife (1 Chronicles 2:18).
Elizabeth
Elizabeth. Elisabeth and Elisheba are the Greek and Hebrew versions of this biblical pick, which means ‘my God is an oath’. Elizabeth had John the Baptist late in life (Luke 1:36). A cute diminutive for your daughter is Libby.
Hoglah
Hoglah is meaning partridge.
Martha
Martha is from Aramaic marta (מַרְתָּא), “lady.” Jesus told her in Luke 10:41: “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things.”
Euodia
good journey/fragrance.sweet scent/prosperous journey
Salome
Salome is a version of Hebrew Shlomit meaning “peace” and “peaceful”. It is also one of the women who brought spices to the tomb (Mark 16:1).
Tamar
‘date palm/palm tree.’
Joanna
Joanna. Though it’s different by just one letter, this is the English sister of Johanna, which means ‘Yahweh is gracious’ in Hebrew. An even rarer form is Ioanna, the Greek spelling in Luke 8:3.
Shiloh
Shiloh (SHY-loh/shee-LOH) – Means “tranquil” or “his gift”
Beulah
Mentioned in Isaiah 62:4, Beulah means “married,” which is Isaiah’s promise to the land. The origin comes from the word ba’al (בָּעַל) meaning to marry. A gospel hymn from 1876, Beulah Land, is titled after it.
Damaris
“a little woman/calf.”
Talitha
Talitha – “Little girl.” Mark 5:41 says: “And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi”
Leah
leah means weary and is from hebrew le’ah. Genesis 29:17 says her eyes were tender.
Jemimah
Jemimah, ‘dove.’ It is pronounced as juh-MY-muh, and is also spelled as Jemima. Beatrix Potter published The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck in 1908.
Eve
eve means living and is from hebrew chawwah. Adam called her mother of all living (Genesis 3:20).
Susanna
Susanna. Pronounced soo-ZAN-uh, this Greek form has roots in Hebrew Shoshannah, meaning ‘lily’. If you like art history, Tintoretto (1518-1594) painted Susanna and the Elders in Venice.
Phoebe
Phoebe: here, a Greek pick with a sunny meaning of “bright, pure.”
Chloe
Chloe (KLOH-ee) – Means “green shoot,” the Corinthian woman named in 1 Corinthians 1:11. It was the third most used C pick for US girls in 2025.
Merab
‘Increase,’ and Michal, further down, is her younger sister.
Julia
Julia is a version of Latin Julius meaning “youthful” and “downy-bearded”. It is also a believer Paul greets in Romans 16:15.
Moriah
Moriah (mor-EYE-uh/mo-REE-ah) – Means “seen by Yahweh” or “Yahweh is my teacher”
Jochebed
‘Yahweh is glory,’ and the name is derived from Yah and comes from kavod, glory. She hid baby Moses three months (Exodus 2:2).
Naamah
Pleasant, and sister of Tubal-cain, the first smith in Genesis 4:22.
Sapphira
“Beautiful” in Aramaic. She fell dead after lying about the price of a field (Acts 5:10), and fun fact, it also means sapphire.
Zillah
Shade, and the wife who heard Lamech’s boast in Genesis 4:23.
Edna
Edna is from Hebrew and has a meaning that I like, ‘pleasure’, and she is Sarah’s mother in the Book of Tobit.
Bethany
‘House of figs.’ That’s the village where Lazarus lived (John 11:1).
Achsah
An anklet, the jingling ring Isaiah 3:18 lists with women’s ornaments, and Achsah asked her father for springs of water (Joshua 15:19).
Claudia
“Lame” in Latin, and a believer who sent greetings to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:21).
Abital
Dew, and Abital has roots in Hebrew tal, dew. She was a wife of David (2 Samuel 3:4).
Atarah
Atarah is from Hebrew and has a meaning that I love, “crown.”
Gomer
Hosea bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and some barley (I first had thirty, before checking Hosea 3:2). Gomer means complete.
Bernice
‘Bringing victory’ in Greek, and Veronica comes from it in Latin.
Vashti
Vashti is pronounced VASH-tie and means “beautiful”. She refuse to come when King Ahasuerus called her (Esther 1:12).
Nympha
‘Bride’ in Greek, and Colossians 4:15 mentions a church in her house.
Eunice
Its etymology is Greek eu, good, and nike, victory, and it is a variant of Eunike. Timothy’s faith dwelt first in her (2 Timothy 1:5).
Sarah
“Princess” in Hebrew, “plate” in Japanese, “whole” in Hindi, and “will be” in Italian.
Hephzibah
Hephzibah is symbolizing delight, ‘my delight is in her’, and she was King Manasseh’s mother (2 Kings 21:1).
Taphath
Taphath is drop. She was a daughter of Solomon (1 Kings 4:11).
Keturah
Incense, the sweet smoke burned at the tabernacle, and Abraham’s second wife, mother of six sons (Genesis 25:2).
Tryphena
Tryphena, “delicacy.” It is pronounced as try-FEE-nuh, and is also spelled as Tryphaena.
Orpah
Oprah Winfrey was named after her, and a spelling slip flipped two letters. Orpah means back of the neck.
Adah
‘Adornment’ in Hebrew, “island” in Turkish, “first daughter” in Igbo, and “there is” in Indonesian.
Candace
Latin form of Kandake, which comes from a title of the queens of Kush. Acts 8:27 mentions her treasurer.
Jedidah
Jedidah is beloved. Her son Josiah became king at eight (2 Kings 22:1).
Ahinoam
“My brother is pleasant,” and she is mother of Merab and Michal, both on this list (1 Samuel 14:49-50).
Jerusha
From yarash, possession, inheritance. She was mother of King Jotham (2 Kings 15:33).
Judith
English form of Hebrew Yehudit, which is from Yehudah and means “Jewish woman.” Caravaggio (1571-1610) painted her beheading Holofernes.
Noadiah
Meeting with Yahweh, and a prophetess who tried to frighten Nehemiah (Nehemiah 6:14).
Rahab
Its etymology is rachav, wide, and it is a variant of Rachab, the King James spelling in Matthew 1:5.
Abigail
”my father is joy”/”father’s joy”/”joy of the father”/”source of joy”
Drusilla
Latin feminine of Drusus, which is from a Roman family name meaning strong. She married Governor Felix (Acts 24:24).
Mercy
From Latin merces, wages, reward. Mercy Otis Warren wrote plays against British rule.
Nehushta
‘Bronze.’ Nehushta has origins in nechoshet, copper or bronze, and she went into Babylonian captivity with her son (2 Kings 24:15).
Hope
From Anglo-Saxon hopa, expectation. Paul lists it with faith and charity (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Mahlah
‘Infirmity’ in Hitchcock’s list, and she and her four sisters won the right to inherit land (Numbers 27:7).
Michal
It comes from Michael: who is like God?
Rhoda
Rhoda (ROH-duh) – Means “rose,” the servant girl who was so happy to hear Peter’s voice that she ran inside and left him knocking at the gate (Acts 12:14).
Carmel
It combines kerem, vineyard, and El.
Jehosheba
‘Yahweh is an oath.’ She’s the princess who hid baby Joash in the temple for six years (2 Kings 11:2-3).
Bithiah
Daughter of Yahweh.
Peninnah
“Pearl.” She taunted Hannah year after year (1 Samuel 1:7), and fun fact, Behind the Name lists coral as well.
Lydia
Lydia (LID-ee-uh) – Means “woman of Lydia”
Tabitha
Symbolizing a gazelle, Tabitha means “gazelle” in Aramaic, and Peter raised her in Joppa (Acts 9:40).
Keziah
Biblical picks may feel a little played out at the moment…but not Keziah, guys. It means ‘cassia’, the spice Psalm 45:8 lists with myrrh and aloes.
Zipporah
Symbolizing a bird, Zipporah means ‘bird’ and was Moses’ Midianite wife.
Shiphrah
From shapar, beautiful, fair. She and Puah refused Pharaoh’s order to kill baby boys (Exodus 1:17).
Sheerah
Kinswoman.
More biblical girl names with meanings
Names that open with Jeho- or close with -iah contain Yah, a short form of Yahweh.
- Athaliah – Yahweh is exalted; the only queen to rule Judah alone
- Timna – Forbidding
- Iscah – one who anoints; Abraham’s niece
- Hazzelelponi – shade of the face
- Baara– a well
- Oholibamah – Tent of the high place, a wife of Esau
- Jecoliah – means “Yahweh is able” in Hebrew
- Azubah – forsaken.
- Ephrath – Fruitful; an early name for bethlehem (Genesis 35:19)
- Jehudijah – Jewish woman
- Mahalath – means harp in Hebrew
- Reumah – Exalted one, Nahor’s concubine
- Meshullemeth – peaceable
- Abishag – ignorance of the father; she nursed King David in his last days
- Naarah – means girl in Hebrew
- Cozbi – a liar”
- Zebidah – Endowed, and mother of King Jehoiakim
- Shimeath – means hearing in Hebrew
- Helah – Rust.
- Maacah – pressed down; mother of Absalom (2 Samuel 3:3)
- Hushim – Hastening
- Zeruiah – tribulation of the Lord
- Ephah – weary, a concubine of Caleb
- Matred – Pushing forward
- Hamutal – the shadow of his heat
- Shua – crying out
- Jehoaddan – The pleasure of the Lord
- Abijah – my father is Yah
Rare Biblical Names for Girls
Lily was the top L pick for US girls in 2025, and Ruby came second on the R list. Most of these women never come close to those charts.
- Tahpenes – the king’s wife, an Egyptian queen in 1 Kings 11:19
- Joy– Gladness
- Abihail – My father is might
- Hodesh – new moon
- Lily – a flower Jesus told people to consider (Matthew 6:28)
- Syntyche – With fate
- Jezebel – where is the prince?
- Ahlai – beseeching
- Pearl – The pearl of great price in Matthew 13:46
- Shulamite – peaceful one
- Marah – means bitter in Hebrew; Naomi asked to be called this (Ruth 1:20).
- Apphia – Productive
- Hodiah – praise of the Lord
- Zeresh – Misery; Haman’s wife
- Herodias – of Herod; she wanted John the Baptist dead (Mark 6:19)
- Hammoleketh – The queen
- Ruby – a gem; Proverbs 31:10 puts a good wife above rubies
- Selah – a pause
- Ariel – Lion of God; Isaiah’s name for Jerusalem
- Shimrith – one who watches
- Tryphosa – Delicacy, and a worker Paul greets in Romans 16:12
- Patience – endurance in Latin
- Genesis – Birth, origin
- Charity – dearness from Latin caritas
- Magdalene – Woman of Magdala, the tower town
- Rose – rose of Sharon
- Zeruah – Leprous, the mother of jeroboam
- Ruhamah – means “pitied” in Hebrew