Biblical Girl Names from the Old and New Testaments

Linguistic Roots and Historical Context

The names in the Bible do not originate from a single language; rather, they reflect the history of how the texts were written. The Old Testament was composed predominantly in Hebrew, with smaller portions in Aramaic. The New Testament was written in Greek, which is why Greek and Roman influences appear alongside Hebrew and Aramaic names.

A connecting element of many biblical names is their theophoric character. This means that they contain the name of God—often recognizable by syllables such as "El" or "Jo". Other names describe specific places of origin, animals, or plants. Because biblical texts have been translated into countless languages over centuries, the names have spread worldwide and adapted to local linguistic habits.

20 Biblical Girl Names and Their Origins

Abigail
The name originates from Hebrew. The documented meaning is composed of the elements for "father" and "joy," which translates to "my father is joy."

Anna
Anna is the Greek and Latin form of the Hebrew name Channah. The underlying root means "grace" or "favor."

Damaris
A name from the New Testament whose origin is Greek. The meaning is not definitively established; a common interpretation suspects a connection with the Greek word for "heifer-tamer" or "wife," while another derives it from "gentle."

Debora
The name traces back to Hebrew. The Hebrew underlying word means "bee."

Elisabeth
The name traces back to the Hebrew name Elisheva. The confirmed translation is "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance."

Esther
The origin of this name is multi-layered. A very widespread interpretation derives it from the Old Persian word for "star." Other explanatory approaches see a connection to the Hebrew word for "to conceal" or to the Babylonian goddess Ishtar.

Eva
Eva is the Latin form of the Hebrew name Chawwah. The documented meaning derives from the Hebrew word for "life" or "the life-giving one."

Hanna
Like Anna, Hanna also traces back to the Hebrew origin Channah. The meaning is accordingly "grace" or "favor."

Johanna
This is the feminine form of Johannes, which traces back to the Hebrew Jochanan. The elements mean "Yahweh (God) is gracious."

Judith
A Hebrew name that simply describes an origin. It means "woman from Judea" or "Jewish woman."

Lea
Lea is a biblical name preserved in the Hebrew form Leʾa. A connection to a Hebrew word for “weary” and a derivation from Akkadian are debated. The original meaning is not definitively clarified.

Lydia
This name has Greek roots and originally indicated geographic origin. The documented meaning is "woman from Lydia" (a region in ancient Asia Minor).

Magdalena
Similar to Lydia, Magdalena is also a name of origin. It traces back to Aramaic and Hebrew and means "woman from Magdala" (a place on the Sea of Galilee).

Maria
Maria traces back via Greek and Latin forms to the biblical name Mirjam. The older word meaning is unresolved. A connection to an Egyptian root for “to love” is a possible explanation, not a confirmed translation.

Naemi
This name from the Book of Ruth comes from Hebrew. The documented meaning is "the pleasant one" or "my delight." A well-known English variant is Naomi.

Rahel
The name comes from Hebrew. The confirmed word meaning is "ewe." Rachel is the spelling variant commonly used in many languages.

Ruth
A short Hebrew name. The meaning is widely translated as "friend" or "companion." However, this derivation is not entirely certain, as the older etymological roots remain unclear.

Salome
The name is derived from the Hebrew word "shalom." The documented meaning is "peace."

Sara
A Hebrew name from the Old Testament. The confirmed translation is "princess" or "noblewoman." Sarah is the alternative spelling that reflects the Hebrew H at the end.

Susanna
The name goes back to the Hebrew Shoshannah. The underlying root means "lily," often also "rose" in later translations.

International Variants and Pairing with Your Last Name

Biblical girl names have the practical advantage of being established in nearly all Western languages. If you choose a name like Anna, Eva, or Maria, it will usually be understood and pronounced without difficulty in an international setting.

Many of the original names have also generated numerous variants over the centuries. For example, Elisabeth gave rise to Elsa, Isabella, and Lisa. If the classic biblical form feels too strict or too traditional to you, exploring these related name forms is often worthwhile.

When making your choice, pay attention to the rhythm when paired with your last name. Short, single-syllable names like Ruth often pair well with longer last names. Multi-syllable names like Magdalena or Elisabeth harmonize nicely with short last names. Because biblical names are so timeless, they also work wonderfully as middle names if you want to choose a more modern or rarer option for a first name.

How to Narrow Down Your Selection Together

With such a large number of biblical names, it helps to first consider independently what direction appeals to you. Do you lean toward very short names like Eva and Lea, or do you prefer longer names like Johanna and Susanna?

With the HeyName app, you can approach this process in a structured way. You connect your devices via an invite and can rate first names independently of each other as a favorite, "Maybe," or "Not a match." Names that both of you mark as a favorite appear as mutual matches. That way, you immediately see where your tastes overlap.

You can also use the filter functions to search specifically by length or starting letter. When discussing your shortlist together, you can test the first name directly with the last name and a potential middle name in the app. This helps you get a feel for the name's overall flow.

Editorial update: September 22, 2026

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