Biblical Girl Names
Names of women from the Bible have never really gone out of style. Abigail, Hannah, Leah and Naomi sit comfortably on modern playgrounds, while names like Keziah, Tirzah and Jemima are being rediscovered by parents who want something with deep roots but a fresh sound. This list gathers more than 100 biblical girl names, each with its meaning and the book or chapter where you’ll find it.
Most of these names come from Hebrew, with a good number of Greek and Latin names from the New Testament letters. We note when a meaning is uncertain, because several ancient names have more than one proposed etymology. Looking for sons too? See our biblical boy names, the full biblical names guide, or our broader list of Hebrew girl names.
Popular biblical girl names
These are the scripture names you’ll hear most often today. Many of them have ranked in the US top 1,000 for decades, according to Social Security data.
| Name | Meaning | Where in the Bible |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail | “My father’s joy” (Hebrew) | 1 Samuel 25 |
| Hannah | “Grace, favor” (Hebrew) | 1 Samuel 1–2 |
| Elizabeth | “My God is an oath” (Hebrew via Greek) | Luke 1 |
| Sarah | “Princess” (Hebrew) | Genesis 17 |
| Leah | Possibly “weary” or “wild cow” (Hebrew) | Genesis 29 |
| Naomi | “Pleasantness” (Hebrew) | Ruth 1 |
| Eve | “Life, living” (Hebrew Chavah) | Genesis 3 |
| Anna | “Grace” (Greek form of Hannah) | Luke 2:36 |
| Ruth | Possibly “friend, companion” (Hebrew) | Book of Ruth |
| Rebecca | Possibly “to tie, bind” (Hebrew) | Genesis 24 |
| Rachel | “Ewe” (Hebrew) | Genesis 29 |
| Mary | From Miriam; possibly “beloved” or “bitter” | Gospels |
| Delilah | Possibly “delicate” (Hebrew) | Judges 16 |
| Eden | “Delight” (Hebrew) | Genesis 2 (the garden) |
| Susanna | “Lily” (Hebrew Shoshannah) | Luke 8:3 |
| Esther | Possibly “star” (Persian) | Book of Esther |
| Chloe | “Young green shoot” (Greek) | 1 Corinthians 1:11 |
| Lydia | “Woman from Lydia” (Greek) | Acts 16:14 |
| Phoebe | “Bright, radiant” (Greek) | Romans 16:1 |
| Adah | “Adornment” (Hebrew) | Genesis 4:19 |
Heroines and matriarchs of the Old Testament
Prophets, judges, queens and midwives: these women shaped Israel’s story, and their names carry real weight. Pair them with the patriarchs on our biblical boy names list for sibling sets.
| Name | Meaning | Where in the Bible |
|---|---|---|
| Deborah | “Bee” (Hebrew) | Judges 4–5 |
| Miriam | Possibly “beloved” or “sea of bitterness” | Exodus 15:20 |
| Jael | “Mountain goat” (Hebrew) | Judges 4 |
| Tamar | “Date palm” (Hebrew) | Genesis 38; 2 Samuel 13 |
| Dinah | “Judged, vindicated” (Hebrew) | Genesis 30:21 |
| Zipporah | “Bird” (Hebrew) | Exodus 2:21 |
| Bathsheba | “Daughter of the oath” (Hebrew) | 2 Samuel 11 |
| Michal | “Who is like God?” (Hebrew) | 1 Samuel 18 |
| Rahab | “Wide, spacious” (Hebrew) | Joshua 2 |
| Hadassah | “Myrtle” (Hebrew; Esther’s Hebrew name) | Esther 2:7 |
| Huldah | “Weasel” or “mole” (Hebrew) | 2 Kings 22:14 |
| Shiphrah | “Beautiful” (Hebrew) | Exodus 1:15 |
| Puah | Possibly “splendid” (Hebrew) | Exodus 1:15 |
| Jochebed | “The Lord is glory” (Hebrew) | Exodus 6:20 |
| Elisheba | “My God is an oath” (Hebrew) | Exodus 6:23 |
| Hagar | Possibly “flight” or “stranger” | Genesis 16 |
| Milcah | “Queen” (Hebrew) | Genesis 11:29 |
| Judith | “Woman of Judea” (Hebrew) | Genesis 26:34; Book of Judith |
| Orpah | Possibly “back of the neck” (Hebrew) | Ruth 1:4 |
Rare and unique Old Testament girl names
Want a name almost nobody else in the class will have? These appear briefly in scripture but sound beautiful today. More hidden gems live in our rare names collection.
| Name | Meaning | Where in the Bible |
|---|---|---|
| Keziah | “Cassia” (a fragrant spice) | Job 42:14 |
| Jemima | “Dove” (Hebrew) | Job 42:14 |
| Keren | “Ray, horn” (from Keren-happuch) | Job 42:14 |
| Tirzah | “She is my delight” (Hebrew) | Numbers 26:33 |
| Noa | “Movement” (Hebrew) | Numbers 26:33 |
| Mahlah | Possibly “tender” or “sickly” | Numbers 27:1 |
| Hephzibah | “My delight is in her” (Hebrew) | 2 Kings 21:1; Isaiah 62:4 |
| Naamah | “Pleasant, lovely” (Hebrew) | Genesis 4:22 |
| Zillah | “Shade, shadow” (Hebrew) | Genesis 4:19 |
| Keturah | “Incense” (Hebrew) | Genesis 25:1 |
| Atarah | “Crown” (Hebrew) | 1 Chronicles 2:26 |
| Abital | “My father is dew” (Hebrew) | 2 Samuel 3:4 |
| Achsah | “Anklet” (Hebrew) | Joshua 15:16 |
| Mehetabel | “God does good” (Hebrew) | Genesis 36:39 |
| Basemath | “Fragrance, spice” (Hebrew) | Genesis 26:34 |
| Serah | Possibly “abundance” (Hebrew) | Genesis 46:17 |
| Shelomith | “Peaceful” (Hebrew) | Leviticus 24:11 |
| Jerusha | “Possessed, married” (Hebrew) | 2 Kings 15:33 |
| Zilpah | Possibly “trickle” (Hebrew) | Genesis 29:24 |
| Bilhah | Possibly “bashful” (Hebrew) | Genesis 29:29 |
New Testament girl names
The early church was full of women who hosted, taught and traveled with the apostles. Their names are mostly Greek or Latin, which gives them a different flavor from the Hebrew classics.
| Name | Meaning | Where in the Bible |
|---|---|---|
| Martha | “Lady, mistress” (Aramaic) | Luke 10:38 |
| Joanna | “God is gracious” (Hebrew via Greek) | Luke 8:3 |
| Priscilla | “Ancient, venerable” (Latin) | Acts 18:2 |
| Tabitha | “Gazelle” (Aramaic) | Acts 9:36 |
| Dorcas | “Gazelle” (Greek) | Acts 9:36 |
| Lois | Possibly “more desirable” (Greek) | 2 Timothy 1:5 |
| Eunice | “Good victory” (Greek) | 2 Timothy 1:5 |
| Salome | “Peace” (from Hebrew shalom) | Mark 15:40 |
| Rhoda | “Rose” (Greek) | Acts 12:13 |
| Damaris | Possibly “gentle” or “calf” (Greek) | Acts 17:34 |
| Julia | Roman family name, often read as “youthful” | Romans 16:15 |
| Junia | Roman family name (Juno) | Romans 16:7 |
| Persis | “Persian woman” (Greek) | Romans 16:12 |
| Tryphena | “Delicate, dainty” (Greek) | Romans 16:12 |
| Claudia | Roman family name (Claudius) | 2 Timothy 4:21 |
| Candace | Title of Ethiopian queens (Kandake) | Acts 8:27 |
| Magdalene | “Of Magdala” (a town; “tower”) | Luke 8:2 |
| Bernice | “Bringer of victory” (Greek) | Acts 25:13 |
| Drusilla | Roman family name (Drusus) | Acts 24:24 |
| Sapphira | “Sapphire” or “beautiful” | Acts 5:1 |
| Euodia | “Fragrant” or “good journey” (Greek) | Philippians 4:2 |
| Syntyche | “Fortunate, happy chance” (Greek) | Philippians 4:2 |
| Apphia | Possibly a Greek term of endearment | Philemon 1:2 |
| Nympha | “Bride” (Greek) | Colossians 4:15 |
| Mara | “Bitter” (Hebrew) | Ruth 1:20 |
Virtue names and biblical place names for girls
Not every scripture name belongs to a person. The Puritans turned virtues into names, and modern parents love the places of the Bible. For more in this spirit, see names that mean hope and names that mean blessed.
| Name | Meaning | Scripture connection |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | God’s unearned favor | Ephesians 2:8 |
| Faith | Trust, belief | Hebrews 11 |
| Hope | Expectation, trust | Romans 5:5 |
| Charity | Christian love (KJV) | 1 Corinthians 13 |
| Mercy | Compassion, forgiveness | Micah 6:8 |
| Glory | Honor, radiance | Psalm 19:1 |
| Genesis | “Origin, beginning” (Greek) | The first book of the Bible |
| Selah | A musical or prayer pause | Psalms (71 times) |
| Beulah | “Married” (Hebrew) | Isaiah 62:4 |
| Jordan | “To flow down” (Hebrew) | The river of Jesus’ baptism |
| Zion | Possibly “fortress” | The hill of Jerusalem |
| Bethany | Possibly “house of figs” | Village of Mary and Martha, John 11 |
| Shiloh | Possibly “tranquil” | Joshua 18:1 |
| Moriah | Possibly “chosen by God” | Genesis 22:2 |
| Sharon | “Plain” (Hebrew) | “Rose of Sharon,” Song of Songs 2:1 |
| Carmel | “Garden, orchard” (Hebrew) | 1 Kings 18 |
| Hosanna | “Save, please” (Hebrew) | Matthew 21:9 |
How to choose a biblical name for your daughter
- Read the story, not just the meaning. Delilah and Jezebel have lovely sounds but complicated legacies; Abigail and Deborah are celebrated for wisdom and courage.
- Mix eras for siblings. A Hebrew classic like Leah pairs nicely with a New Testament Greek name like Phoebe or Lydia.
- Try the rare daughters of Job. Jemima, Keziah and Keren were praised as the most beautiful women in the land (Job 42:15).
- Use a virtue name in the middle spot. Grace, Faith and Hope are gentle middle names for girls that flow with almost anything.
- Check spelling variants. Hannah, Anna and Ann share one root; Susanna, Susannah and Shoshana do too.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular biblical girl name?
Abigail, Hannah, Elizabeth and Leah have been among the most-used biblical girl names in the US for years, and Naomi and Eden have climbed quickly in the 2020s (SSA data).
What is a rare biblical girl name?
Keziah, Tirzah, Jemima, Atarah, Hephzibah and Tryphena are all genuine scripture names that are rarely used today.
What biblical girl name means “gift of God”?
Dorothy and Theodora carry that meaning but are not in the Bible. Among scripture names, Hannah (“grace, favor”) and Joanna (“God is gracious”) are the closest.
Is Eden a biblical girl name?
Yes. Eden is the garden in Genesis 2, from the Hebrew for “delight.” It is used for both girls and boys.
Which women are named in the genealogy of Jesus?
Matthew 1 names Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, the wife of Uriah (Bathsheba) and Mary.