Christian Names
A Christian name was, quite literally, the name given at baptism, which is why English speakers still call a first name a “Christian name.” Today the phrase covers any name that carries the faith: names that mean “gift of God,” the apostles, the virtues the Puritans prized, titles of the Virgin Mary and the feasts of the church year.
We’ve grouped more than 100 of them below with their meanings and the tradition behind each one. Many come straight from scripture, so you’ll also want our biblical names guide; others honor holy men and women, covered in depth on our saint names page. For titles of Christ himself, see the names of Jesus.
Christian boy names that honor God
Many Hebrew names contain El or Yah, short forms of the name of God, so the name itself is a small prayer. Browse more on our names of God page.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Emmanuel | “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23) | Hebrew |
| Christian | “Follower of Christ” | Latin |
| Christopher | “Christ-bearer” | Greek |
| Matthew | “Gift of God” | Hebrew |
| Theodore | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Jonathan | “God has given” | Hebrew |
| Nathaniel | “God has given” | Hebrew |
| Elijah | “My God is Yahweh” | Hebrew |
| Joel | “Yahweh is God” | Hebrew |
| Samuel | “God has heard” or “name of God” | Hebrew |
| Daniel | “God is my judge” | Hebrew |
| Gabriel | “God is my strength” | Hebrew |
| Michael | “Who is like God?” | Hebrew |
| Timothy | “Honoring God” | Greek |
| Ezekiel | “God strengthens” | Hebrew |
| Isaiah | “Yahweh is salvation” | Hebrew |
| Joshua | “Yahweh is salvation” | Hebrew |
| Tobias | “God is good” | Hebrew |
| Josiah | “Yahweh supports” | Hebrew |
| Zachary | “God has remembered” | Hebrew |
Christian girl names with spiritual meanings
From “follower of Christ” to “resurrection,” these girl names wear their faith openly but still feel current. Our names that mean gift list has more in the “gift of God” family.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Christina | “Follower of Christ” | Latin |
| Kirsten | Scandinavian form of Christina | Danish / Norwegian |
| Dorothy | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Theodora | “Gift of God” | Greek |
| Isabel | “My God is an oath” (form of Elizabeth) | Spanish / Hebrew |
| Johanna | “God is gracious” | Hebrew via Latin |
| Gabriella | “God is my strength” | Italian / Hebrew |
| Michaela | “Who is like God?” | Hebrew |
| Elise | Short form of Elisabeth, “God is my oath” | French |
| Anastasia | “Resurrection” | Greek |
| Evangeline | “Good news” (the gospel) | Greek |
| Angela | “Messenger, angel” | Greek via Latin |
| Madeline | From Magdalene, “of Magdala” | French |
| Zoe | “Life”; early Greek-speaking Christians used it for Eve | Greek |
| Christabel | “Beautiful Christian” | English |
Names of apostles and early disciples
The Twelve and their companions gave Europe its most durable boy names. Every one of these became a major saint’s name, too.
| Name | Meaning | Who he was |
|---|---|---|
| Peter | “Rock” (Greek petros) | Leader of the apostles |
| Andrew | “Manly, brave” (Greek) | Peter’s brother, first called |
| James | Form of Jacob, “supplanter” | Apostle, son of Zebedee |
| John | “God is gracious” | Beloved disciple, gospel writer |
| Philip | “Lover of horses” (Greek) | Apostle from Bethsaida |
| Bartholomew | “Son of Talmai” (Aramaic) | Apostle, often identified with Nathanael |
| Thomas | “Twin” (Aramaic) | Apostle known for doubting, then believing |
| Jude | “Praised” (from Judah) | Apostle, patron of lost causes |
| Simon | “He has heard” (Hebrew) | Simon the Zealot |
| Matthias | “Gift of God” | Chosen to replace Judas (Acts 1:26) |
| Paul | “Small, humble” (Latin) | Apostle to the Gentiles |
| Mark | From Mars, Roman god | Gospel writer |
| Luke | “From Lucania” (Greek) | Physician and gospel writer |
| Barnabas | “Son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36) | Paul’s missionary partner |
| Stephen | “Crown” (Greek) | First Christian martyr |
| Silas | From Silvanus, “of the forest” | Paul’s companion |
| Titus | Roman name, possibly “honored” | Paul’s disciple, bishop of Crete |
Christian virtue names
English Puritans in the 1500s and 1600s named children after the qualities they hoped they’d grow into. Several are having a quiet comeback, especially as middle names for girls.
| Name | Virtue | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Grace | God’s unearned favor | Top-100 US name for years |
| Faith | Trust in God | One of the three theological virtues |
| Hope | Confident expectation | Second theological virtue |
| Charity | Self-giving love | “The greatest of these” (1 Cor. 13:13) |
| Mercy | Compassion | Classic Puritan pick |
| Patience | Endurance | Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) |
| Prudence | Practical wisdom | A cardinal virtue |
| Constance | Steadfastness | Nickname Connie |
| Verity | Truth | Popular in the UK |
| Honor | Integrity | Also spelled Honour |
| Temperance | Self-control | A cardinal virtue |
| Felicity | Happiness; also a 3rd-century martyr | Latin felicitas |
| Joy | Gladness | Fruit of the Spirit |
| Clemency | Mildness, mercy | Rare and gentle |
| Amity | Friendship | Uncommon virtue name |
Marian names inspired by the Virgin Mary
In Catholic cultures, girls are often named for a title or shrine of Mary rather than “Mary” itself. Many are common Spanish girl names.
| Name | Marian title | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Marian | Devotion to Mary | English |
| Dolores | Our Lady of Sorrows | Spanish |
| Mercedes | Our Lady of Mercy | Spanish |
| Pilar | Our Lady of the Pillar (Zaragoza) | Spanish |
| Consuelo | Our Lady of Consolation | Spanish |
| Rosario | Our Lady of the Rosary | Spanish / Italian |
| Lourdes | Our Lady of Lourdes (France) | French |
| Carmen | Our Lady of Mount Carmel | Spanish |
| Regina | Queen of Heaven | Latin |
| Stella | Star of the Sea (Stella Maris) | Latin |
| Assunta | The Assumption | Italian |
| Annunziata | The Annunciation | Italian |
Latin and church-tradition names
These names grew out of the church’s Latin and the popes, monks and theologians who carried them. More classic options are in our Latin names collection.
| Name | Meaning | Association |
|---|---|---|
| Dominic | “Of the Lord” | St. Dominic, founder of the Dominicans |
| Benedict | “Blessed” | St. Benedict, father of Western monasticism |
| Clement | “Merciful” | Pope St. Clement I |
| Augustine | “Venerable” | St. Augustine of Hippo |
| Pius | “Devout, dutiful” | Name of twelve popes |
| Ignatius | Possibly “fiery” | St. Ignatius of Loyola |
| Ambrose | “Immortal” | St. Ambrose of Milan |
| Xavier | “New house” (Basque) | St. Francis Xavier |
| Celeste | “Heavenly” | Latin caelestis |
| Beata | “Blessed” | Polish and German favorite |
| Pax | “Peace” | Latin liturgy: <em>pax vobiscum</em> |
| Seraphina | From the seraphim, “fiery ones” | Isaiah 6:2 |
Christmas and Easter names
Babies born around the big feasts often get a name to match. For more festive ideas, try names that mean miracle.
| Name | Feast | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noel | Christmas | French for Christmas |
| Natalie | Christmas | From Latin <em>natale domini</em>, “birthday of the Lord” |
| Holly | Christmas | The winter evergreen |
| Carol | Christmas | A Christmas hymn; also form of Charles |
| Gloria | Christmas | “Glory,” from the angels’ song (Luke 2:14) |
| Casper | Epiphany | Traditional name of one of the Magi |
| Melchior | Epiphany | Traditional Magus; “king of light” |
| Balthazar | Epiphany | Traditional Magus; “protect the king” |
| Epiphany | Epiphany | “Manifestation” (Greek) |
| Nicholas | Advent | “Victory of the people”; St. Nicholas |
| Pascal | Easter | From Latin <em>Pascha</em>, “Easter” |
| Pascale | Easter | Feminine of Pascal |
| Lily | Easter | The Easter lily, symbol of resurrection |
How to choose a Christian name
- Think about a patron saint. In Catholic and Orthodox families a baptismal name often links the child to a saint whose feast day they can celebrate.
- Look for hidden meanings. Theodore, Dorothy, Matthew and Nathaniel all mean “gift of God,” without sounding overtly religious.
- Use the faith name in the middle. A virtue or Marian name like Grace or Pilar makes a meaningful middle name.
- Consider the season. Noel, Natalie and Pascal are traditional for Christmas and Easter babies.
- Check the story behind it. Read the scripture or saint’s life so you can tell your child why their name was chosen.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a first name called a Christian name?
In English-speaking countries the first name was traditionally given at baptism, or christening, so it became known as the Christian name, as opposed to the family surname.
What is a good Christian name for a boy?
Emmanuel, Josiah, Elijah, Gabriel, Theodore and Dominic are popular choices with clearly Christian meanings or associations.
What is a good Christian name for a girl?
Grace, Evangeline, Isabel, Anastasia, Johanna and Christina are all well-loved Christian girl names.
What Christian name means “gift of God”?
Matthew, Theodore, Nathaniel, Jonathan and Matthias for boys, and Dorothy and Theodora for girls.
Do Christian names have to come from the Bible?
No. Saints’ names, virtue names and Marian names like Mercedes or Lourdes are all Christian names even though many don’t appear in scripture.