Biblical girl's names please

[estar]

So far all our children (and most of my side of the family) have names from the bible, because of the great meanings and inspirational characters. I have loads of boys names lined up, because there's loads of males in the bible but not so many females!

Esthers, Naomi, Lydia and Hannah have already been used in the family so they're not an option.

My absolute favourite is Eva but people are saying that's too popular at the moment (I don't know any in real life though).

Any thoughts?

[mathanxiety]

Dinah
Keziah
Sarah/ Sarai
Hephzibah
Deborah
Judith
Tamar/ Tamara
Elizabeth

Eve is pretty popular; Evie is a nn for a good few Ev.... names so there are a lot of Evies.

[dizietsma]

Here's a list.

I always liked Salome (pronounced SahLOWMiy).

[nickelbabe]

there's Teresa (also known as Dorcas)

Dorcas is my all-time favourite biblical name, but i'd probably go for the Teresa version because it's less

[PandaG]

personally wouldn't choose Salome

Rebekah
Ruth
Martha
Mary

I don't know any Evas, but do know a couple of Evelyns, several Evies and an Eve.

(work with children as well as having 2 of my own so know lots!)

[estar]

Ooo, thanks for the link, that's useful.

I am a bit of a pain and fussy - probably won't go for Rebecca / Rachel/ Sarah - type names because they are very common, yet don't like ones that are too uncommon, eg Hephzibah / Salome.

I like names that most people have heard of and so know how to spell them, but are not too over-used.

I have also wondered about Tabitha - it's grown on me but taken quite a while to do so, so do I want a name that takes everyone a long time to get used to?

[dizietsma]

I had a good friend called Tabitha, shortened to Tabby obviously. I think it's lovely, but then I liked the clearly unpopular Salome!

[mathanxiety]

Tabitha is really lovely, imo. I know two, of different ages, but I don't think it's a name you'd come across every day. No trouble with spelling or pronunciation either.

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

I love the name Keziah and recently met a Nolitha. Or what about Ruth - a sadly underused name?

[catinthehat2]

Lydia

[mathanxiety]

Lilith? Maybe a bit 'out there'.

[somewhathorrified]

I thought Lilith was a demon name!

[mcfee]

Lois

[mathanxiety]

I think it is. She was regarded as responsible for sex dreams and believed to be eager to destroy infants and their mothers, particularly in the first week after childbirth. But would that necessarily put you off?

Actually there's more than one interpretation of the name. Rabbinic literature associates the name etymologically with the word 'night'. But it may come from Lilitu, a Babylonian storm spirit. There's also a Talmudic legend in which Lilith appears as a precursor of Eve, and she sought to take vengeance on Eve and her children.

So maybe not Lilith, on balance.

[JoeyBettany]

Susannah?

Tis my sister's middle name and I've always been envious of it!

[MarthaFarquhar]

Phoebe

[stressheaderic]

We have chosen Bethany for if we have a girl in February.

It's a name both dp and I adore, and it has a nod to the Bible which is something I was keen for.

Strangely, we also have both agreed on Ethan for a boy, without realising they are essentially the same name, bar a couple of letters!

(I like names with a 'th' in, but Nathan was out as we are both N and I thought it was a bit cringey)

[boodleboot]

how do you pronounce Sarai?

[Tortington]

i adore the name Mary. I think it is beautiful in it's simplicity.

However i had a joseph so that was out of the question

i do like Ruth however i think if you have an ugly child ( some people have to let;s face it) it becomes an 'unpretty' name. ditto Martha.

[RnB]

I love Mary too, Custy. So pretty

[Northernlurker]

I think Mary is very underused and I knew a little Dorcas - very cute name!

Anna?

Elizabeth?

[mathanxiety]

I have heard Sarai pronounced Sar-EYE. I knew a Sari once, another version of Sara(h) apparently.

[boodleboot]

doesn't dorcas just scream to have the NN Dork tho? that would really put me off....it is lovely tho....perhaps you could do Cass as a NN instead?

[BosomForAPillow]

Abigail?

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

My niece is called Bethia. Means Daughter or worshipper of God, maid servant of Jehovah.