to give my child a biblical name even if we aren't religious?

[Kaitan]

Love the name Moses. Didn't think it was a problem using it until someone at work told me it was a bit disrespectful to use such a religious/biblical name if you're not religious. Do I need to rethink? I just like the name and so does DP - don't want to raise eyebrows...

most of my family have children with religious names, when I named my two with religious names my Dad remarked 'you'd think we were a jewish family with all these names'

Amos is a similar biblical name.

Just thinking of it now I know loads of kids with biblical names that I’m sure aren’t religious! I know or have known the following Ezekiel, Elijah, Asher, Jonah, Joshua, Simeon, Joseph, Christian (not Biblical but religious name), Zachariah, Gabriel, Tobias, Bethany, Rachel, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Anne, Magdalene etc etc and that’s without getting onto the disciples or saints names.

I think it would perhaps be different if you were seeking to name a child a name like Mohammed or Lakshmi or Chavala but even then it’s still your choice. I love the name Priya but I would offend some older members of my family if I called a child a name that wasn’t associated with an Abrahamic Faith. Preferably something like Miriam or Abraham that’s in Islam/Judaism/Christianity!

Moses is beautiful. Why would anyone consider that offensive?

I wouldn't find it disrespectful..I just don't particularly like it. Same as Noah..I just don't....no, don't like it.

The bible doesn't own the names it has in it - just use it and if anyone asked if it was after the
Bible just say no

I would not assume you were very religious, but I might guess that you were probably Jewish if you called your son either Moses or Abraham.

Oh, but I wouldn't think it disrespectful to use it if you weren't. The Bible is as much a part of our culture as anyone's.

Definitely wouldn't consider it offensive but I've never met anyone called that and would just immediately think of the bible (whereas I wouldn't for example with Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) etc. Still it's not like it's Jesus so I'd say go for it.

Before they were biblical names they were just names! Think Moses was the only Moses In Egypt? I doubt it! Lots of names have a place in the bible as pp said look how popular Noah is! I don't see anything disrespectful in using a name when you aren't religious

I know a Jezebel who really suffers as everyone assumes the contrary - that she is from an aggressively atheistic family (in reality, just from a different culture where the name does not have any religious connotations).

I'm not sure that Jewish people would bat an eyelid because they would use the Hebrew version of Moses which is Moshe (Mo-shay). I teach a Moses; he's rather irritating but at least I can remember his name unlike all the Toms, Sams and Bens in each class!

Unless you hate your child and never want him to date, don't saddle him with that!

Plenty of boys / men named Jesus about so I wouldn't worry.

Bram (Abraham) Stoker - Irish, from a Church of Ireland family background. His father was also called Abraham. I went to school with an Abraham who was always known as Aby.

I AM religious and my son has a biblical name... it is a very common name .... we chose it because we liked it.... not because it’s in the Bible.

Lots of names in common usage appear in the Bible. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, David.... all very normal names used by people of any or no faith.

A lot of the younger children in my family have old testament names. To us they're just really lovely names and the biblical part is just a coincidence.
I've wondered if people assume we practice a particular religion when they meet us though.

YANBU. If you love the name, use it. My DC both have Old Testament names, not by design as I'm atheist, but because I liked them. Had a couple of people ask if we were Jewish over the last 13 years, but that's all. And that was probably due to their surname as well, iyswim. Not an issue in any way.

I've never thought biblical names were for christians only, and could cause offence if used by a non-believer, what an odd idea.

My neice is called Joy (she is one) and she has a little friend called Blue (I'm told he isn't)

And now I think about it, I've never seen my neighbour Christian anywhere near a church.

And my friend's daughter Amelie is certainly not French.

I think your colleague is going to have a hard time naming a child if she wants to not offend anyone.

Tbh I would presume you were Jewish but that's coming from a position of not being particularly educated when it comes to Judaism so is probably off the mark

I am as atheist as they come and my ds has a biblical name. It's also the name of an Egytian god. Many of the biblical names were also commonplace in other cultures.
I just liked it because it couldn't be shortened and i'd never taught a child with the same name so it wasn't tainted by association.

For daughter I went back to the family tree and chose a 1950's name that i'd also never taught.

I must have been on trend though because i've taught two boys with my sons name since!

If you aren’t religious, then it should make no odds to you.

As others have said, many names are biblical in origin. I see some as having been mainstream for many years, and no longer primarily associated with the Bible (eg James, David, Matthew, Mark, Elizabeth, Sarah etc). Other names used to be more typically associated with the Jewish faith: eg Benjamin, Jacob, Ruth, Miriam, or with Catholicism: Joseph, Dominic, and Benedict, but in recent years have become more mainstream.

Old Testament names are now so popular that I don't think any assumptions can now be made, but I'm in my late 50s and it still surprises me when names like Isaac or Moses are used by people who are not religious.

My daughters have catholic saints’ names. Had I had son, the names I picked also turned out to be catholic saints. I’m not catholic.

If you like Moses, use it. It’s a lovely name.

Names like David, Luke and Matthew are still popular among people that are not very religious, so I don't see why not.

phleb Seth? Love that one - was on my shortlist :)