Less common Old Testament / Hebrew names?

[dontmakemedothis]

We all know that Noah, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah, Ezra, etc. are pretty popular these days. And I'm not surprised, because they're beautiful names in my opinion! I love the hebrew OT style. But I would prefer a less common name. I especially love ones that begin and/or end with vowel sounds.

What do you think of these ones:

Zephaniah
Isaiah
Nehemiah
Adoniah
Azriel
Edra

Does anybody else have any other lesser known ones that they love?

Ephra and Ephraim

Ooh yeah Ephraim is on our list too, forgot about that one.

There are lots of Isaiah's at my Dc's school. I think it is a lovely name but I don't think it fits your criteria of being less common.

Well that sucks because it was one of my favourites! Oh well. I think a potential nickname of Izzy would have put me off anyway.

Boaz
Jeremiah
Absalom
Phineas
Uriah
Azariah
Malachi

I know a few Isaiahs too. I love Malachi and Micah - although know one of each of these too.

Not keen on the long -iah names as they sound over-religious, but I do love Asher.

Amos - was top of my list but vetoed (we went for one of the ones on your 'common' list!)

Nooo Dontrocktheboat, I said popular, not common! I love all those names, so I don't blame you for choosing one of them. We probably will in the end too tbh! The more unusual ones are nice to think about but none are perfect (I guess that's why they're not the popular ones!)

I don't know why I can't get past the popularity of Noah. It was my absolute favourite name before I found out how popular it is nowadays. My OH loves it too and doesn't care how many others there are, but I'm hung up on it for some reason.

dontmakeme how about Josiah, don't think that's very common/popular?

How about Jonah? I am not sure how popular it is, but not as much as Noah.

Sorry I wasn't having a dig about you saying common or popular, hadn't actually noticed which you used! They are more common, guess popular is more correct, didn't mean I was offended or anything.

By the way I don't know any Isaiahs so disagree about it being popular unless it has localised peaks!

Know a couple of Jonahs though, and a Nehemiah.

I know it doesn't start or end with a vowel but my DH's name is Saul.
He's 56 and has never personally met another person with that name. I've met one other about 5 years ago, so it's not particularly common.

Zebulon (Zeb)
Asa
Caleb

I like Mordechai, from one's mentioned I like Zephaniah and Malachi

Saul is an awesome name. I also like Asher. I think you have hit on a bank of really fantastic names OP. I think if you Isaiah you should go for it. My Dd has a massively popular name (didn't realise when I named her) but we have yet to meet another. My other Did has an unusual name but there's already someone with the same name at her school. I do live in a hipster area though. Have you looked at your family tree for names? All the men in my family have old testament names.

My ds is Jonah which everyone around here always says is unusual. We also know a Josiah. On my list was Caleb and Elias.

Abel
Micah
Nekoda
Jeriah
Phineas
Benaiah
Elisha
Jericho
Zedekiah
Abraham
Levi
Reuel
Malachi
Neriah
Omri
Mattaniah
Ishmerai
Hezekiah
Adlai
Seraiah
Jabez
Alvah
Zimri
Micaiah
Nahum
Javan
Shiloh
Dathan
Jesse
Zebadiah
Joram
Naphtali
Josiah
Carmi
Ishmael
Amariah
Mahli
Josiah
Silas
Eliezer
Talmai
Zacchaeus
Aquila
Jachin
Ezekiel
Jarah
Tekoa
Asaph
Tiras
Asa
Emmanuel
Ishvi
Jamin
Tobiah
Jairus
Zachariah

I went to school with an Eliezer, and thought it was great name.

If you love Noah, then how about Joah, which is the name of several minor OT characters?

Jerome?

Jamin is great tho not sure about Jam as a nickname.

Agree Asher is under used.
Joel

Herod.

Go on, you know you want to.

Also love Asher, Saul and Josiah