Non-religious boys names

[loopdeelou]

DH and I are atheists and really struggling with boys names. I don't really like names that are too wacky or out-there but a lot of classic names that I like the sound of (e.g Samuel) are biblical and I'd like to avoid these if possible.

Does anyone have any suggestions of boys names which don't have religious connotations but also aren't too unusual?

Thanks!

Iain is Gaelic for John. I think as long as you go mainstream then it really won't be particularly associated with the Bible. Or you need to go more unusual. I'd also ignore if it's a saints name as those are just too numerous. I think maybe non biblical is Keir, Lewis maybe?

Frederick
Dawson
Jones
Davis
Timothy
Max
Rylan
Jason
Sebastian
Tiberius

Ace, Aspen, Blaine, Blair, Chester, Calvin, Felix, Kai, Leo, Mason, Miller, Orion, Owen, Pax, Rhys, Travis, Spencer, Wren

Timothy? Sebastian? Calvin? Felix?

This thread is getting funnier.

Timothy is very definitely a Biblical name as is Jason, Tiberius gets a mention in the Bible but only briefly. I think your best bet if you want a 'non-religious' name is to go down the surname route but even some of them have 'religious' connections eg Davis- King David in the Bible and Calvin- John Calvin, famous theologian and reformer, though these are a little tenuous.

This thread is getting funnier.

Why?

Felix?

I would think more people think of a cat before the bible for this name...

Or perhaps use Russian ones ?

Feofil
Fedya
Feofan
Bogdan
Bogomil

Freya is a norse fertility goddess

Are we avoiding religion generally?

I agree - occupation (not son of) based surnames can work. Are they classic forenames though?

Tailor
Smith
Cooper

...

You are going to end up with something naff like Trevor or Kevin!
Sorry to all the Trevors and Kevins!

I think what this thread shows is that the average mumsnetter/person on the street doesn't often know what is a Biblical name and what isn't. Not many people know that names like Alexander, Felix, Jason and Ethan are biblical but even names like Andrew, Philip, Timothy and Pablo (Paul) have been assumed to have no biblical connection when they actually belong to fairly central Biblical characters so I think its unlikely people will notice whether your baby has a biblical name or not.

Yep it's funny how some immediately spring to mind as biblical, such as Noah, Saul, Joseph, Gideon, Benedict etc, whereas Luke and Mark are fairly prominent but you'd not immediately think "bible" if you came across one. I think it's the names that have routinely been used by everybody (regardless of religion) for centuries that fly below the radar tbh.

And we haven't even started on girls names, I mean how many people hear, Phoebe, Chloe, Bethany, Jemima, Keziah, Julia, Lois, Tabitha, Susanna, Rhoda etc and automatically think Bible

I think the religious connotations with saints' names are generally weaker than for biblical names (in the UK at least), with the exception of the most famous saints like St Patrick, St Christopher etc. There are just so many of them. There's also big difference between names associated with well-known biblical figures like Moses, Noah, Joseph, Abel or the apostles, and the names of minor figures who get a passing mention.

Generally, I think the religious connotations are stronger with Old Testament names than New Testament ones. Either way I wouldn't make assumptions about your religiosity - most biblical names are just part of our cultural heritage in the UK and nowadays are simply names.