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Original poster

Biblical names

65 replies

Cataholic · 26/08/2019 01:46

Recently talking to fiancé and MIL regarding baby names, ready for when we start a family. I brought up my love of biblical names and suggested Josiah, to which they were horrified!

Does anyone else see a problem? I'm in love with the name!

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JudgeLinda · 26/08/2019 02:11

Josiah is a bit old fashioned but old names are making a come back so if you like it go for it. One of my friends has called her son Elijah.

Original poster
Cataholic · 26/08/2019 02:13

@judgelinda I really like Elijah but I know too many little ones born over recent years- with thanks to The Vampire Diaries I think!

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DramaAlpaca · 26/08/2019 02:14

Well, to be honest if I heard of a baby called Josiah or Elijah I'd assume his parents were very religious.

JudgeLinda · 26/08/2019 02:15

@DramaAlpaca

My real name is biblical and I am not religious at all.

Original poster
Cataholic · 26/08/2019 02:17

@DramaAlpaca I'm not religious myself, but I am a teacher of religion at secondary level. I grew to love the name through teaching RE to a young man called Josiah who was just incredibly intelligent and caring towards his peers.
I caught myself thinking how proud I'd be to have a son like him, and have since liked the name a great amount.

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DownWentTheFlag · 26/08/2019 02:21

I love a Biblical name, and Josiah in particular! DH vetoed it along with so many others but I think it’s lovely. Josiah of the Bible was a great, wise King of Israel. There’s loads written about what a praise-worthy guy he was.

Beautifullymixed · 26/08/2019 02:21

I love biblical names, for boys especially.
I have an Asher, a Malachi and a Levi.
I also have a baby grandson named Elijah, and I adore all names.
They are traditional, but established names, which also sound modern too.
My ds's all love their names. Smile

JudgeLinda · 26/08/2019 02:21

You should look up the meaning of names. I did when I was naming my children. My own name means "High Priestess"

DownWentTheFlag · 26/08/2019 02:23

I’m a Christian and there is a bit of a trend at our church for unusual Biblical names which may have swayed my opinion.

JudgeLinda · 26/08/2019 02:28

If I was expecting a baby boy I would go for Apollo which mean manly beauty.

Original poster
Cataholic · 26/08/2019 02:28

I already did that @judgelinda! Fiancé and I had MC six years ago, called baby Tobias- meaning 'God is Good'. I believe that Tobias gave me a second chance; a purpose, and I went on to go to university and achieve the things I never thought I could before.

Josiah means 'God supports, heals' and I believe it is a very fitting name. Almost as if it's a way of saying that when we have our rainbow baby, it will be a way of God saying we are supported, and that we have healed.

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Beautifullymixed · 26/08/2019 02:29

Other favourites are Reuben, Saul, Micah, Caleb, Eli, Ezra and Jude.
Josiah is extremely popular in the Caribbean culture, which I am from, although i have not seen it used by any other culture.
It is a lovely name and a personal favourite of mine for years.

Original poster
Cataholic · 26/08/2019 02:31

@beautifullymixed Micah and Caleb are extremely beautiful names

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Ritascornershop · 26/08/2019 05:15

I love Josiah (& also had it nixed by exh years ago when pregnant). Also love Reuben, Solomon, Judah, Malachi, Jonah, Noah.

WildCherryBlossom · 26/08/2019 05:16

There are some wonderful names on this thread. I also love Joel.

surlycurly · 26/08/2019 06:01

I have a Jonah and I love it. It's a lovely name with a lovely meaning (Hebrew for dove/ peace).

daisypond · 26/08/2019 07:39

Josiah is fine. I like it. The only thing I’d say is that I think Old Testament names for boys are going out of fashion now - they’ve been in fashion for about 25-30 years, so this style of name is going downhill.

user1493494961 · 26/08/2019 09:38

Love Josiah.

womaninthedark · 26/08/2019 09:39

Always choose biblical names. They're the best. Josiah is ace.

user1493494961 · 26/08/2019 09:40

I wouldn't worry about the name 'going out of fashion'. Probably a good thing.

Yika · 26/08/2019 09:43

Josiah is a beautiful name.

MoreSlidingDoors · 26/08/2019 09:44

I'm not religious myself, but I am a teacher of religion at secondary level.

it will be a way of God saying we are supported, and that we have healed.

Is that not a contradiction?

I find it weird that DH’s atheist brothers have named their children with Hebrew/Old Testament names (eg Isaac, Elijah). As atheists we didn’t want anything with any sort of religious connotation.

80sMum · 26/08/2019 09:45

I too like biblical names. My DH and three of our DCs have a biblical first name.

Josiah is lovely. Currently, I also rather like Isaac, Jethro, Phineus, Malachi and Gideon.

Original poster
Cataholic · 26/08/2019 09:49

@MoreSlidingDoors I don't think it's a contradiction, no. Just because I'm not religious myself, it doesn't mean that I can't appreciate the beautiful meaning.

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BlueBilledBeatboxingBird · 26/08/2019 10:05

Josiah is lovely. I know one who goes by Jed.

I don’t think biblical names are going anywhere in terms of popularity. Isaac remains ubiquitous, and previously unusual names like Eli and Ezra have been climbing steadily.

I can’t imagine that all of the parents of the Joshuas, Josephs and Samuels born over the last twenty years are deeply religious. You don’t have to be religious to recognise the cultural importance of the Judeo-Christian bible in western civilisation.