Religious Names

[SummaLuvin]

There are some names with a Christian background which are commonplace and acceptable to use. Names like Mary, John, Noah, and Abigail.

There are others that I think are lovely but my husband says shouldn't really be used by us as we are not religious ourselves. Names like Evangeline, Gabriel, Isaiah, and Emanuella.

I would be interested to hear others thoughts on this, especially those of practicing Christians. For full disclosure we are both white, and although I really like these names I would realistically be unlikely to use them.

Growing up, the only people using names such as Noah, Eli, Isaac Etc were the more religious people. Names such as mark, matthew, Luke Etc were more common in everyday use.

Therefore, if you like a name, use it. I don’t think any of the religious examples you gave are that obscure.

@SummaLuvin I don’t regard biblical names as being off limits for people who aren’t religious... they’re embedded culturally from our history in the UK now. My sons have biblical names, not the ones such as Matthew but John but still widely known and far from obscure, more akin to the other ones you’ve listed. I speak as someone who was raised Roman Catholic (I.e indoctrinated) but shook off the shackles at 16 and am now an atheist and have been for years and certainly was at the time of naming the boys. The vast majority of the boys names I like are biblical but I feel like this has very little if anything to do with my upbringing, the boys Hebrew names just appeal to my ear. I’m not as keen on girls biblical names for no reason in particular, purely a personal taste thing.

I'm Christian and think that you should name your child whatever you like. My DD have non biblical first names but biblical middle names, it's the person that matters not what they are named.

Mixed feelings.
It's a bit strange to call your child Christian or Joshua without considering the meaning, but not John or Mary or Chris.
The OT names trend seems strange.

I find using a name from outside your culture strange too.

I find Old Testament names for boys slightly odd, especially now they are fashionable in the mainstream. They slightly make me wince, almost as though it’s cultural appropriation if you’re not religious. I’m often very surprised that some people have no knowledge of the biblical story of the character and think it doesn’t matter. I might assume a Jewish background with some names, or nonconformist Christian. Girls’ OT names seem more mainstream to me so don’t have the same connotation. Eg, I would immediately assume Eli was Jewish, or from a nonconformist Christian background, but I wouldn’t think that of Deborah. New Testament names are different again and don’t have any connotations. So, Paul or Matthew are completely mainstream.

As a Christian I say use a name you like. Both my DC have 'religious' names although that had no bearing on why I picked them. And their DF hates religion.

My 3dc have biblical names as that's what I like but I suppose they're more mainstream if you know what I mean.
I came across a Lemuel a while back. Now that is OT unusual but I like it better than some of the trendy biblical names like Eli or Delilah.
No offence to mums of either.

Personally I find it a bit hypocritical when people have no issues with names like Adam, Mark, David, Luke and Matthew but find names like Gabriel, Eli, Noah etc to be inappropriate. They’re all names.

They're so mainstream and embedded in UK culture that I couldn't even tell you what were Biblical names other than Jesus, Judas, Luke and Matthew.

After writing the above, I've clocked that Mary is one too but, as I said, so enmeshed in our society that I had never really noticed before.

They're so mainstream and embedded in UK culture
Only the NT names are part of UK culture, in general. The OT names aren’t - because they are Hebrew/ Jewish. It’s the difference between Saul and Paul, Jacob and James. You can use what names you like, but they are not all embedded in UK culture in the same way.

I think most are embedded to be honest.

I might only assume a religious influence if there were multiple in the same family. So, Noah, Eli and Hannah rather than Noah, Oscar and annabel. An individual Joe or Jacob or Rebecca or even a Zeke or Mary wouldn't stand out either. As pp said though, something like Lemuel might assume more religious influence just because of its obscurity.

As atheists, we considered Joseph as it's a family name

I'm a Christian and wouldn't feel that Christians or Jewish people have ownership over any of the names in the Old or New Testaments anyone can use them. Although I guess its good to check out the Bible story before naming your child in case you give them a name which doesn't have great connotations. Its interesting that people don't feel that OT names are as mainstream, I can think of lots of popular OT names which have been mainstream for years

David
Daniel
Rachel
Rebecca
Adam
Samuel
Benjamin
Joshua
Jonathan
Michael
Sarah

I think it's fine. Gabriel is one of the most popular boys' names in France right now and most people aren't practising Christians. And the president is Emmanuel and nobody comments on it.

I really like Emmanuelle for a girl. (Not Emmanuella.)

My eldest chose a biblical name for her son, but we are practicing Christians, he's young but will know the story. (Old Testament name) my youngest doesn't have a biblical name but it is related in context.

People should choose the names they consider works best for their family.

I think although a lot of people aren’t Christian in this country, culturally and historically we very much are therefore I wouldn’t think twice about someone naming their child a ‘religious’ name

Only the NT names are part of UK culture, in general
Really?
What about Noah, Benjamin, Cain, Eve, Naomi, Adam, Leah, Ruth, Aaron, David, Deborah, Jemima, Levi, Nathan, Reuben, Abigail, Hannah, Rebecca, Delilah, Sarah etc?

My DS are Adam and Luke. We picked them because we liked them, religion never came into it.

I don't think that there are any biblical names that would be off limits to the non religious. Maybe people might assume you are religious by using biblical names, but even then probably not. Obviously some names such as Benjamin, Daniel and Hannah are so common that it wouldn't even occur to most people that they are all biblical, even if they were all used together. Even more unusual names such as Eli or Malachi or Asa are now quite trendy so again, not obviously tied up with Christianity for most. And for names like Bathsheba and Nebuchadnezzar, they are so obscure, that I probably would assume you are very religious - but they aren't the kind of names you seem to like.

I'd avoid Jesus though!

I'm not sure how many people could actually identify Biblical names. Afaik the Bible isn't really taught at school unless you go to a religious one. I'm certain most people under a certain age have no idea of the stories attached to the various names.

I think giving your child the name 'Christian' when you weren't a Christian is odd, but wouldn't find Biblical names strange for an atheist unless they were really obscure - Zephaniah or Naphtali rather than Gabriel.

I'd be more likely to think someone was religious if they chose a name like Calvin, Luther or Benedict.

Lots of mainstream names are saints names although these are not so popular these days.