Why are some Biblical names widely popular whilst others are rarely used?

[DreamBeloe]

DH and I are leaning toward the name Abel for our baby, and some family members have been surprised by our choice. This made me start thinking about how certain Biblical names are disproportionately used more than others (in the UK). Some names also seem to generally be limited to Jewish communities or very insular Christian sects because the broader public does not use them. For example, John, Joseph, Ezra, and Noah are infinitely more popular than Moses, Ezekiel, Abel, and Micah. For the girls, Hadassah, Keziah, and Miriam are rarely used in comparison to Naomi, Eve, and Lydia. (It was harder to think of examples for girls, but they are there!) I understand that certain Biblical names are just too unusual to be used or have a negative association, but I'm referring to names that aren't too bizarre and have at least a somewhat positive or neutral association. I think a lot of these names (Moses, Abel, Micah, Keziah, etc.) have the potential to be popular but just aren't for some reason. Why is this?

I think Lydia of Thyatira is mentioned in bible as a She was the first European gentile to become a Christian in Acts 16

The two bits of Great Expectations that reliably make me cry are the bit where Joe comes to London to visit Pip, who is ashamed of his rustic ways, and Joe sees it and forgives it, and when Magwitch is dying in the Newgate prison infirmary, with Pip by his side, perfectly happy because he believes, erroneously, that Pip will still inherit his money and use it to marry his longlost daughter Estella.

i always find it interesting how some communities use prophet names more than others. Not quite the same, but Muslims tend to use the Arabic versions of prophetic names quite a lot (is’haq, Ismail, yunis, Yusuf, Yahya, Musa, Yaqub, Isa etc etc)

Oops sorry, Wikipedia says it can be spelt both ways but you are right the George Eliot character is indeed Hephzibah.

But Sophia isnt in the bible as a name but as a concept

I went to school with a Zebediah, most people called him Zebedee. Poor kid. I actually quite like the name now as an adult.

I don’t think Abel is that unusual in young children these days

Think about it. Margot Robbie, Sienna Miller, Isla Fisher, Darcey Bushell, Harper Beckham, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Max Verstappen, George Ezra, Jude Law/Bellingham, Theo Walcott, Luca (Disney), Amelie (film) ...

If you look at when a name started to get really popular suddenly, there's often a surge around the same time as the celebrity became well-known.
You can see it through the decades. Tracey, Samantha, Kylie, Britney, Shannon, Phoebe, Chloe...

The names are usually ones that sort of fit into the current trends and not be wildly different, but there's usually some successful sportsman or beautiful celebrity behind the surge.

I'm not saying that every parent who calls their baby Sienna/Jude is a big fan of the actor but the actor will have brought the name to the public's awareness, then people use it then it's becomes a normal name.

Shadrach Meshach Abednego - makes me think of Paul’s boutique by the Beastie boys
if I’d have had a boy he would have been one of them

I remember studying the book for my O Level ( cos I'm old) and in the exam had to write about who I thought was the most noble character. I wrote about Magwitch.

I haven't read the whole thread, but the Bible contains thousands of names -- statistically they can't all be popular and some are inevitably going to be favoured more than others.

Names that are relatively familiar to the general public - through popular culture, celebrities etc - stand more of a chance than the more obscure Biblical names.

Also, nowadays we have a euphonic naming culture where names are chosen primarily for their sound rather than their meaning or origin. So Biblical names that don't fit with current naming trends (say, Abednego) are less likely to be selected.

Is Tamar a Biblical name? I thought it was the name of a river. One of my colleagues' daughters is called that. It's a beautiful name.

Regarding other Biblical names, Asher was on my list for either of our sons but we knew it would be mispronounced by the French side of the family (Ash-AIR) so we basically crossed out any names with the -er / schwa sound in them.

I know a Zipporah. Beautiful name.

I wouldn't choose 'Abel' myself. Not just because of the associations with the Bible story (not a very nice one!) but also because it sounds like 'able', and it always seems risky to me to name your children after attributes. What if it turns out they're not particularly that thing that you named them?!

I've wondered the same. For example I don't like Tabitha which is relatively common but only met one Shadrack. He was African.

Shadrach.

When I was young there were lots of Marks, Davids, Andrews and Simons among the boys, and Rachels, Sarahs, Deborahs and Ruths among the girls. Judith was surprisingly popular, given that it actually means "Jewish girl" and most of the girls I knew with that name weren't Jewish. I knew one Nathan and his name was considered rather "out there." John was still hanging in there but not as popular as in my parents' generation.

Nowadays you'd be much more likely to meet a young Noah or Leah than any of the above. The only Biblical name that seems to me to have held on to about the same level of popularity (not one in every class but never actively unusual) consistently over the last 60 years is Matthew.

In answer to the actual question - I think there's an association in many people's minds between obscure Old Testament names and strange, strict nonconformist denominations. About 30 years ago when an acquaintance of ours welcomed a baby boy cake Reuben, my mum asked if his wife was from one of those churches. As it turns out, he was just a bit ahead of the curve.

If you and your partner like the name then go with it. Nobody else's business. Abel is a good strong name and a name to grow into.

I love Solomon, Ezra and Malachi but I share the ethnic heritage as you so that might be why! I also love Elijah - possibly my favourite boys' name.

A bold and highly provocative choice. I am not surprised people refuse to use it and shorten it to Jude.

Fabulous name for a political career

Well, why didn't you consider Cain or Judas? Also biblical names.

Our little Jehoshaphat has become an excellent high jumper!

The trouble with calling your child one of the less common Biblical names is that these characters were heroes in the Bible and it often works out that little Elijah is a bit of a contrast to the Biblical character.

I doubt people know their bible well enough these days to have any idea what the bible character Elijah is like. They're more likely to associate a name as popular as Elijah with, i don't know, Elijah C in year 4 or Elijah from swimming etc.