NF's Top 10 Biblical Names - Boys

St. Simon the Zealot by Peter Paul Rubens

What, if anything, do your favorite names say about you? Do you like popular names, creatively-spelled names, classic names, or just whatever sounds good at the time? Your favorites may give an overall feel of what you like, but also show some surprises that make things interesting. It's no secret that I favor classic names, but there are a few I adore that are not expected. All that to say I'm going to bare all and disclose my inner-most name loves with you.

I have a lot of favorites and for organization's sake, they will be presented in categories. My children both have Biblical names, so I will start there. As the seasons change so do my specific preferences, but as of right now, here is my list of favorite Biblical boy names:

1. Simon - The obvious choice. It took me and my husband forever to agree on a name for our son, but I could not be happier that we finally decided on Simon. It fits him perfectly, I love all the stories of the different Simons in the Bible, and since it is more popular in Europe than in the States, it has an international twist to it (to me at least).

2. John - This is my new name crush and I am crushing on him hard. I'm a simple gal and this is a simple, but strong, name. Some call it boring or safe, but I feel its excessive use in the past made it a "bad" choice. No longer!

3. Asa - I fought for this name when naming my son. It was my favorite then, but my husband was concerned about pronunciation ("People will call him "Ass-uh"). Sigh. I still love it. By the way, it's pronounced "Ace-uh", and the nickname Ace is an added bonus.

4. James - Another favorite that I wanted to use, but my husband didn't like the fact that we already knew a James. I was so sad not to use it. My husband is also not fond of nicknames, and James definitely has a few of those. My favorite? Jamie. It's adorable.

5. Paul - This was also on my short list for my son. It's short and to the point, going along with my love of simplicity. With a spectacular middle name, like Sebastian, this name can do no wrong.

6. Abraham - With all the love for Lincoln out there, it's such a shame Abraham isn't used more. Who wouldn't love a little Abe?

7. Jesse - This name is so appealing to me. It's cute but also rugged. It works well on a boy as well as a man. It means "God's gift" and it fits.

8. Malachi - It's a not-overused but still commonly known name. I also love the nickname Mal (Firefly anyone?), but you could also call him Chi.

9. Gabriel - Since my last name started with a B, this was not an option for us even though I love it. I'm not fond of Gabe as a nickname, but I knew it would be used at one time or another and Gabe B---- does not flow well. The full name Gabriel is so distinguished and honorable.

10. Moses - Gwyneth Paltrow got some flack for naming her son this Old Testament powerhouse, but it delivers something formidable I can't resist. Mo or Moze are great nicknames.

Honorable Mentions: Ephraim, Jethro, Job, Josiah, Justus, Micah, Naaman, Seth, and Titus.

What are you favorite Biblical boy names?