The Bible is the most popular source of baby names. In this article, I have listed the most popular Biblical baby names for boys, with the origin of the name, the meaning and a brief description of the Biblical character.

Jacob:
The baby name Jacob is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced jay-kob. The meaning of this name is "one who follows on another's heels". Jacob was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham and Sarah. He was named Jacob as he was born holding on to the heel of his twin brother Esau. Jacob married the sisters, Leah and Rachael. He had twelve sons who founded the tribes of Israel.

Michael:
The baby name Michael is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced my-kel. The meaning of this name is "who is like God?". Michael is one of the two archangels mentioned in the Bible, the other being Gabriel. He is the leader of heaven's army, which fights against and defeats Satan.

Joshua:
The baby name Joshua is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced jo-shoo-ah. The meaning of this name is "God is my salvation". Joshua was the assistant and successor of Moses. He was a great military commander who defeated many kings and divided the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel. The Book of Joshua describes his conquests. Jesus is the Greek version of this name.

Matthew:
The baby name Matthew is Greek in origin and is pronounced math-yoo. The meaning of this name is "gift of God". Matthew was a tax collector for the Roman government. At the command of Jesus, he abandoned his job and became a disciple. He wrote the first Gospel of the New Testament describing the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

Ethan:
The baby name Ethan is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced ay-than. The meaning of this name is "constant, enduring". There were two men named Ethan in the Bible. One was a man who lived during the rule of Solomon and was noted for his wisdom. The other Ethan was a musician at the Temple.

Andrew:
The baby name Andrew is Greek in origin and is pronounced an-droo. The meaning of this name is "manly". Andrew was the first person chosen by Jesus to be his disciple. His brother was Peter.

Daniel:
The baby name Daniel is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced dan-yel. The meaning of this name is "God is my judge". Daniel was one of the great prophets of the Bible. As a teenager, Daniel was taken as a captive to Babylon. He rose to high office in the Persian Empire. He was a very devout and pious man. His unswerving devotion to the God of Israel caused him to be thrown into a den of lions, but he survived unharmed. The Old Testament book of Daniel records his life and prophecies.

Joseph:
The baby name Joseph is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced jo-sef. The meaning of this name is "may God increase". Joseph was the son of Jacob and Rachael, and the grandson of Isaac. He was sold as a slave by his jealous brothers, but later rose to a high position in Egypt. Also, Joseph was the name of the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ.

Nicolas:
The baby name Nicolas is Greek in origin and is pronounced nik-oh-las. The meaning of this name is "victory of the people". Nicolas was one of the seven deacons of the church at Jerusalem.

David:
The baby name David is Hebrew in origin and is pronounced day-vid. The meaning of this name is "beloved". David was the son of Jesse and the grandson of Boaz. As a young man armed with only a sling, he killed the mighty giant Goliath. David was the greatest king of Israel, who united the twelve tribes of Israel and ruled over them for thirty-three years.

Article written by Ruth Davis of Biblical-baby-names.com. A life long love of Biblical research and the intricacies involved in naming four grandchildren led to the creation of her website. For more Biblical baby names and their meanings, visit http://www.biblical-baby-names.com.

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