Book Minute

For decades, biblical names like Mary, Sarah, Paul, and Michael were high on the list of popular baby names according to the US Social Security Administration. But even as those classic names have fallen down the list, other names from the Bible have been popularized to join the Top 50 names for boys and girls. Last year, for boys, that included names like Caleb, Benjamin, Ethan, Alexander, Levi, Elijah, Gabriel, Noah, James, Isaac, and Andrew. For girls, Abigail, Naomi, Chloe, Elizabeth, and Lydia all made the Top 50. The biblical tradition suggests names can reveal a part of a person’s character. Jacob “wrestled with God” and was so named, “Israel.” Jesus gave Simon a new name, "Peter," calling him the “rock on which I will build my church.”