Biblical Boy Names That Start With J – These Biblical names are popular with many families. Discover these popular and rare religious boy names that start with the letter J. Included are scriptural references, meanings and origins to help you make your decision for the perfect boy name.
Popular Boy Bible Names Starting With J
Found in the Bible and popular amongst families, here are some of the top J names you will find Biblically with meanings, origins and references of each:
1. Jacob
- Meaning: “Supplanter” or “holder of the heel”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Genesis 25:26 – “Afterward his brother came out, with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob.”
2. Joseph
- Meaning: “May he add” or “God will add”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Genesis 30:24 – “And she called his name Joseph, saying, ‘May the LORD add to me another son!'”
3. Joshua
- Meaning: “The LORD is salvation”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Numbers 13:16 – “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.”
4. Jeremiah
- Meaning: “Yahweh will exalt” or “appointed by God”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Jeremiah 1:1 – “The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.”
5. Joel
- Meaning: “Yahweh is God”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Joel 1:1 – “The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.”
6. Jesse
- Meaning: “Gift” or “God’s gift”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 1 Samuel 16:1 – “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.'”
7. Jonah
- Meaning: “Dove”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Jonah 1:1 – “Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,”
8. James
- Meaning: “Supplanter” (variation of Jacob)
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Matthew 4:21 – “And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.”
9. Jared
- Meaning: “Descent” or “to descend”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Genesis 5:18 – “When Jared had lived 162 years, he fathered Enoch.”
10. Jethro
- Meaning: “Excellence” or “abundance”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Exodus 3:1 – “Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.”
11. Judah
- Meaning: “Praise”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Genesis 29:35 – “And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah.”
12. Josiah
- Meaning: “Yahweh supports” or “heals”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Kings 22:1 – “Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.”
Rare Biblical Boy Names That Start With J
These Bible names starting with J may be rare, but you will be interested in their biblical references, meanings and origins. Check these Biblical Boy Names That Start With J:
13. Jabez
- Meaning: “Sorrow” or “pain”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 1 Chronicles 4:9-10 – “Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked.”
14. Jotham
- Meaning: “The LORD is perfect” or “the LORD is complete”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Judges 9:5 – “And he went to his father’s house at Ophrah and killed his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone. But Jotham the youngest son of Jerubbaal was left, for he hid himself.”
15. Jephthah
- Meaning: “He will open” or “whom God sets free”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Judges 11:1 – “Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty warrior, but he was the son of a prostitute. Gilead was the father of Jephthah.”
16. Jairus
- Meaning: “God enlightens”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Mark 5:22-23 – “Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet and implored him earnestly, saying, ‘My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.'”
17. Joab
- Meaning: “Yahweh is father”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Samuel 8:16 – “Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the army, and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder.”
18. Jubal
- Meaning: “Stream” or “ram’s horn”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: Genesis 4:21 – “His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.”
19. Jesse
- Meaning: “Gift” or “God’s gift”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 1 Samuel 16:1 – “The LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.'”
20. Jonatan (Variant of Jonathan)
- Meaning: “Yahweh has given”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 1 Samuel 14:6 – “Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.'”
21. Joash
- Meaning: “Yahweh has given” or “fire of Yahweh”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Kings 12:1-2 – “In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. And Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of the LORD all his days, because Jehoiada the priest instructed him.”
22. Jotham
- Meaning: “The LORD is perfect” or “the LORD is complete”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Kings 15:32-34 – “In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, Jotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign. He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha the daughter of Zadok. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah had done.”
23. Joram
- Meaning: “Yahweh is exalted”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Kings 8:16 – “In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign.”
24. Joah
- Meaning: “Yahweh is his brother”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 2 Kings 18:18 – “And when they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was over the household, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph, the recorder.”
25. Jehoshaphat
- Meaning: “Yahweh has judged”
- Origin: Hebrew
- Reference: 1 Kings 22:41 – “Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.”
Conclusion
These Biblical boy names that start with J are from the Old Testament and the New Testament. Each one of them has a profound impact on Christianity. With twenty-five names to choose from, there are many things to consider for your perfect baby name. If you want even more inspiration, check out our baby name generator and set the details to ‘first letter J’ for even more ideas!
