8 standout rare Biblical girl names
These names combine a clear cultural or linguistic connection with current U.S. rarity.
Atarah
An Old Testament woman’s name associated with “crown,” uncommon but highly usable in modern English.
2025 U.S.: 69 births · #2,545Peak: 2018 · 141 births
Apphia
A woman addressed in the New Testament letter to Philemon, with extremely low U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 32 births · #4,365Peak: 2025 · 32 births
Damaris
A woman named in Acts, familiar enough to read but still well outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 150 births · #1,437Peak: 2006 · 483 births
Keturah
The name of Abraham’s wife after Sarah, distinctive and very rare in current U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 28 births · #4,819Peak: 1992 · 96 births
Shiphrah
One of the Hebrew midwives in Exodus, exceptionally rare but strongly rooted in the biblical text.
2025 U.S.: 7 births · #12,986Peak: 2023 · 10 births
Tirzah
A biblical female name also associated with a place name, compact and genuinely uncommon.
2025 U.S.: 62 births · #2,775Peak: 2017 · 71 births
Zipporah
The wife of Moses in Exodus, recognizable from scripture yet still rare in U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 83 births · #2,238Peak: 2018 · 86 births
Junia
A woman named in Romans, increasingly discussed but still rare in current U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 96 births · #1,998Peak: 2025 · 96 births
31 rare names to explore
Rare Old Testament girl names
These names belong to women named in the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament and remain uncommon in current U.S. use.
Abiah
A biblical name used for both sexes in the Old Testament, exceptionally rare for U.S. girls today.
2025 U.S.: 8 births · #10,923Peak: 2021 · 13 births
Adah
An Old Testament name with a very short, vintage form and a current rank well outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 110 births · #1,818Peak: 2020 · 121 births
Atarah
An Old Testament woman’s name associated with “crown,” uncommon but highly usable in modern English.
2025 U.S.: 69 births · #2,545Peak: 2018 · 141 births
Bathsheba
A major Old Testament name with a dramatic history and no published 2025 U.S. count.
2025 U.S.: no published countPeak: 1977 · 18 births
Bilhah
An Old Testament woman’s name that is almost never used in current U.S. birth records.
2025 U.S.: no published count
Bithiah
An Old Testament name traditionally associated with a daughter of Pharaoh, with only a handful of U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 8 births · #11,107Peak: 2024 · 19 births
Dinah
A daughter of Jacob and Leah in Genesis; familiar historically but rare in current U.S. naming.
2025 U.S.: 34 births · #4,198Peak: 1955 · 346 births
Jemima
One of Job’s daughters, with a gentle vintage sound and low U.S. usage.
2025 U.S.: 43 births · #3,544Peak: 2018 · 64 births
Keturah
The name of Abraham’s wife after Sarah, distinctive and very rare in current U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 28 births · #4,819Peak: 1992 · 96 births
Michal
A daughter of Saul and wife of David in the Old Testament, rare as a female name in the U.S.
2025 U.S.: 33 births · #4,320Peak: 1985 · 90 births
Shiphrah
One of the Hebrew midwives in Exodus, exceptionally rare but strongly rooted in the biblical text.
2025 U.S.: 7 births · #12,986Peak: 2023 · 10 births
Tirzah
A biblical female name also associated with a place name, compact and genuinely uncommon.
2025 U.S.: 62 births · #2,775Peak: 2017 · 71 births
Zipporah
The wife of Moses in Exodus, recognizable from scripture yet still rare in U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 83 births · #2,238Peak: 2018 · 86 births
Zillah
An early Genesis name with a crisp modern sound despite its ancient source.
2025 U.S.: 15 births · #7,485Peak: 2024 · 20 births
Milcah
An Old Testament woman’s name that is almost absent from modern U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 7 births · #12,751Peak: 2021 · 18 births
Serah
A daughter of Asher named in Genesis, compact and exceptionally rare.
2025 U.S.: 16 births · #7,089Peak: 2018 · 41 births
Asenath
Joseph’s wife in Genesis, ancient and distinctive with very low current U.S. usage.
2025 U.S.: 11 births · #8,935Peak: 1941 · 40 births
Jochebed
The mother of Moses, Aaron and Miriam, with only a small number of published U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 14 births · #7,656Peak: 2019 · 15 births
Vashti
The queen named at the beginning of Esther, strong in sound and genuinely rare in the U.S.
2025 U.S.: 12 births · #8,823Peak: 1922 · 40 births
Athaliah
An Old Testament royal name that remains far outside the U.S. mainstream.
2025 U.S.: 83 births · #2,217Peak: 2025 · 83 births
Jael
A woman in Judges whose story is memorable and complex; the name remains outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 157 births · #1,393Peak: 2012 · 206 births
Rare New Testament girl names
These names appear in the New Testament and are much less familiar today than names such as Mary, Elizabeth or Lydia.
Apphia
A woman addressed in the New Testament letter to Philemon, with extremely low U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 32 births · #4,365Peak: 2025 · 32 births
Damaris
A woman named in Acts, familiar enough to read but still well outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 150 births · #1,437Peak: 2006 · 483 births
Dorcas
The Greek name of Tabitha in Acts, historically established and now genuinely uncommon.
2025 U.S.: 36 births · #4,002Peak: 1923 · 142 births
Lois
The grandmother of Timothy in the New Testament, once familiar but now relatively rare.
2025 U.S.: 124 births · #1,670Peak: 1927 · 10,505 births
Persis
A woman greeted in Romans, short and exceptionally rare in modern U.S. birth data.
2025 U.S.: 5 births · #16,680Peak: 1918 · 19 births
Salome
A New Testament name with long historical use and a 2025 rank just outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 239 births · #1,042Peak: 2024 · 275 births
Sapphira
A woman named in Acts; the name is dramatic, recognizable and still rare in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 43 births · #3,567Peak: 2018 · 62 births
Tryphena
A woman greeted in Romans, with no published 2025 U.S. count under the exact spelling.
2025 U.S.: no published countPeak: 1980 · 8 births
Junia
A woman named in Romans, increasingly discussed but still rare in current U.S. births.
2025 U.S.: 96 births · #1,998Peak: 2025 · 96 births
Tabitha
The Aramaic name of the woman also called Dorcas in Acts, familiar but outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
2025 U.S.: 171 births · #1,308Peak: 1978 · 2,309 births
The data line uses the exact spelling shown. “No published 2025 count” can mean the spelling had zero births or fewer than five, because SSA does not publish counts below five.
Rarity check
Biblical girl names that are not rare in the U.S.
These are important biblical or biblical-tradition names, but each ranked inside the 2025 U.S. Top 1,000 and is therefore separated from the rare list.
Abigail
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 4,941 births · #41Peak: 2003 · 15,932 births
Naomi
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 4,644 births · #47Peak: 2025 · 4,644 births
Leah
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 3,880 births · #58Peak: 2009 · 6,790 births
Esther
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 2,277 births · #119Peak: 1918 · 6,574 births
Ruth
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 1,781 births · #173Peak: 1920 · 26,102 births
Phoebe
A Titan name in Greek mythology with strong modern usage.
2025 U.S.: 1,885 births · #157Peak: 2025 · 1,885 births
Selah
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 1,416 births · #216Peak: 2025 · 1,416 births
Hadassah
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 529 births · #570Peak: 2024 · 577 births
Priscilla
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 555 births · #544Peak: 1942 · 1,988 births
Mara
A distinctive choice worth saying aloud with your surname.
2025 U.S.: 499 births · #589Peak: 2021 · 568 births
Origin and pronunciation notes
Names can move between languages, spellings and regions. These notes focus on established associations and common English-language pronunciations, while acknowledging that family and regional usage can differ.
Atarah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; a woman named in 1 Chronicles
- Common pronunciation
- ah-TAH-rah
Often associated with the Hebrew word for “crown.”
Dinah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; daughter of Jacob and Leah
- Common pronunciation
- DYE-nah
A historically familiar biblical name that is much rarer today than many people assume.
Keturah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; wife of Abraham after Sarah
- Common pronunciation
- keh-TOO-rah
A substantial biblical choice with very low current U.S. usage.
Shiphrah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; one of the Hebrew midwives in Exodus
- Common pronunciation
- SHIF-rah
A direct biblical name that remains exceptionally rare.
Tirzah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; a daughter of Zelophehad
- Common pronunciation
- TEER-zah
A compact biblical choice associated with delight or pleasantness.
Zipporah
- Origin or association
- Old Testament; wife of Moses
- Common pronunciation
- zi-POR-ah
An ancient name with a memorable sound and a clear biblical story.
Junia
- Origin or association
- New Testament; a woman named in Romans 16
- Common pronunciation
- JOO-nee-a
Short, readable and still uncommon enough to feel distinctive.
Tabitha
- Origin or association
- New Testament; the woman also called Dorcas in Acts
- Common pronunciation
- TAB-i-tha
An established biblical name with more familiarity than its current U.S. rank suggests.
Pronunciations can vary by language, region and family. We include origin or meaning details only when the association is well established; see our research standards.
Biblical does not automatically mean familiar
The Bible contains far more female names than the small group that dominates modern baby-name lists. Many direct scriptural names now sit far outside the U.S. Top 1,000.
The story matters more than a simplified meaning
Some biblical figures have complicated or difficult stories. We recommend reading the relevant passage before choosing a name rather than relying on a one-line baby-name summary.
Variants and modern spellings need clear labels
This page prioritizes names directly tied to biblical women. Popular modern biblical names are separated so “rare” remains a measurable claim.
Posy's hidden gem
Tirzah
Ancient, compact and genuinely uncommon, with a direct Old Testament connection.
More names to explore
Sources for this guide
We use these references for popularity, language, origin or historical context. External sources open in a new tab.
Questions parents ask
What are some rare Biblical girl names?
Atarah, Apphia, Damaris, Keturah, Shiphrah, Tirzah, Zipporah, Junia and Vashti are all established biblical names outside the 2025 U.S. Top 1,000.
Are all Biblical girl names religious in modern use?
Not necessarily. Some families choose them for faith reasons, while others are drawn to history, family tradition, literature or sound.
Which familiar Biblical names are not rare?
Abigail, Naomi, Leah, Esther, Ruth, Phoebe, Selah, Hadassah, Priscilla and Mara all ranked inside the 2025 U.S. Top 1,000.