Yared יָרֶד m Biblical Hebrew, EthiopianHebrew form of
Jared. This form is also used in Ethiopia. It was borne by a semi-legendary 6th-century Ethiopian musician who is considered a saint in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Yeshua יֵשׁוּעַ m Biblical Hebrew, Ancient AramaicContracted form of
Yehoshuaʿ (see
Joshua) used in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible. The form was also used in Aramaic, and was most likely the name represented by Greek
Iesous (see
Jesus) in the New Testament. This means it was probably the real name of Jesus.
Zaccai זַכָּי m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
זַכָּי (Zakkai) meaning
"pure". This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Zacchaeus Ζακχαῖος m BiblicalFrom
Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of
Zaccai. According to the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of
Jesus, then gave half of his possessions to charity.
Zachariah m English, BiblicalVariant of
Zechariah. This spelling is used in the King James Version of the Old Testament to refer to one of the kings of Israel (called Zechariah in other versions).
Zachary m English, BiblicalUsual English form of
Zacharias, used in some English versions of the New Testament. This form has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. It was borne by American military commander and president Zachary Taylor (1784-1850).
Zadok צָדוֹק m BiblicalMeans
"righteous" in Hebrew. This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, most notably the high priest of Israel during the reigns of
David and
Solomon. Solomon was anointed by Zadok.
Zalmon צַלְמוֹן m BiblicalMeans
"shady" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of
David's mighty men in the Old Testament.
Zebadiah זְבַדְיָה m BiblicalMeans
"Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from
זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Zebidah זְבִידָה f BiblicalDerived from Hebrew
זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament she is a wife of King
Josiah of Judah and the mother of
Jehoiakim. Her name is spelled as
Zebudah in some translations.
Zebudah זְבִידָה f BiblicalVariant of
Zebidah found in some versions of the Old Testament (including the King James Version).
Zebulun זְבוּלֻן m BiblicalDerived from Hebrew
זְבוּל (zevul) meaning
"exalted house". In the Old Testament Zebulun is the tenth son of
Jacob (his sixth son by
Leah) and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Genesis 30:20 connects the name to the related verb
זָבַל (zaval), translated as "exalt, honour" or "dwell with" in different versions of the Bible, when Leah says
my husband will exalt/dwell with me.
Zechariah זְכַרְיָה m Biblical, EnglishFrom the Hebrew name
זְכַרְיָה (Zeḵarya) meaning
"Yahweh remembers", from the roots
זָכַר (zaḵar) meaning "to remember" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of
John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form
Zacharias or the English form
Zachary. As an English given name,
Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּהוּ m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsiḏqiyyahu) meaning
"Yahweh is righteousness", from
צֶדֶק (tseḏeq) meaning "justice, righteousness" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the last king of Judah.
Zelophehad צְלָפְחָד m BiblicalPossibly means either
"first born" or
"shadow from terror" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Zelophehad is a man who dies while the Israelites are wandering in the wilderness, leaving five daughters as heirs.
Zephaniah צְפַנְיָה m BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
צְפַנְיָה (Tsefanya) meaning
"Yahweh has hidden", derived from
צָפַן (tsafan) meaning "to hide" and
יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Zephaniah.
Zerah זֵרַח m BiblicalMeans
"dawning, shining" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of
Judah and the twin of
Perez in the Old Testament.
Zeruiah צְרוּיָה f BiblicalFrom Hebrew
צֳרִי (tsori) meaning
"balm, salve". In the Old Testament this name belongs to the sister of King
David and the mother of
Abishai,
Joab and Asahel.
Ziba 2 צִיבָה m BiblicalMeans
"station" in Hebrew. This is the name of a servant of
Saul in the Old Testament.
Zibiah צִבְיָה f BiblicalMeans
"female gazelle" in Hebrew, the feminine form of the word
צְבִי (tsevi). In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of King
Joash of Judah.
Zillah צִלָּה f BiblicalMeans
"shade" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the second wife of
Lamech.
Zilpah זִלְפָּה f BiblicalMeans
"frailty" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the handmaid who was given to
Jacob by
Leah.
Zimri זִמְרִי m Biblical, Biblical HebrewProbably means
"my music" in Hebrew, a possessive form of
זִמְרָה (zimra) meaning "music, song". This was the name of a king of Israel according to the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army
Omri. Another Zimri in the Old Testament was the lover of the Midianite woman
Cozbi.
Zion צִיוֹן m Jewish, BiblicalFrom the name of a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem. Zion is also used to refer to a Jewish homeland and to heaven.
Zuriel צוּרִיאֵל m BiblicalMeans
"my rock is God" in Hebrew, derived from
צוּר (tsur) meaning "rock" and
אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a chief of the Merarite Levites at the time of the Exodus.