Alternatives to Elijah

Akiva has a distinguished scholarly pedigree and a lovely meaning. Its softer sound is very on trend for masculine names at the moment and is in line with more familiar monikers like Ezra, Elijah and Theo.

This version of the name changes the nickname from Eli to Ali.

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite.

Benjamin is a biblical name that has enjoyed widespread favor for decades, ranking in the US Top 50 for almost half a century and the Top 10 from 2015 until 2023.

Now that such Old Testament patriarchs as Elijah and Moses fill the playground, Boaz seems downright baby-friendly, having more pizzazz than many of the others, perhaps as a successor to Noah.

Caleb is an attractive Old Testament name that has been in the US Top 100 for nearly three decades now. Consistently popular but never too popular, Caleb feels more like a classic than a momentary trend.

Daniel is one of only a handful of male names that sounds both classic and modern, strong yet approachable, and popular but not cliched. It also has a solid Old Testament pedigree. The only real downside: There are about 10,000 Daniels named each year, making it a less than distinctive choice.

Elatha is the god of the Moon in Irish mythology. The contemporary Irish spelling would be Ealadha.

Eleazar is a distinguished Biblical name--in which it appears several times-- ripe for the picking following the stardom of Eli, Elijah, and other similar names.

With its sharp, succinct sounds and cool, laidback style, Eli is a popular choice among parents today. Compact and punchy, it is a Biblical name with plenty of charm.

A multicultural appellation, found in Hebrew, Italian, and Zuni, this likable name made famous by director Elia Kazan's only problem is the feminine a ending. But then again, that never hurt Joshua.

This variation has the popular Eli (or for femalies Elli) prefix and nickname. Elian ranks in the Top 20 in Puerto Rico.

Strong, charismatic, and sleek, Elias has followed in the footsteps of Elijah and Eli to become a popular choice among parents today.

As a Welsh name, Elidor is a modern form of Elidur, an ancient British king name. It was used by British author Alan Garner for the eponymous hero of his children's fantasy novel Elidor (1965).

Ancient British king's name with a cool sound.

Eligius comes from the same root as the word eligible. St. Eligius was a 7th century bishop in France and is the patron of goldsmiths and metalworkers.