Biblical Baby Names:
A Conversation with
Judith Tropea
Baby Names Garden: The subtitle of your book
is “Timeless Names For Modern Parents.” Why is it important that a name
be “timeless”?
Judith: A name lasts a lifetime, and as we
all know, trends change through the course of one’s life. A timeless name
will last with your baby forever, without grouping him/her together with the slew
of other “Alexis’s” from the 80s, or “Brittany’s”
from the 90’s or whatever other decade your baby was born. A timeless name
never goes out of fashion, and is one that will stand through your child’s
life without preconceived notions as to what that child should be.
Baby Names Garden: In your introduction, you
state that “the Bible is a rich resource waiting to be mined.” Why do
you think it has not been deeply mined so far?
Judith: Some of the names in the Bible may
be considered unusual, and until recent years, people in the general population
tended to stay away from uncommon names. In the last decade or so, people have become
more accepting of names that stray a bit from the ordinary, and in fact, many parents
are specifically looking for names that will help their children stand apart.
Baby Names Garden: In 2005, the top 10 names
for boys (SSA data) included no less than 8 biblical names. For girls, the number
was 2 out of 10. This discrepancy has been fairly consistent for many years. Why
do you think boys’ names tend to be more biblical, and girls’ less so?
Judith: Frankly, there are more choices for
boys’ names in the Bible so there is a larger variety of biblical boys’
names for parents to choose from.
Baby Names Garden: You provide a great deal
of information for each name in your book. In that regard, what is the difference
between “meaning” and “spiritual connotation”?
Judith: The “meaning” is the literal
translated meaning of the word or name from the original language. The “spiritual
connotation” is what the name has come to mean in the context of the story
or its use in the Bible.
Baby Names Garden: Why did you feel it was
important to give the “background story” with each name?
Judith: I thought the background story would
be helpful for parents who are trying to choose a name of spiritual importance,
so they can see where the name originally came from, and what reference there is
to it in the Bible. Having the whole story gives a better dimension to the name
than simply saying, it means a single thing.
Baby Names Garden: For the last 50 years or
so, Adam has never been out of the top 100 names in the U.S. Eve, on the other hand,
has never made it into the top 500. Why do you think that is?
Judith: It’s hard to say, but I would
guess it may be because Eve is not really looked upon with the same kind of forgiveness
as Adam. Eve is the one who fell first, by simply entering the discussion with Satan
and is often viewed upon as almost an accomplice to Adam’s fall. So, perhaps
people shy away from the name because of the connotation of a temptress who wreaked
a lot of havoc for mankind.
Baby Names Garden: Can you pick 3 biblical
boys’ names, and 3 girls’, that you feel would be appropriate for modern
parents, that are presently largely overlooked or forgotten?
Judith:
Boys: Asher; Barak; Jakim
Girls: Dannah, Ivah, Zaccai .
Baby Names Garden: If you had to pick one reason
why a biblical name can be such a wonderful gift to a baby, what would that reason
be?
Judith: A biblical name gives a baby a connection
to spirituality that may be a springboard to finding spirituality later in life.
Baby Names Garden: If prospective parents are
expecting twin boys, what biblical names might you suggest? Twin girls? Boy and
girl?
Judith:
Twin boys: Bartholomew and Nathaneal
Twin girls: Cassia and Myra
Boy and Girl: Noah and Calah
Baby Names Garden: You have obviously done
a great deal of research for your book. Are you a student of the bible first, or
a student of names, or both?
Judith: I have been a student of the bible
first, and subsequently my interest in names led to this book.
Baby Names Garden: What do you feel is most
unique about your book, compared to other biblical naming books?
Judith:This book provides a wealth of background
information on each name, and where it appears in the bible that gives parents a
more substantial frame of reference for the name than what is given in other books.
Baby Names Garden: Among all the biblical names,
what are some of your personal favorites?
Judith:
Boys: Adin; Darius; Gabriel
Girls: Bethany; Calah; Rachel
You may also want to see our page about Biblical baby
names, for a list of suggestions of biblical boy's and girl's names."