By Linda Rosenkrantz

　　Of the profusion of male names in the Old Testament, only 25 of them seem to have been consistently in the US Top 1000, year after year after year. And even those have fluctuated in popularity: a prime example being today’s Number one boy name Noah, which fell to as low as #693 in the early 1960s.

　　I thought it would be interesting to track these 25 names and trace the paths of their popularity from the time records started being kept, in 1880, beginning with current top-rated Noah and moving down to #878-ranked Reuben (which was far more common in 1880, at 147). I’ve also included the current Nameberry ranks, where Levi is tops at #16, to show where our community stands on this.

　　Noah

　　Current US rank: #1

　　High point: #1 since 2013, entered the Top 100 in 1995

　　Low point: 694 in 1963

　　Nameberry rank: 109

　　Benjamin

　　Current US rank: #6

　　High point: right now

　　Low point: 155 in 1960

　　Nameberry rank: 28

　　Jacob

　　Current US rank: #7

　　High point: was the top boy name in the US from 1999 to 2012

　　Low point: 368 in 1962

　　Nameberry rank: 53

　　Elijah

　　Current US rank: #9

　　High point: 2016, entered Top 100 in 1995

　　Low Point: 680 in 1968

　　Nameberry rank: 35

　　Daniel

　　Current rank: #13

　　High point: #5 in 1985 and 2007-08; always in the Top 100

　　Low point: 55 from 1914 to 1916

　　Nameberry rank: 67

　　David

　　Current rank: #19

　　High point: #1 in 1960

　　Low point: #33 in 1903

　　Nameberry rank: #90

　　Joseph

　　Current rank: #20

　　High point: #5 from 1912 to 1917; almost always in the Top 20

　　Low point: #22 In 2011

　　Nameberry rank: 78

　　Samuel

　　Current rank #21

　　High point: in 2005 and 2016

　　Low point: #91 in 1960, so always in the top 100

　　Nameberry rank: #60

　　Isaac

　　Current rank: 31

　　High point: #29 in 2013

　　Low point: #378 in 1967

　　Nameberry rank: #57

　　Joshua

　　Current rank: 35

　　High point: #3 from 2002 to 2006; entered Top 10 in 1979

　　Low point: 730 in 1929

　　Nameberry rank: 114

　　Levi

　　Current rank: #42

　　High point: 42 since 2015; entered Top 100 in 2009

　　Low point: 724 in 1965

　　Nameberry rank: 16

　　Nathan

　　Current rank: 43

　　High point: 20 in 2004-05

　　Low point: #273 in 1947

　　Nameberry rank: #95

　　Aaron

　　Current rank: #49

　　High point: 28 in 1994; entered Top 100 in 1968

　　Low point: 269 in 1945

　　Nameberry rank: 145

　　Eli

　　Current rank: #52

　　High point: #43 in 2013: entered Top 50 in 2012

　　Low point: 700 in 1964 and 1969

　　Nameberry rank: 45

　　Jonathan

　　Current rank: 56

　　High point: 15 in 1988; entered Top 100 in 1962

　　Low point: 843 in 1907

　　Nameberry rank: 68

　　Jeremiah

　　Current rank: 58

　　High point: 51 in 2010-11, re-entered Top 100 in 2001

　　Low point: 734 in 1965

　　Nameberry rank: 202

　　Adam

　　Current rank: #75

　　High point: #18, 1983-84, in the Top 100 since 1970

　　Low point: #428 in 1954

　　Nameberry rank: 93

　　Abraham

　　Current rank: 158

　　Highest point: 124 in 1911

　　Low point: 499 in 1967

　　Nameberry rank: 354

　　Joel

　　Current rank: 166

　　Highest point: 65 in 1981

　　Low point: 380 in 1900

　　Nameberry rank: 257

　　Jesse

　　Current rank: 174

　　High point: 26 in 1882 and 1887

　　Low point: 178 in 2015

　　Nameberry rank: 599

　　Simon

　　Current rank: 243

　　High point: 139 in 1886

　　Low point: 556 in 1965

　　Nameberry rank: 81

　　Seth

　　Current rank: 307

　　High point: 63 in 2000

　　Low point: 905 in 1930

　　Nameberry rank: 347

　　Solomon

　　Current rank: 369

　　High point: 196 in 1880

　　Low point: 712 in 1963

　　Nameberry rank: 197

　　Moses

　　Current rank: 462

　　Highest point: 119 in 1880

　　Lowest point: 600 in 1964

　　Nameberry rank: 445

　　Reuben

　　Current rank: 878

　　Highest point: 147 in 1880

　　Low point: 995 in 2010

　　Nameberry rank: 119

　　Note: Saul was only briefly off the list. If I’ve missed any names that have been on consistently since 1880, I’m sure you’ll let me know!

　　If you’re wondering about the female names in the Old Testament—a much smaller number– only ten have had a constant presence in the Top 1000:

　　Hannah—now #33, #2 from 1998 to 2000

　　Leah—now 37

　　Sarah—57–#3 in 1993

　　Naomi—74

　　Rachel—173–#9 in 1996

　　Esther—183

　　Rebecca—207–#10 in 1973-74

　　Miriam—293

　　Deborah—815–#2 in 1955!

　　Judith—889–#4 in 1940