New research from Melior Mundus explores the faith, history, and cultural traditions behind some of America’s most popular baby names, with Noah taking the top spot.
Here at Greatful Moments, we believe that faith, family, and the memories we pass down through generations are part of what makes life meaningful. Sometimes those connections show up in the stories we tell, the traditions we keep, and even the names we choose for our children.
A name can be something we simply love the sound of. It can honor a grandparent, remind us of someone special, reflect our faith, or connect us to a family history that stretches back generations.
That is one reason a new study examining America’s most popular baby names with religious origins and associations caught my attention. When I received the research from Melior Mundus, I immediately started thinking about familiar names such as Noah, Elijah, Benjamin, Grace, David, Samuel, Joseph, Elizabeth, and Gabriel.
These are names many of us recognize. Some appear throughout the Bible, while others have traveled through different languages and cultures before becoming familiar choices for today’s parents.
I wanted to learn more about what inspired the research, how the names were selected, and what the findings might tell us about the stories and meanings behind the names families choose.
After reaching out with five questions, I received responses from a Melior Mundus spokesperson through Freya Keeping, Digital PR Executive. I’m pleased to share the study’s findings and the answers to those questions with our Greatful Moments readers.
About Melior Mundus and the Research
Melior Mundus is a website focused on helping people around the world maintain a personal connection to places where their faith first began.
For this study, the organization examined data from the Social Security Administration’s popular baby names rankings, looking at names given to American babies between 2020 and 2025.
Rather than limiting the research to names appearing directly in the Bible, the study also considered names associated with religious figures, traditions, and meanings, including variations that developed across languages and cultures.
The research examined 129 names to produce its ranking. Different spellings and variations were counted separately, following the original Social Security Administration data.
The findings offer an interesting starting point for exploring how religious and cultural history can remain part of modern naming traditions, even when parents aren’t necessarily thinking about those connections when they choose a name.
You can learn more about the organization at Melior Mundus and explore the underlying naming data through the Social Security Administration’s baby names statistics.
America’s Top 10 Baby Names With Religious Origins and Associations
According to the Melior Mundus study, Noah leads the ranking, with 116,024 babies receiving the name between 2020 and 2025.
Sophia comes in second, followed by James and Elijah. The list includes names with direct biblical connections alongside names whose histories and meanings connect them to religious traditions in less obvious ways.
Here are the study’s top 10 names and reported totals.
Rank
Baby name
Babies named, 2020–2025
1
Noah
116,024
2
Sophia
74,758
3
James
72,523
4
Elijah
72,049
5
Isabella
67,643
6
Lucas
65,795
7
Theodore
65,579
8
Benjamin
64,922
9
Mateo
62,272
10
Levi
57,122
Source: Melior Mundus study using Social Security Administration baby-name data. These are the study’s selected names with religious origins or associations, not the overall ranking of every American baby name.
The difference between first and second place is particularly striking. Noah leads Sophia by 41,266 registrations during the six-year period covered by the study.
But the numbers are only part of the story. The origins and associations behind these names provide another reason to look beyond the rankings.
My Written Q&A With Melior Mundus
I asked the organization five questions about the inspiration behind the study, the way names were evaluated, and what the findings might mean for parents choosing names today.
Question 1: What inspired Melior Mundus to look specifically at religious origins and connotations when examining America’s most popular baby names?
Melior Mundus responded:
“Melior Mundus is a site that helps people from around the world to maintain a personal connection to the places where their faith first began. This is why the study sought to demonstrate how religious naming trends remain so prominent in 2026.
“Religion has played an important role in naming traditions for centuries, and we wanted to explore just how much of that influence can still be seen in the names parents are choosing today.
“Many of America’s most recognisable baby names have fascinating religious histories, even when their spiritual connections may not be immediately obvious.”
Question 2: How did you determine whether a name qualified as having a religious origin or connotation, particularly with names whose religious connection may not be immediately obvious to modern parents?
Melior Mundus responded:
“When identifying names for the study, the study examined each name’s historical origins, meanings and associations with religious texts, figures and traditions.
“This included names that appear directly in the Bible, such as Noah, Elijah and Benjamin, as well as names with connections to religious figures, such as Sophia, which has associations with Saint Sophia and the Christian concept of divine wisdom.
“The study also considers names that have evolved across different languages and cultures. For example, Isabella is a variation of Elizabeth, while Mateo is the Spanish form of Matthew. Although these names may sound quite different today, their histories can be traced back to established religious naming traditions.
“This means that the study ultimately reflects the broader influence of religion on naming conventions, rather than limiting the research exclusively to names that appear directly in religious texts.”
Question 3: Noah has a very large lead over the other names in your ranking. What do you think has contributed to its continued popularity?
Melior Mundus responded:
“One of the most interesting findings was just how far ahead Noah sits in the ranking, with 116,024 babies given the name between 2020 and 2025.
“The name has obvious biblical connotations. However, Noah is a name that appeals to families regardless of its religious history, which is why it has remained such a popular name in recent years.
“It’s an incredibly versatile name, with connotations of both strength and comfort.
“It’s a great example of how a name can maintain its religious significance while also feeling contemporary and accessible to modern parents.”
Question 4: Were there any names in the top 50 that surprised you or that you found particularly interesting during the research?
Melior Mundus responded:
“One of the most interesting aspects of the research was seeing just how many familiar, modern-sounding names have religious connections that aren’t necessarily obvious at first glance.
“For example, Sophia ranks second in the study, with 74,758 babies given the name Sophia between 2020 and 2025. Although Sophia may not immediately strike people as a religious name, its meaning of ‘wisdom’ has strong theological associations within Christianity, particularly through the concept of divine wisdom.
“High-ranking names such as Theodore are also particularly interesting. Theodore ranks seventh in the study, with 65,579 babies receiving the name during the six-year period. Its ancient Greek origins give it the meaning ‘gift of God’, something many parents may not necessarily realise.
“Another interesting finding was the presence of different variations of the same religious names. For example, both Sophia and Sofia feature in the top 50, illustrating how naming traditions can evolve across languages while retaining their historical significance.
“These examples demonstrate just how deeply religious influences are woven into names that many people now associate primarily with modern naming trends.”
Question 5: What do you hope parents take away from seeing the religious history and meaning behind names that may otherwise simply feel like popular modern baby names?
Melior Mundus responded:
“Ultimately, the study reflects just how important cultural history and symbolic connotations are when it comes to choosing a newborn’s name.
“Understanding where a name comes from can add another layer of meaning to that decision. Names such as Noah, Sophia and Theodore carry histories that stretch back centuries, connecting modern families to traditions, cultures and stories that have been passed down through generations.”
Looking Beyond the Rankings: The Stories Behind the Names
One of the most interesting parts of this study is the reminder that a name can carry more than one kind of meaning.
Noah: A Biblical Story That Continues to Resonate
Noah is associated with the biblical account of the ark, the flood, and the preservation of Noah’s family and the animals. The Hebrew name is commonly connected with rest or comfort.
The study recorded 116,024 babies named Noah between 2020 and 2025, putting it well ahead of the other names in the religious-origin ranking.
What I find interesting is that a name with such a recognizable biblical history can also feel familiar and contemporary to parents who may be drawn to its sound as much as its meaning.
Sophia: The Connection to Wisdom
Sophia comes from the Greek word for wisdom and has a long history in Christian thought, including associations with divine wisdom.
With 74,758 registrations in the study, Sophia placed second. Its popularity illustrates how a name can have a spiritual or historical dimension that isn’t necessarily the first thing people think about when they hear it.
James: A Name With Deep Biblical Connections
James has a long history in Christian naming traditions and is associated with several important figures in the New Testament. Its linguistic history is connected to Jacob, a major figure in the Old Testament.
The study recorded 72,523 babies named James during the period examined.
Elijah: A Name Rooted in Faith
Elijah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible whose name is commonly understood to mean “My God is Yahweh.”
The name appears in Jewish and Christian traditions and has remained a familiar choice for families. Melior Mundus recorded 72,049 babies named Elijah between 2020 and 2025.
Isabella: A Variation With a Longer History
Isabella is a form of Elizabeth, a name traditionally associated with the meaning “God is my oath.”
Its place in the ranking demonstrates how names can change in form and pronunciation while maintaining connections to older naming traditions.
Theodore: A Meaning That May Surprise Parents
Theodore comes from Greek elements meaning “God” and “gift.” Its traditional meaning is “gift of God.”
The study recorded 65,579 babies named Theodore, placing it seventh. It’s a good example of a name whose religious association may not be immediately obvious to everyone who encounters it.
Benjamin and Levi: Familiar Names From the Bible
Benjamin is the youngest son of Jacob and Rachel in the biblical account in Genesis. The name is traditionally associated with the meaning “son of the right hand.”
Levi is another name rooted in the Hebrew Bible, where Levi is one of Jacob’s sons. The name is commonly associated with being joined or attached.
Both names continue to be familiar choices for modern families, showing how names from ancient texts can remain part of everyday life.
Mateo and Lucas: Names That Travel Across Cultures
Mateo is the Spanish form of Matthew, a name connected to the apostle Matthew and traditionally interpreted as “gift of God.”
Lucas is associated with the name Luke, familiar to Christians through the Gospel of Luke and the New Testament.
These names illustrate an important point in the study: naming traditions do not remain fixed in one language or one culture. They travel, evolve, and take on forms that feel natural to families in different parts of the world.
What the Research Can—and Cannot—Tell Us
The Melior Mundus study offers an interesting look at the intersection of naming traditions, cultural history, and religious meaning.
Its methodology includes names appearing directly in religious texts, names associated with religious figures, and names whose meanings have religious significance. It also counts spelling variations separately.
That distinction matters. Sophia and Sofia, for example, appear as separate entries. The study is therefore a ranking of selected names and their registrations, not a count of how many parents consciously chose a name because of their faith.
The Social Security Administration data provides the underlying registration figures. The decision about which names qualify as having religious origins or associations comes from the study’s own selection criteria.
A name’s appearance on this list does not tell us what inspired an individual family. Some parents may choose a name because of a Bible story or a beloved family member. Others may appreciate its meaning, cultural background, sound, or popularity.
The research gives us a reason to ask questions and learn more, rather than assume we know the story behind every name.
My Final Thoughts: Names Can Carry Faith, Family, and Memories
As I think about this study, I keep coming back to the idea that the things we pass down through generations are not always objects we can hold in our hands.
Sometimes they are stories. Sometimes they are traditions. Sometimes they are lessons our parents taught us, and sometimes they are the names we give our children and grandchildren.
Faith has an important place in many families, and names can be one way that connection continues. A biblical name may remind someone of a favorite passage of Scripture, a person who helped shape their faith, or a family member they want to honor.
But a name can also carry meaning for someone whose reasons for choosing it are entirely different.
That is what makes this study interesting to me. It reminds us that familiar names can have histories we haven’t explored, and that learning about those histories can open the door to conversations about our families, our traditions, and the things that matter to us.
I also think it’s important to remember that a child’s name doesn’t have to be popular to be meaningful. The name a family chooses may reflect faith, love, remembrance, culture, or simply a feeling that it is the right name for their child.
Here at Greatful Moments, we believe there is value in those personal connections. Whether a name comes directly from the Bible, has traveled through generations of different languages, or has a meaning that surprises us, it can become part of a family’s own story.
Now I’d love to hear from you.
Does your name have a special meaning or a connection to your faith or family history? Were you named after a parent, grandparent, or someone important in your family’s life? And when you chose names for your own children, did their meanings play a part in your decision?
Share your story with us. Sometimes the most meaningful part of a name isn’t what we find in a ranking, but the memories and love that our families attach to it. Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
Research Sources
The study and written responses were provided by Melior Mundus. The underlying name-registration data is available from the Social Security Administration’s Popular Baby Names statistics. The rankings and totals above are attributed to the Melior Mundus study, which selected 129 names based on its stated criteria for religious origins and associations.
Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.
GratefulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
