Bartholomew: This name comes from the Greek Bartholomaios, which means “son of Talmai,” an Aramic name meaning “hill” or “mound.” Bartholomew was the name of one of the 12 apostles. Cornelius: From the Latin word meaning “horn.” Cornelius was the first Gentile converted by Peter. James: A variant of Jacob. James was the older brother of John and one of the 12 disciples. He was also the first martyr among the apostles. Jason: Derived from a Greek word that means “to heal.” Jason was a relative of Paul. Jesus: The name is a Greek form of Joshua, and is, of course, the name of the son of God. John: This most popular name is derived from the Hebrew yehohanan, meaning “God is gracious.” Luke: Although no one’s exactly sure, Luke is thought to mean “from Lucanus,” a region of southern Italy. Luke was one of the four evangelists. Mark: From the Latin, meaning “warlike.” Mark was another of the four evangelists. Matthew: From the Hebrew mattithyah, meaning “gift of God.” Matthew was one of the 12 apostles. He changed his name from Levi when he answered the call to be a follower of Jesus. Matthias: Another of the 12 apostles; his name comes from the same name that Matthew does. Phillip: Phillip also was an apostle of Jesus. The name comes from the Greek word meaning “lover of horses.” Silas: This name comes from the Aramaic word that means “asked for.” Silas was a member of the early church who was, at one time, jailed with Paul for his beliefs. Stephen: It comes from the Greek stephanos (“crown” or “garland”). Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Simon: From the Hebrew word meaning “heard.” Simon carried the cross after Jesus buckled under its weight. Timothy: From the Greek words tim (“honor” or “respect”) and theos (“God”), meaning “honoring God.”
