Bible names again

Some bible names have been popular in puritan times and in the US but less so in the UK.  But they are coming back into fashion in recent years. 
Joel is one such name…  It means “Yah is God” and there are several bible character with the name.  There is also a “female” version which has become more popular, Joelle or Joely…
Jeremy is quote a well-liked name, which is derived from the biblical Jeremiah.   This means “exalted by God”.  It can be abbreviated to Jerry or Jem…
Joseph is one of best known bible names.  There is Joseph the husband of Mary, who is important in the New Testament, and Joseph the son of Jacob... who has the Coat of Many colours... Joseph’s adventures in Egypt are well known to those who have seen the Lloyd Webber musical…The name means “God may add” with the implication that God gave this child as an addition to Jacob’s large family…
The name has always been popular in the UK and can be abbreviated to Joe, or Joey, or Jos…  The feminine version is Josephine…
Jonathan means gift of God and has become very popular.  It is the name of King David’s close friend.  It can be abbreviated to Jon or sometimes Jonty.
John is one of the most popular names of all time.. and is the name of Jesus’ “beloved disciple”.  It has always been well known. Diminutives include Johnny, or Jack or Jan.
Jared is a lesser known bible name. It may mean “descent”, some say that it means “Rose”.  It is the name of one of Adams descendants, and was taken up by Puritans in the 17^th Century.  It is more likely to be used in America. 

Lucius is a somewhat unusual bible name; it means “light” add is mentioned as the name of 2 early Christians in the New Testament.  It was never very popular but in the form Luke or Lucas it has become more common in recent years.

Mark is a Latinate name from Marcus, and is the name of one of the Gospel Authors.  It has always been used…and is also common in Cornwall because  it is the name of King Mark, the king of Cornwall…in Arthurian legend.  Mark is a somewhat unsympathetic character, but the name is now well liked. 

Matthew is the name of the author of the first Gospel, and means in Hebrew “gift of God”.  It has become more and more popular in recent years. Matthias is a form of the name which is also used in the New Testament as the name of the apostle who replaced Judas….

Michael is the name of an Archangel and so was not so popular after the Reformation when names of saints and angels went out of fashion, to be replaced by the names of bible characters and virtue names… Its abbreviated to Mike or Mickey.