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Name at a glance

Moses

Moses is traditionally connected with being drawn out of water.

Ranked #515 in US baby names in 2025, peaked at #119 in 1880, stable over the past 5 years.

Moses is remembered as the leader of the Exodus, the giver of the law, and one of the central figures of the Old Testament.

Browse namesRead the story of Moses
OriginHebrew and Egyptian context
GenderBoy
FeelDelivering
PronunciationMOH-ziz

Is Moses biblical?

Yes

Biblical status Direct biblical person

Moses is a named person in Scripture, the Exodus leader and lawgiver who received the Ten Commandments at Sinai.

Is Moses a Christian name?

Yes

Christian tradition Foundational, across traditions

Moses stands as the greatest Old Testament figure across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, and Reformed traditions, with centuries of Jewish and Christian naming use.

Plain answer

Moses is one of the central figures of the Old Testament and a foundational Christian name used across all major traditions.

Confidence High Last reviewed July 19, 2026 How this works

Meaning

The meaning of Moses

Moses is explained in Exodus through the idea of being drawn out of water. Scholars also discuss Egyptian background for the name, so the best explanation keeps both the biblical naming note and the wider ancient context in view.

Sound

How to pronounce Moses

Phonetic
MOH-ziz
IPA
/ˈmoʊzɪz/

2 syllables · stress: MOH-ziz · ends in a consonant

Forms

Variants and nicknames

Alternate spellings

  • Mose
  • Moishe
  • Moshe
  • Moisés
  • Musa
  • Mosè

Short forms and nicknames

  • Mo
  • Moe

Languages

Moses in other languages

Hebrew
מֹשֶׁהMoshe
Greek
ΜωϋσῆςMōusēs
Latin
Moses
Spanish
Moisés
French
Moïse
German
Moses
Italian
Mosè
Russian
МоисейMoisey
Arabic
مُوسَىMusa

Christian background

Christian and biblical background

Moses is central to Christian reading of the Old Testament because his story shapes themes of deliverance, covenant, law, wilderness, and mediation. The New Testament often refers back to Moses when speaking about Scripture and the law.

Scripture

The biblical figure

Moses is rescued as a child, called by God at the burning bush, leads Israel out of Egypt, receives the law, and guides the people through the wilderness.

Read the full story of Moses in the Bible

Bearers

Notable people named Moses

  • biblical

    MosesHebrew prophet, lawgiver, and leader of Israel's exodus from Egypt; recipient of the Ten Commandments at Sinai

  • historical

    Moses MaimonidesSephardi Jewish philosopher, jurist, and physician, author of the Mishneh Torah and Guide for the Perplexed, 1138 to 1204

  • historical

    Moses MendelssohnGerman Jewish Enlightenment philosopher, 1729 to 1786

  • modern

    Moses MaloneAmerican NBA Hall of Fame center and three-time MVP, 1955 to 2015

  • historical

    Anna Mary Robertson MosesAmerican folk painter known as Grandma Moses, who painted Hoosick Falls landscapes after age seventy-eight, 1860 to 1961

Saint

Holy Prophet Moses

Traditions
Orthodox, Catholic

Moses is widely commemorated in Orthodox tradition, where he appears alongside Elijah in the iconography of the Transfiguration.

Naming history

Naming tradition and history

Moses has long been used in Jewish and Christian naming, though in English it feels more distinctive than names like Daniel or Joseph. Moshe remains the familiar Hebrew form.

Recent US use

Moses in recent US use

Rank in 2025
#515
Peak rank
#119 in 1880
Recent trend
stable over the last 5 years
Years in the SSA records
146 (since 1880)

Source: US Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880-2025.

Sibling fit

Sibling name suggestions

Pairings

Names paired with Moses

  • Aaronbrother (elder)

    Aaron is Moses' elder brother and spokesman before Pharaoh.

  • Miriamsister (elder)

    Miriam is the elder sister who watches over the infant Moses and later leads the women in song.

For families

For families looking at Moses

For a Christian family, Moses is bold, serious, and unmistakably biblical. It suits parents who want a strong Old Testament name with a story of rescue and calling.

Common questions

What does Moses mean?

Moses is traditionally connected with being drawn out of water, based on Exodus 2:10.

Is Moses a biblical name?

Yes. Moses is one of the central figures of the Old Testament.

Is Moses a Christian name?

Yes. Christians have long used Moses because of his role in the story of the Exodus and the law.

Sources

Sources for Moses

  • A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, Brown, Driver, and BriggsSupports: Hebrew etymology (drawn out of water); Egyptian background.
  • Exodus, King James Version (KJV 1769)Supports: scripture naming note (Exodus 2:10); biblical figure.
  • The Oxford Dictionary of Saints, David Hugh Farmer (5th edition)Supports: Holy Prophet Moses (Orthodox and Catholic); feast day (September 4).

Last reviewed July 19, 2026. See our methodology, or report an error on the corrections page.

Read next

Related names

SamuelBoth Moses and Samuel are remembered together as Israel's great intercessors (Jeremiah 15:1); the two stand at the foundations of the prophetic tradition.NoahBoth are major covenant figures saved through water; Noah through the ark, Moses through the Nile basket as an infant.DanielBoth are Hebrew Bible boys raised in foreign royal households; Moses in Pharaoh's court, Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar's.