Noah

Etymology

From the Hebrew root 'nuach' (נוּחַ), meaning to rest, to settle, to be at ease. His father Lamech named him Noah, saying, 'He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.'

Who they were

Noah lived in a world the Bible describes as so corrupt that 'every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.' God grieved that he had made humanity. But Noah 'found favour in the eyes of the Lord' — the first use of the word 'grace' in the Bible. God told Noah to build an ark: 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, 45 feet high, made of cypress wood, sealed with pitch. Noah built it. The flood came. Everything outside the ark died. Noah, his family, and the animals survived. After the waters receded, Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice. God responded with a covenant — the first covenant in the Bible — promising never again to destroy the earth by flood. The rainbow was its sign. Noah's post-flood story is less tidy: he planted a vineyard, got drunk, and an incident with his son Ham created a lasting rift. His life lasted 950 years. Peter, in the New Testament, calls Noah 'a preacher of righteousness,' and Hebrews says he acted 'by faith' in building the ark. Jesus compared the days of Noah to the end times. The name has been the number one boys' name in the United States for over a decade, and was the top boys' name in Northern Ireland in 2025. Its meaning — rest, comfort — captures the hope that even after catastrophe, peace is possible.

Family

Father

Lamech

Spouse

Not named

Children

Shem,Ham,Japheth

Character qualities

• Obedience without precedent
• Patience in decades of building
• Faithfulness when alone in his conviction
• Worship after deliverance
• Human frailty after triumph

Key verse

Genesis 6:9

Where they appear

Themes

Variants & related forms

Noa (feminine, Hebrew) · Noe · Noé · Nuh

Related names