Baby Name of the Day: Enoch

The baby name Enoch blends Old Testament roots with a distinctive style.

Thanks to Wrenn for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME ENOCH MEAN?

In the Book of Genesis, Enoch is Cain’s firstborn, grandson of Adam and Eve. (That makes him a third generation human, tracing his roots straight back to the Garden of Eden.)

Another Enoch was the son of Jared, proud papa of the long-lived Methuselah, and ancestor of the ark-building Noah.

So it’s an Old Testament choice, a Hebrew baby name with deep roots. Over the years, it’s been spelled Hanokh, Hanoch, Chanoch, and Chanokh.

The meaning of the name Enoch is less certain. It’s often given as “righteous man,” “dedication,” or “devotion.”

The two possible roots are:

• Dedicated or consecrated, from the Hebrew hanok. 
• It might also come from a similar word meaning wisdom.

The Old Testament father of Methuselah is also considered the author of the Book of Enoch. While it isn’t considered canonical by all Christians, you can find references to the writings, even in the New Testament.

The Book of Enoch is all about fallen angels. (The angels ask Enoch to plead their case for reinstatement to God.) 

Back in the sixteenth century, John Dee and Edward Kelley proposed a system of magic termed Enochian, along with a divine language sharing the name. If that sounds bizarre now, remember that the line between science and magic was fuzzy in Elizabethan England. Dee was a trained mathematician and respected figure – an advisor to the the queen herself. (Kelley, on the other hand, was apparently a swindler.) The tales of angelic battles are fascinating, and even today, Enoch figures in Masonic legend and lore.

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE THE NAME ENOCH?

In English, Enoch shares a long “e” with Ethan – EE-knock or occasionally EE-nuk. In other languages, it’s sometimes eh-nuk,  but that doesn’t sound quite right in American English.

ENOCH IN POETRY

Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s 1864 poem “Enoch Arden”  tells a familiar tale. Arden takes to the seas to support his wife and children. His ship sinks, but he survives. Years later, he returns only to find that his wife has remarried. (Cast Away, anyone? With shades of Homer?)

More famous bearers include:

• Baltimore businessman and philanthropist Enoch Pratt, who left his fortune to help establish one of the country’s first private hospitals for the treatment of mental illness.
• A nineteenth century governor of Maine was called Enoch Lincoln.
• President Calvin Coolidge apparently bestowed the appellation on his pet goose. (He also had a donkey called Ebeneezer.)

Also noteworthy: Enoch’s equivalent in Islam is Idris – a fast-rising name with multi-cultural roots, made world famous by actor Idris Elba. 

ENOCH IN POP CULTURE

Flannery O’Connor and HP Lovecraft both gave the name to characters in their stories.

But parents who think of the baby name Enoch now are probably thinking of one figure: Boardwalk Empire‘s Enoch “Nucky” Thompson.

Veteran actor Steve Buscemi played the actor from 2010 to 2014. Thompson, a powerful mob boss who ran Atlantic City, was based on a real life figure – Enoch “Nucky” Johnson.

More recently, Star Wars fans met Captain Enoch. He’s a storm trooper, introduced in Ahsoka. 

Rapper Kendrick Lamar is the father of a son named Enoch. He revealed his second child’s birth, and name, in song lyrics.

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME ENOCH?

During the late nineteenth century, Enoch ranked as high as #200 in the United States. 

The name fell in use during the twentieth century, leaving the popularity rankings entirely during the 1950s.

But the name never really went away. It dipped back into the US Top 1000 regularly through the 1960s and 70s.

In 2010, the baby name Enoch returned to the Top 1000 American baby names for boys, and it’s climbed in use since then. As of 2023, Enoch stands at #717.

Some of that is down to the appeal of Biblical baby names. If Isaac and Elijah can rank in the Top 100, Enoch isn’t such a stretch. 

INTRIGUING RARITY

Overall, the baby name Enoch is nicely uncommon while still generally familiar. The sound is distinctive, but it’s almost an Ethan-Knox mix.
It’s a name permanently on the fringes, unlikely to replace, say, Micah or even Abraham. 

But for parents hoping to avoid the most popular names?

A choice like Enoch could be perfect.

What do you think of the baby name Enoch?

First published on June 30, 2009, this post was revised on January 2, 2025.