Names are more powerful than they appear to be. Though they may seem to be just a label, the reason why most parents give their children the names that they have is because of the meaning behind the name.

In the Bible, names were often given as a prophetic call or a declaration of identity from God not just to an individual but also to a community, a group of people or to the whole world. For instance, Jacob was given his name, which meant "deceiver," speaking of the deception that would label his life.

Many times, God changed the name of people to give them a new identity. Abram was given the name Abraham, Saul was given the name Paul and Simon was given the name Peter. A name is more than a name and can have effects on a person be it for the good or bad.

That's why to many Christian parents, giving their children names means more than just putting a label in a birth certificate. We want it to be prophetic and edifying, speaking life and purpose into our children's lives.

Here are some popular names derived from Christian origins and what they mean.

1. Bethany - A Hebrew name for girls which means "House of Song" or "House of Praises."

2. Charity - The name Charity is derived from the Latin word "Caritas," which means "dear or beloved."

3. Faith - Faith comes from the Latin word "fides," which means loyalty.

4. Hannah - The name Hannah or Hanna is of Hebrew origin and means "merciful."

5. Gabriel - Gabriel is a Hebrew name which means "God is my strength." One of the archangels was given this name.

6. Joshua - The name of Joshua rings as one of the most popular Bible characters. The name means "Jehovah saves."

7. Matthew - This name comes from Hebrew origins and means "gift of the Lord."

8. Alexander - The name comes from Greek origins and means "protector of mankind."

9. Samuel - A prophetic name of a Hebrew origin which actually means "His name is God."

10. Sarah - Sarah is a Hebrew baby name. In Hebrew, the meaning of the name Sarah is "princess."

11. Christopher - This name is a longer derivative of the word "Christ" and is of Greek origin. The name means "carrier of Christ" or "famous bearer."

12. John - John is a Hebrew baby name. In Hebrew, the meaning of the name John is "Jehovah has been gracious."