Noah

Noah comes from the Hebrew name Noach, derived from the root nun-chet, most likely meaning rest or comfort, though some scholars connect it to a root meaning long-lived. In the Hebrew Bible, Noah is the patriarch chosen by God to build an ark and survive the great flood, making him one of the most universally recognized figures in Abrahamic tradition. The name spread throughout Europe primarily through Biblical influence and gained particular popularity in English-speaking countries from the Puritan era onward, with American lexicographer Noah Webster serving as a prominent modern bearer. Variant forms and cognates include Noe, used in Spanish, French, and Italian contexts, as well as the feminine form Noa, which appears in the Hebrew Bible as the name of one of the daughters of Zelophehad.