Nehemiah is a Hebrew name meaning "Yahweh comforts" or "comforted by God", borne by the governor who rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem in the 5th century BC and gave his name to a book of the Bible. Like Josiah and Jeremiah it is popular with American families who favor Old Testament names. Nehemiah has ranked in the US top 1000 all century, peaked at number 336 in 2010 and stands at number 429 in 2025.