Fun Facts About the Name Buz
- 29 babies named Buz: U.S. records list 29 babies given the name Buz from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Buz Mean?
Buz is a biblical Hebrew name generally understood to mean "despised" or "contempt." It comes from the Hebrew word bûz (בּוּז), a noun meaning "contempt," built on a root that describes treating someone or something with scorn. The customary meaning rests on that Hebrew word, which is spelled the same as the name.
Because the personal name and the common noun look identical, it is not always clear in the biblical text whether a given occurrence refers to a person or to a place or people, and whether those who bore the name heard it as "contempt" or simply used it as a family or tribal label. If the Arabian place called Buz in the prophet Jeremiah is not Hebrew in origin, the sense "contempt" may be a Hebrew association attached to a similar-sounding foreign name rather than its original meaning.
Buz Name History & Origins
In the book of Genesis, Buz is one of the sons born to Nahor, Abraham's brother, and his wife Milcah (Genesis 22:21). He is listed with Uz, Kemuel, Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel. Since Bethuel was the father of Rebekah, the list places Buz inside the extended family in Aram-naharaim that the patriarchal stories tie to Abraham's relatives.
The name also functions as a clan or place designation. Elihu, one of the speakers in the book of Job, is called "the Buzite, of the family of Ram" (Job 32:2), a title linking him to Buz or to a group descended from him. In Jeremiah 25:23, Buz is named together with Dedan and Tema, towns and tribes of northern Arabia, among the peoples who are to drink the cup of wrath. That setting suggests Buz was known in the prophet's time as an Arabian people or district, not only as an individual.
Some modern scholars have compared the biblical Buz with a distant land called Bazu in Assyrian royal inscriptions; this is a proposed identification rather than a settled fact. The name is rare as a given name in English, and where "Buz" appears today it is usually a short form or nickname. The similar-sounding nickname "Buzz" is a separate formation and does not share this name's origin.
How Popular is the Name Buz?
Buz has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1957. Its best rank was #3,045 in 1957.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | #4,113 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1961 | #4,146 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #3,045 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1953 | #3,472 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1951 | #3,784 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with B
Short Boy Names That Start with B
How the Name Buz Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You can go to great heights and equally great depths. You are emotional and fixed in your opinions. You are hospitable, sentimental, often psychic, sometimes moody. You are ruled by love and the lack of it and feel a need to be encouraged and appreciated. Emergencies may raise your intuitive abilities in order to resolve conflict or situation. You become very creative under the pressure, and have quite original ideas to make the best out of it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Buz's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Buz's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.