Meaning: Its source is a Hebrew expression meaning "Red earth."

Languages: This boy's name is used in Hebrew, German, English, French, Hungarian, Kiswahili, Polish, Serbian and Croatian.

Nicknames: Addie

Alternative Spellings: Addam

Variant Forms: Adams, Adham, Adim, Adom, Atim, Addams, Atkins and Edom

Feminine Forms: Adamina

Non-English Forms: Adamo

Popularity: The name Adam ranked 54th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics, 69th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census and 43rd in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1994 US Census.

This name is highly rated both on the 1990 U.S. Census list and in state data recording the most popular baby names.

Narrative: Some authorities believe this name is Phoenician in origin, and simply means ''man.'' Others believe the Hebrew original refers to ruddy skin.

In the Jewish scriptures, this is the name of the first man. Though we aren't told if Adam named himself, it was his job to give names ''to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field.''

Adam was also the first person to give a name to another human being. He named his wife and helpmate Chava (in English, Eve), meaning ''life,'' because she was ''the mother of all living.''

Soon thereafter, Adam and Eve were the first couple to face the problem of what to name their offspring.

Meaning: Its source is adama, a Hebrew name meaning "Ruddy earth."

Popularity: The name Adam ranked 3834th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

This name is usually reserved for boys. In part, it may owe its position on the US Census popularity list to incorrectly filled-out census forms.

Narrative: Some believe this name is Phoenician in origin, and simply means ''man.'' Others believe the Hebrew original refers to ruddy skin.