According to Genesis, how many sons did Noah have?

According to Genesis, Noah had three sons.

Genesis names Noah’s sons as Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They appear in the Flood narrative as members of Noah’s household and enter the ark with their wives. After the Flood, the text describes them as the ancestors of families and nations spreading across the earth.

The number three refers specifically to Noah’s sons, not to the total number of people preserved in the ark. Genesis describes Noah, his wife, the three sons, and the sons’ wives, making eight people in all.

The order of the names can vary in how readers interpret their relative ages. Genesis 10:21 and related passages have prompted discussion about whether Shem or Japheth was older, but that question does not change the clear count. The three names are among the central genealogical links in the biblical account.