Browse Names

Abdiel עֲבְדִיאֵל, Ἀβδιήλ m Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "servant of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, this is the name of a member of the tribe of Gad. In John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), this is the name of a seraph who withstands Satan when he urges the angels to revolt.

Abiathar אֶבְיָתָר m Biblical
From Hebrew אֶבְיָתָר ('Evyatar) meaning "my father abounds" or "my father excels". In the Old Testament Abiathar was a high priest during the reign of King David.

Abiel אֲבִיאֵל m Biblical
Means "God is my father" in Hebrew. This was the name of the grandfather of Saul in the Old Testament.

Abijah אֲבִיָה m & f Biblical
Means "my father is Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of several characters, both male and female, including the second king of Judah (also known as Abijam).

Adaiah עֲדָיָה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name עֲדָיָה ('Adayah) meaning "Yahweh has adorned". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters, including the father of Jedidah.

Adonijah אֲדֹנִיָה m Biblical
Means "my lord is Yahweh" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of King David's sons in the Old Testament. Though he was the eldest surviving son of David, he was passed over as heir to the throne in favour of Solomon.

Adriel עַדְרִיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "flock of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a man who married Saul's daughter Merab.

Amariah אֲמַרְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has said" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.

Amaziah אֲמַצְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh strengthens" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters, including a king of Judah.

Ammiel עַמִּיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God is my kinsman" in Hebrew. This is the name of one of the spies sent out by Moses in the Old Testament.

Anaiah עֲנָיָה m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "Yahweh has answered" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.

Areli אַרְאֵלִי m Biblical
Means "lion of God, hero" in Hebrew. This was the name of a son of Gad in the Old Testament.

Ariel אֲרִיאֵל, Ἀριήλ m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
Means "lion of God" in Hebrew, from אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film The Little Mermaid (1989).

Athaliah עֲתַלְיָה f & m Biblical
Possibly means "Yahweh is exalted" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is both a feminine and masculine name. It was borne by the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who later came to rule Judah as a queen.

Azarel עֲזַרְאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has helped" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor Old Testament characters.

Azariah עֲזַרְיָה m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has helped" in Hebrew, derived from עָזַר ('azar) meaning "help" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many Old Testament characters including of one of the three men the Babylonian king ordered cast into a fiery furnace. His Babylonian name was Abednego.

Azaziah עֲזַזְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is strong" in Hebrew. This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.

Aziel עֲזִיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Probably a variant of Uzziel. This is the name of a musician (also called Jaaziel) in the Old Testament.

Azriel עֲזְרִיאֵל m Biblical
Means "my help is God", derived from Hebrew עָזַר ('azar) meaning "help" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of three minor characters in the Old Testament.

Benaiah בְּנָיָה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name בְּנָיָה (Benayah) meaning "Yahweh has built". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters.

Bethuel בֵּתוּאֵל m Biblical
Possibly means "God destroys" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Rebecca.

Daniel דָּנִיֵּאל, Δανιήλ m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning "God is my judge", from the roots דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.... [more]

Delaiah דְּלָיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has drawn up" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.

Eldad אֵלְדָד m Biblical
Means "God has loved" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is one of the two elders who prophesies in the Israelite camp.

Eleazar אֶלְעָזָר, Ἐλεάζαρ m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶלְעָזָר ('El'azar) meaning "my God has helped". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the sons of Aaron.

Elhanan אֶלְחָנָן m Biblical
Means "God is gracious" in Hebrew. This is the name of two Old Testament characters.

Eliab אֱלִיאָב m Biblical
From Hebrew אֱלִיאָב ('Eli'av) meaning "my God is father". This is the name of several people from the Old Testament, including a brother of King David.

Eliakim אֶלְיָקִים m Biblical
Means "God rises" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the master of Hezekiah's household.

Eliel אֱלִיאֵל, Ἐλιήλ m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, Finnish, Portuguese (Brazilian)
Means "my God is God" in Hebrew. This name is borne by a number of characters in the Old Testament.

Eliezer אֱלִיעֶזֶר, Ἐλιέζερ m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From Hebrew אֱלִיעֶזֶר ('Eli'ezer) meaning "my God is help". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a servant of Abraham and one of the sons of Moses (see Exodus 18:4 for an explanation of the significance of the name).

Elihu אֶלִיהוּא m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, English (Archaic)
Means "my God is he" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament including one of the friends of Job.

Elijah אֱלִיָּהוּ m English, Hebrew, Biblical
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) meaning "my God is Yahweh", derived from the elements אֵל ('el) and יָה (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and Moses appear next to Jesus when he is transfigured.... [more]

Elioenai אֶלְיוֹעֵינַי m Biblical
Means "my eyes look to God" in Hebrew. This was the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.

Eliphelet אֱלִיפֶלֶט m Biblical
Means "God is release" in Hebrew. This is the name of several people in the Old Testament including a son of David.

Elisha אֱלִישַׁע m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אֱלִישַׁע ('Elisha'), a contracted form of אֱלִישׁוּעַ ('Elishu'a) meaning "my God is salvation". According to the Old Testament, Elisha was a prophet and miracle worker. He was the attendant of Elijah and succeeded him after his ascension to heaven.

Eliud Ἐλιούδ m Biblical, Biblical Latin, Eastern African
From a Greek form of a Hebrew name meaning "God is grandeur". The Gospel of Matthew lists him as an ancestor of Jesus. This name is popular in Kenya.

Elkanah אֱלְקָנָה m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God has purchased" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Samuel.

Elnathan אֶלְנָתָן m Biblical
From Hebrew אֶלְנָתָן ('Elnatan) meaning "God has given". In the Old Testament this is the name of both a grandfather of King Jehoiachin and a son of Akbor.

Emmanuel עִמָּנוּאֵל m Biblical, French, English
From the Hebrew name עִמָּנוּאֵל ('Immanu'el) meaning "God is with us", from the roots עִם ('im) meaning "with" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This was the foretold name of the Messiah in the Old Testament. It has been used in England since the 16th century in the spellings Emmanuel and Immanuel, though it has not been widespread. The name has been more common in continental Europe, especially in Spain and Portugal (in the spellings Manuel and Manoel).

Ezekiel יְחֶזְקֵאל m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name יְחֶזְקֵאל (Yechezqel) meaning "God will strengthen", from the roots חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strengthen" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Ezekiel is a major prophet of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Ezekiel. He lived in Jerusalem until the Babylonian conquest and captivity of Israel, at which time he was taken to Babylon. The Book of Ezekiel describes his vivid symbolic visions that predict the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. As an English given name, Ezekiel has been used since the Protestant Reformation.

Gabriel גַּבְרִיאֵל, Γαβριήλ m French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Catalan, English, Romanian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name גַבְרִיאֵל (Gavri'el) meaning "God is my strong man", derived from גֶּבֶר (gever) meaning "strong man, hero" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Gabriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition, often appearing as a messenger of God. In the Old Testament he is sent to interpret the visions of the prophet Daniel, while in the New Testament he serves as the announcer of the births of John to Zechariah and Jesus to Mary. According to Islamic tradition he was the angel who dictated the Quran to Muhammad.... [more]

Gamaliel גַּמְלִיאֵל, Γαμαλιήλ m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek
Means "my reward is God" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament belonging to a son of Pedahzur. It was also borne by a 1st-century Jewish priest and scholar, mentioned in Acts in the New Testament as a teacher of Saint Paul.

Gedaliah גְּדַלְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is great" in Hebrew. This was the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including the governor of Judah appointed by Nebuchadnezzar.

Gemariah גְּמַרְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has completed" in Hebrew. This is the name of a friend of Jeremiah in the Old Testament.

Hananiah חֲנַנְיָה m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is gracious" in Hebrew. This name appears frequently in the Old Testament. It is the Hebrew name of Shadrach.

Hazael חֲזָאֵל m Biblical
Means "God sees" in Hebrew. This is the name of a king of Aram in the Old Testament.

Hezekiah חִזְקִיָהוּ m Biblical
From the Hebrew name חִזְקִיָהוּ (Chizqiyahu), which means "Yahweh strengthens", from the roots חָזַק (chazaq) meaning "to strength" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This name was borne by a powerful king of Judah who reigned in the 8th and 7th centuries BC. Also in the Old Testament, this is the name of an ancestor of the prophet Zephaniah.

Isaiah יְשַׁעְיָהוּ m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְשַׁעְיָהוּ (Yesha'yahu) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יָשַׁע (yasha') meaning "to save" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Isaiah is one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament, supposedly the author of the Book of Isaiah. He was from Jerusalem and probably lived in the 8th century BC, at a time when Assyria threatened the Kingdom of Judah. As an English Christian name, Isaiah was first used after the Protestant Reformation.

Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵאל m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יִשְׁמָעֵאל (Yishma'el) meaning "God will hear", from the roots שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of Abraham. He is the traditional ancestor of the Arab people. Also in the Old Testament, it is borne by a man who assassinates Gedaliah the governor of Judah. The author Herman Melville later used this name for the narrator in his novel Moby-Dick (1851).

Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל, Ἰσραήλ m Jewish, English, Spanish, Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) meaning "God contends", from the roots שָׂרָה (sarah) meaning "to contend, to fight" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament, Israel (who was formerly named Jacob; see Genesis 32:28) wrestles with an angel. The ancient and modern states of Israel took their names from him.

Ithiel אִיתִיאֵל m Biblical
Possibly means "God is with me" in Hebrew. This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.

Jaasiel יַעֲשִׁיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Spanish
Means "God is my maker", derived from Hebrew עָשָׂה ('asah) meaning "to make" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of two minor characters in the Old Testament.

Jacob יַעֲקֹב m English, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Jewish, Biblical
From the Latin Iacob, which was from the Greek Ἰακώβ (Iakob), which was from the Hebrew name יַעֲקֹב (Ya'aqov). In the Old Testament Jacob (later called Israel) is the son of Isaac and Rebecca and the father of the twelve founders of the twelve tribes of Israel. He was born holding his twin brother Esau's heel, and his name is explained as meaning "holder of the heel" or "supplanter", because he twice deprived his brother of his rights as the firstborn son (see Genesis 27:36). Other theories claim that it is in fact derived from a hypothetical name like יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya'aqov'el) meaning "may God protect".... [more]

Jahleel יַחְלְאֵל m Biblical
Means "God waits" in Hebrew. This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament.

Jahzeel יַחְצְאֵל m Biblical
Means "God will divide" in Hebrew. This is the son of Naphtali in the Old Testament.

Jeconiah יְכָנְיָה m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew. This is another name (with the same meaning) of the Judean king Jehoiachin.

Jedidiah יְדִידְיָה m Biblical
Means "beloved of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from יָדִיד (yadid) meaning "beloved, friend" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is a name given to Solomon by Nathan.

Jehiel יְחִיאֵל m Biblical
Means "God will live" in Hebrew. This is the name of several people in the Old Testament, including one of King David's lute players.

Jehoash יְהוֹאָשׁ m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹאָשׁ (Yeho'ash), an extended form of יוֹאָשׁ (see Joash). According to the Old Testament, this was the name of a king of Israel. He probably reigned in the 8th century BC.

Jehoiachin יְהוֹיָכִין m Biblical
Means "Yahweh will establish" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. Also known as Jeconiah, he was imprisoned in Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar after a brief reign in the early 6th century BC.

Jehoiakim יְהוֹיָקִים m Biblical
Means "raised by Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah. He lived in the 7th century BC, and was the son of Josiah and the father of Jehoiachin.

Jehoram יְהוֹרָם m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹרָם (Yehoram) meaning "exalted by Yahweh". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah and a king of Israel, both of whom ruled at about the same time in the 9th century BC.

Jehoshaphat יְהוֹשָׁפָט m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has judged" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is the fourth king of Judah, noted for having a generally peaceful and prosperous reign.

Jehu יְהוּא m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is he" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Israel. He ruled in the 9th century BC, coming to power by overthrowing Jehoram. This was also the name of a prophet during the reign of the king Baasha.

Jerahmeel יְרַחְמְאֵל m Biblical
From Hebrew יְרַחְמְאֵל (Yerachme'el) meaning "God will have pity". This name is borne by a few minor characters in the Old Testament.

Jeremiah יִרְמְיָהוּ m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יִרְמְיָהוּ (Yirmiyahu) meaning "Yahweh will exalt", from the roots רוּם (rum) meaning "to exalt" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the major prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Jeremiah and the Book of Lamentations (supposedly). He lived to see the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.... [more]

Jeriah יְרִיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "taught by Yahweh" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament, Jeriah is a descendant of Hebron.

Joab יוֹאָב m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is father" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament, he was the commander of King David's army. In separate incidents he killed both Abner and Absalom. When Solomon came to power he was executed.

Joah יוֹאָח m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is brother" in Hebrew. This is the name of four people in the Old Testament.

Joash יוֹאָשׁ m Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאָשׁ (Yo'ash), possibly meaning "fire of Yahweh". In the Old Testament this name was borne by several characters including the father of Gideon, a king of Judah, and a son of King Ahab of Israel.

Joel יוֹאֵל m English, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, Estonian, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yo'el) meaning "Yahweh is God", from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל ('el), both referring to the Hebrew God. Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Joel, which describes a plague of locusts. In England, it was first used as a Christian name after the Protestant Reformation.

John m English, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, Biblical
English form of Iohannes, the Latin form of the Greek name Ἰωάννης (Ioannes), itself derived from the Hebrew name יוֹחָנָן (Yochanan). It means "Yahweh is gracious", from the roots יוֹ (yo) referring to the Hebrew God and חָנַן (chanan) meaning "to be gracious". The Hebrew form occurs in the Old Testament (spelled Johanan or Jehohanan in the English version), but this name owes its popularity to two New Testament characters, both highly revered saints. The first is John the Baptist, a Jewish ascetic who is considered the forerunner of Jesus. He baptized Jesus and was later executed by Herod Antipas. The second is the apostle John, who is traditionally regarded as the author of the fourth gospel and Revelation. With the apostles Peter and James (John's brother), he was part of the inner circle of Jesus.... [more]

Jonathan יוֹנָתָן m English, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹנָתָן (Yehonatan), contracted to יוֹנָתָן (Yonatan), meaning "Yahweh has given", derived from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and נָתַן (natan) meaning "to give". According to the Old Testament, Jonathan was the eldest son of Saul. His relationship with his father was strained due to his close friendship with his father's rival David. Along with Saul he was killed in battle with the Philistines.... [more]

Joshua יְהוֹשֻׁעַ m English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name יְהוֹשֻׁעַ (Yehoshu'a) meaning "Yahweh is salvation", from the roots יְהוֹ (yeho) referring to the Hebrew God and יָשַׁע (yasha') meaning "to save". As told in the Old Testament, Joshua was a companion of Moses. He went up Mount Sinai with Moses when he received the Ten Commandments from God, and later he was one of the twelve spies sent into Canaan. After Moses died Joshua succeeded him as leader of the Israelites and he led the conquest of Canaan. His original name was Hoshea.... [more]

Josiah יֹאשִׁיָהוּ m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name יֹאשִׁיָהוּ (Yoshiyahu) meaning "Yahweh supports". In the Old Testament this is the name of a king of Judah famous for his religious reforms. He was killed fighting the Egyptians at Megiddo in the 7th century BC. In England this name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.

Jotham יוֹתָם m Biblical
Means "Yahweh is perfect" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of both a son of Gideon and a king of Judah.

Kemuel קְמוּאֵל m Biblical
From the Hebrew name קְמוּאֵל (Qemu'el) meaning "raised by God". This is the name of a nephew of Abraham in the Old Testament.

Kenaniah כְּנַנְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh establishes" in Hebrew. This was the name of two minor Old Testament characters.

Lael לָאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "of God" in Hebrew. This is the name of the father of Eliasaph in the Old Testament. It is misspelled as Δαήλ (Dael) in the Greek translation, the Septuagint.

Lemuel לְמוּאֵל m Biblical, Mormon, Biblical Hebrew
Means "for God" in Hebrew. This was the name of a king briefly mentioned in Proverbs in the Old Testament. In the Book of Mormon it is the name of a rebellious son of Lehi and Sariah. It is also borne by the hero of Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels (1726).

Maaseiah מַעֲשֵׂיָה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name מַעֲשֵׂיָה (Ma'aseyah) meaning "work of Yahweh". This is the name of numerous Old Testament characters (mostly minor).

Mattaniah מַתַּנְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "gift of Yahweh" in Hebrew. This was the original name of Zedekiah, a king of Judah, in the Old Testament.

Matthew m English, Biblical
English form of Ματθαῖος (Matthaios), which was a Greek form of the Hebrew name מַתִּתְיָהוּ (Mattityahu) meaning "gift of Yahweh", from the roots מַתָּן (mattan) meaning "gift" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. Matthew, also called Levi, was one of the twelve apostles. He was a tax collector, and supposedly the author of the first gospel in the New Testament. He is considered a saint in many Christian traditions. The variant Matthias also occurs in the New Testament belonging to a separate apostle. The name appears in the Old Testament as Mattithiah.... [more]

Micaiah מִיכָיָהוּ, מִיכָיָה m & f Biblical
Means "who is like Yahweh?" in Hebrew. This name occurs in the Old Testament in a variety of Hebrew spellings, belonging to both males and females. It is the full name of Micah, both the prophet and the man from the Book of Judges. As a feminine name it belongs to the mother of King Abijah (at 2 Chronicles 13:2), though her name is listed as Maacah in other passages.

Michael מִיכָאֵל, Μιχαήλ m English, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch, Czech, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "who is like God?". This is a rhetorical question, implying no person is like God. Michael is one of the archangels in Hebrew tradition and the only one identified as an archangel in the Bible. In the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament he is named as a protector of Israel (see Daniel 12:1). In the Book of Revelation in the New Testament he is portrayed as the leader of heaven's armies in the war against Satan, and is thus considered the patron saint of soldiers in Christianity.... [more]

Nathanael נְתַנְאֵל, Ναθαναήλ m Biblical, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name נְתַנְאֵל (Netan'el) meaning "God has given", from the elements נָתַן (natan) meaning "to give" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". It is borne by several minor characters in the Old Testament, typically spelled Nethanel or Nethaneel. In the New Testament this is the name of an apostle, probably another name of the apostle called Bartholomew.

Nehemiah נְחֶמְיָה m Biblical
Means "Yahweh comforts" in Hebrew, derived from נָחַם (nacham) meaning "to comfort" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. According to the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament he was a leader of the Jews who was responsible for the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the return from the Babylonian captivity.

Neriah נֵרִיָה m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "lamp of Yahweh" in Hebrew, from נֵר (ner) meaning "lamp, light" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of the father of Baruch in the Old Testament.

Nethaniah נְתַנְיָהוּ m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the father of Ishmael (the assassin of Gedaliah), as well as other minor characters.

Obadiah עֹבַדְיָה m Biblical
Means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, derived from עָבַד ('avad) meaning "to serve, to worship" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets, the author of the Book of Obadiah, which predicts the downfall of the nation of Edom. This is also the name of several other biblical characters.

Othniel עָתְנִיאֵל m Biblical
Meaning uncertain, possibly "lion of God" or "strength of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament he is a nephew or brother of Caleb who becomes the first of the ruling judges of the Israelites.

Paltiel פָּלְטִיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "God is my deliverance" in Hebrew, derived from פָּלַט (palat) meaning "to deliver, to rescue, to escape" combined with אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of two Israelites in the Old Testament.

Penuel פְנוּאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "facing God" in Hebrew. This is the name of two minor characters in the Old Testament.

Raphael רָפָאֵל m German, English, Biblical
From the Hebrew name רָפָאֵל (Rafa'el) meaning "God heals", from the roots רָפָא (rafa') meaning "to heal" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In Hebrew tradition Raphael is the name of an archangel. He appears in the Book of Tobit, in which he disguises himself as a man named Azarias and accompanies Tobias on his journey to Media, aiding him along the way. In the end he cures Tobias's father Tobit of his blindness. He is not mentioned in the New Testament, though tradition identifies him with the angel troubling the water in John 5:4.... [more]

Reuel רְעוּאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "friend of God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is another name for Jethro. The fantasy author John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973) was a famous bearer.

Samuel שְׁמוּאֵל m English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Jewish, Amharic, Biblical
From the Hebrew name שְׁמוּאֵל (Shemu'el) meaning "name of God", from the roots שֵׁם (shem) meaning "name" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Other interpretations have the first root being שָׁמַע (shama') meaning "to hear" leading to a meaning of "God has heard". As told in the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament, Samuel was the last of the ruling judges. He led the Israelites during a period of domination by the Philistines, who were ultimately defeated in battle at Mizpah. Later he anointed Saul to be the first king of Israel, and even later anointed his successor David.... [more]

Seraiah שְׂרָיָה m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "Yahweh is ruler" in Hebrew. This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament, including the father of Ezra.

Shealtiel שְׁאַלְתִיאֵל m Biblical
Means "I have asked of God" in Hebrew. This was the name of the son of King Jeconiah of Judah and the father of Zerubbabel in the Old Testament.

Shemaiah שְׁמַעְיָה m Biblical
Means "heard by Yahweh" in Hebrew. This name is borne by many characters in the Old Testament including a prophet in the reign of Rehoboam.

Theophilus Θεόφιλος m Biblical, Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of the Greek name Θεόφιλος (Theophilos) meaning "friend of god", derived from θεός (theos) meaning "god" and φίλος (philos) meaning "friend". In the New Testament the evangelist Luke addresses his gospel and the Book of Acts to a man named Theophilus.

Timothy m English, Biblical
English form of the Greek name Τιμόθεος (Timotheos) meaning "honouring God", derived from τιμάω (timao) meaning "to honour" and θεός (theos) meaning "god". Saint Timothy was a companion of Paul on his missionary journeys and was the recipient of two of Paul's epistles that appear in the New Testament. He was of both Jewish and Greek ancestry. According to tradition, he was martyred at Ephesus after protesting the worship of Artemis. As an English name, Timothy was not used until after the Protestant Reformation.

Tobiah טוֹבִיָּה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name טוֹבִיָּה (Toviyyah) meaning "Yahweh is good", from the elements טוֹב (tov) meaning "good" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This was the name of an Ammonite in the Book of Nehemiah in the Old Testament.

Uriah אוּרִיָה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיָה ('Uriyah) meaning "Yahweh is my light", from the roots אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of a Hittite warrior in King David's army, the first husband of Bathsheba. David desired Bathsheba so he placed Uriah in the forefront of battle so he would be killed.

Uriel אוּרִיאֵל m Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name אוּרִיאֵל ('Uri'el) meaning "God is my light", from אוּר ('ur) meaning "light, flame" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Uriel is an archangel in Hebrew tradition. He is mentioned only in the Apocrypha, for example in the Book of Enoch where he warns Noah of the coming flood.

Uzziah עֻזִּיָּה m Biblical
Means "my power is Yahweh" in Hebrew, from the roots עֹז ('oz) meaning "strength, power" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters including a king of Judah.

Uzziel עֻזִּיאֵל m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "my power is God" in Hebrew, from the roots עֹז ('oz) meaning "strength, power" and אֵל ('el) meaning "God". This is the name of several minor characters in the Old Testament.

Zebadiah זְבַדְיָה m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has bestowed" in Hebrew. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.

Zechariah זְכַרְיָה m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zekharyah) meaning "Yahweh remembers", from זָכַר (zakhar) meaning "to remember" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form Zacharias or the English form Zachary. As an English given name, Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.

Zedekiah צִדְקִיָּהוּ m Biblical
From the Hebrew name צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tzidqiyyahu) meaning "justice of Yahweh", from צֶדֶק (tzedeq) meaning "justice" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the last king of Judah.

Zephaniah צְפַנְיָה m Biblical
From the Hebrew name צְפַנְיָה (Tzefanyah) meaning "Yahweh has hidden", derived from צָפַן (tzafan) meaning "to hide" and יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Zephaniah.

Zuriel צוּרִיאֵל m Biblical
Means "my rock is God" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this name is borne by a chief of the Merarite Levites at the time of the Exodus.