Bible – All the Men of the
Biblical names have, certainly, a big influence on humanity. It is estimated that more than three quarters of people in the civilized world have names from the Bible. Lim or Lee may be two of the biggest family surnames in China, but there is almost always Johnny, Jimmy, or Judy before the Lim and Lee. There is also Ibrahim, Japheth or Eli after Mohamed. Even my own twins have the name John and James before the family name of Thisayakorn.
Over a century ago, Old Testament names were prominent. Today, however, New Testament names are more popular. John and James hold the lead worldwide.
For Israel, the name of a person is supposed to indicate some characteristic of that person connected with his birth. Names and nature, as well as names and facts, are made to correspond as can be found in the name Moses gave his son (Ex. 2:22), and the naming of Ichabod (1 Sam. 4:21).
Names can be taken from animal like Caleb from dog; Dan from lion’s whelp; Achbor from mouse and Parosh from flea.
Names can also be associated with nature like Geshem from rain; Barak from lightening.
Names that originated from the world are Adam from earth, Elah from oak, and Shammar from thorn.
Names given by God are Aram to Abraham; Sarai to Sarah; Jacob to Israel and Oshea to Joshua.
Names may also derive from circumstances, however, trivial or monotonous. We see Biblical names that denote personal quality like Nabal which means fool; names point to an occupation as Asa that means physician; names divinely given before the birth like Jesus and John the Baptist; and so on.
I have not yet gone through each individual page to pick all the names in the Bible. But my educated guess is there are at least over a thousand names of men in this inspired Word of God. I will not be able to list down any significant portion of all the names. So what I will do is to alphabetically name a few outstanding men to keep the article within the limit of 1000 or so words.
Aaron: A mountain of strength, (Ex. 6:16-23)
Abagtha: Happy; prosperous, (Esther 1:10-11)
Abda: Servant or Worshiper, (1 Kings 4:6)
Abdeel/Abdi/Abdiel/Abdon/Abednego/Abel/Abia/Abiah/Abialbon/Abiasaph/…
Baal: Possessor or Controller, (1 Chron. 5:6)
Baal-Hanan: The Lord is gracious,(Gen. 36:38-39; 1 Chron. 1:49-50)
Baalis: Lord of joy, (Jer. 40:14)
Baana/Baanah/Baaseiah/Baasha/Bakakkar/Bakbuk/Bakbukiah/Balaam/……
Caesar: One cut out (Matt. 22:17; Acts 25:10-21)
Caiaphas: One who searches diligently, (Matt. 26:3, 57)
Cain: Acquisition, Fabrication or Possessed, (Gen. 4; Num. 24:22; Heb, 11:4)
Cainan/Caleb/Canaan/Carcas/Careah/Carmi/Carpus/Carshena/Caphas/…….
Dalaliah: YAWH is deliverer, (1 Chron. 3:24)
Dalphon: Dropping, (Esther 9:7)
Dan: He that judges, (Gen. 30:6; Ex. 31:6)
Daniel/Dara/Darda/Darius/Darkon/Dathan/David/Debir/Dedan/Dekar/Delaiah/.
Ebal: Bare, (Gen. 36:23; 1 Chron. 1:10)
Ebed: Slave, (Judg. 9:26-35; Ezra 8:6)
Ebed-Malech: King’s slave, (Jer. 38:7-12; 39:16)
Ebiasaph/Eden/Eder/Edom/Eglon/Ehi/Ehud/Eker/Eladah/Ela/Elah/Elam/……..
Felix: Happy, Prosperous, (Acts 23:24-26; 24:2-27; 25:14)
Festus: Joyful, Festal, (Acts 24:27, 25, 26:24-32)
Fortunatus: Properous, (1 Cir. 16:17, 4:10; 2 Cor. 11:23)
………….
Gaal: Rejection or Contempt, (Judg. 9:26-41)
Gabbai: Ingatherer or Taxgatherer, (Neh. 11:8)
Gad: A troop or Seer, (Gen. 30:11, 35:26, and 46:16: Ex. 1:4; 1 Chron. 5:11)
Gaddi/Gaddiel/Gad/Gaham/Gahar/Gaius/Galal/Gallio/Gamliel/Gamul/Gareb/…
Haahashtari: The courier, (1 Chron. 4:6)
Habaiah: YHWH had hidden, (Ezra 2:61; Neh. 7:63)
Habakkuk: He embraces, (Hab. 1:1, 3:1)
Habazziniah/achaliah/Hachmoni/Hadad/Hadadezer/Hadlai/Hadoram/Hagab/…
Ibhar: Chooser, (2 Sam. 5:15; 1 Chron. 3:6, 14:5)
Ibneiah: YHWH who builds (1 Chron. 9:8)
Ibnijah: YHWH the builder (1 Chron. 9:8)
Ibri/Ibsam/Ibzan/Ichabod/Idbash/Iddo/Igal/Igdaliah/Igeal/Ikkesh/Imla/Immer/….
Jaakan: Intelligent, (Deut. 10:6, 1 Chron. 1:42)
Jaakobah: To Jacob or Supplanting, (1 Chron. 4:36)
Jaala: Elevatio, (Ezra 2:56; Neh. 7:58)
Jaalam/Jaanai/Jaare-Oregim/Jaaeshiah/Jaasiel/Jaazaniah/Jaaziah/Jaaziel/….
Kadmiel: God is of old, (Ezra 2:40; Neh. 7:43)
Kallai: YHWH is light or swiftly, (Neh. 12:20)
Kareah: Bald, (2 Kings 25:23; Jer 40:8, 13)
Kedar/Kedemah/Keilah/Kelaiah/Kelita/Kemuel/Kenan/Kenaz/Keros/Kir/……..
Laadah: Order or Festival, (1 Chron. 4:21)
Laadan: Well ordered or Festive-born, (1 Chron. 9:8)
Laban: White or Glorious, (Gen. 24:29, 50, 27:43, 28:2, 5)
Lael/Lahad/Lahmi/Laish/Lameh/Lappidoth/Lazarus/Lebanah/Lebbaeus/Lecah/
Maacah: Compression or Oppression, (Gen. 22:24; 2 Sam. 10:6)
Maadai: YHWH is ornament, (Ezra 10:34)
Maadiah: Ornament of YHWH, (Neh. 12:5)
Maai/Maasai/Maaseiah/Maasiai/Maath/Maaz/Maaziah/Machbannai/Machi/…
Naam: Sweetness or Pleasantness, (1 Chron. 4:15)
Naaman: Delight or Agreeable, (Gen. 46:21; Num 26:40)
Naarai: Pleasantness of YHWH, (1 Chron. 11:37)
Naashon/Naasson/Nabal/Naboth/Nachon/Nachor/Nagge/Naham/Nahamani/…
Obadiah: Worshiper of YHWH, (1 Kings 18:3-16; 1 Chron. 3:21)
Obal: Bare or infertile, (Gen. 10:28; 1 Chron. 1:22)
Obed: Worshipper, (Ruth 4:17-22; 1 Chron. 2:12; Matt. 1:5; Luke 3:32)
Obed-Edom/Obil/Ocran/Oded/Og/Ohad/Ohel/Oholiab/Olympas/Omar/Omri/…
Paarai: YHWH’s revelation, (2 Sam. 23:35; 1 Chron. 11:37)
Padon: Deliverance or Redemption, (Ezra 2:44; Neh. 7:47)
Pagel: God meets or Prevention of God, (Num. 1:13, 2:27, 7:72, 10:26)
Pahatg-Moab/Palal/Pallu/Palti/Paltiel/Parmashta/Parmrnas/Parnach/Parosh/…
Quartus: the Forth, (Acts 12:4)
Raamah: Trembling or Greatness, (Gen. 10:7; 1 Chron. 1:9)
Raamiah: YHWH causes trembling, (Ezra 2:2; Neh. 7:7)
Rabmag: Chief Magi, (Jer. 39:3-13)
Rabsaris/Rabshakeh/Raddai/Ragau/Raguel/Raham/Rakem/Ram/Ramiah/….
Sabta: Breaking through, (Gen. 10:7; 1 Chron. 1:9)
Sabtecha: Surrender, (Gen. 10:7; 1 Chron. 1:9)
Sacar: Hired or Merchandise, (1 Chron. 11:35)
Sadoc/Sala/Salah/Salathiel/Sallai/Salma/Salmah/Salmon/Salu/Samgar/…….
Tabbaoth: Spots, (Ezra 2:43; Neh. 7:46)
Tabeal: God is good, (Isa. 7:6)
Tabeel: God is good, (Ezra 4:7)
Tabrimon/Tahan/Tahath/Tahrea/Talmai/Talmon/Tanhumeth/Tappuah/………..
Ucal: Power, (Prov. 30:1)
Uel: Will of God, (Ezra 10:34)
Ulam: Solitary, Front or Other Folly, (1 Chron. 7:16, 17; 8:39-40)
Ulla/Unni/Ur/Urbane/Uri/Uriel/Uthai/Uz/Uzai/Uzal/Uzza/Uzzi/Uzzia/Uzziah/….
Vajezatha: Born of Ized, Strong as the Wind or Sincere, (Esther 9:9)
Vaniah: God is praise or distress, (Ezra 10:36)
Vashni: God is strong, (1 Chron. 6:281 Sam 8:2)
Vophsi
Zaavan: Conquest or causing fear, (Gen 36:27; 1 Chron. 1:42)
Zabad: Endower, He had given or a Gift, (Gen. 30:20)
Zabbai: Roving, About or Humming, (Ezra 10:28)
Zabbud/Zabadi/Zabdiel/Zabud/Zaccai/Zacchaeus/zaccur/Zachariah/………..
There are also thousands of men in the Bible without names. While three of Adams sons are named, others born of him and Eve are not named (Gen 5:4). None of the carpenters who helped built the Ark are mentioned, neither are several of those who labored in the preparation of the Tabernacle. Gideon’ three hundred hero men are not named and so are the three valiant men who risk their life to bring water from the Bethlehem well. Those seven thousand men who refused to bow to Baal too were not named.
In the New Testament, we have characters with anonymity too. In the Parables, we have the wise men, Sower, Shepherd, Brother, Servant, Traveler, Steward, Rich man, Strong man, and so on. In the Gospel, we have Wise men from the east, Leper, Centurion, Scribe, Demon-possessed men, Blind men, Four thousand men, Ruler, Lawyer and on and on. In the Epistles, there are many Paul’s fellow laborers whom he called “Brethren” are all unnamed.
Named or unnamed, these are all the men in the Bible. Men who are cursed by the Lord to sweat of their brow until they return to the ground. Some are of great characters with big names, more are anonymous and unknown. But regardless of whether those names are blazoned or unknown, easy or difficult to pronounce, short or long, colorful meaning or dull, the most important matter is if the name is being written in the book of life. For a new name will be given to every child of His when they reach heaven (Isa. 49:16; Rev. 2:17).
And we should learn from men in the Bible of how to have our own name registered in His palms. So that we too will one day have a new name when we are at the river of life with Him.