Biblical Names and their Meaning

Bible Names Starting with the Letter "A"

Providing a convenient list of Biblical Names and their meaning, along with the people behind them

A List of Biblical Names and their Meaning

Starting with the letter "A"

Aaron

Biblical Name Means: (Light-Bringer) - He was the eldest son of Amram and Jochebed. This made him the brother of Moses and Miriam. He would become Moses spokesman to the people. Eventually he would be commissioned as a deliver of Israel. He was the first high priest of Israel. Known for making the mistake of giving in to the people, in which he made them a secular object of worship; known as the golden calf.

Abaddon

Biblical Name Means: (Destruction / Ruin) - He is known as the "Angel of Destruction" who rules the "bottomless pit." This angel is known to rule the infernal regions; and wreak havoc on the earth.

Abagtha

Biblical Name Means: (God-given) - He was one of seven eunuchs, or chamberlains that served in the court of the Persian king Ahasuerus.

Abda

Biblical Name Means: (servant of Jehovah) - He was the father of Adoniram and served as a superintendent of forced labor under king Solomon.

Abdeel

Bible Name Means: (servant of God) - He was the father of Shelemiah and served as an officer under king Jehoiakim. He was the officer that Jehoiakim ordered to arrest prophet Jeremiah and the scribe known as Baruch.

Abdi

Bible Name Means: (servant of Jehovah) - He was the father of Kishi, a Merarite Levite who was also the grandfather Ethan. Ethan served King David as a singer in his court.

Abdiel

Bible Name Means: (servant of God) - He was a Gadite, the son of Guni and father of Ahi.

Abdon

Bible Name Means: (subservient) - He was the son of Hillel, from Pirathon. He had forty sons and thirty grandsons who rode on seventy donkeys. He served as judge over Israel for eight years.

Abel

Bible Name Means: (son) - He was the second born son to Adam and Eve. His older brother Cain was jealous because of the favor that Abel had with God. Thinking that he could never compete with his younger brother, Cain became enraged and decided that it would be better to kill his brother instead. Since Abel was killed for what he believed and followed this made him the worlds first recorded martyr. As for Cain... he would become the world's first recorded murderer.

Abi

Bible Name Means: (my father) - She was the wife of Ahaz and the mother of king Hezekiah and the daughter of Zechariah.

Abia

Bible Name Means: (my father is Lord) - He is also known as "Abijah." He is also mentioned as the chief of the twenty-four courses of priest.

Abiasaph

Bible Name Means: (my father has gathered) - He was the youngest of three sons that was born to Korah.

Abiathar

Bible Name Means: (father of excellence) - He was the son of Ahimelech the high priest, who would eventually become a high priest himself: making him the tenth high priest of Israel. He would sometime later, meet up with David before he had become the official King of Israel; and become the priest of his company. After David was made King of Israel, Abiathar would be promoted to high priest.

Abida

Bible Name Means: (my father knows) - He was the son of Midian the son of Abraham, and perhaps the chief of an Arabian tribe. By him being the son of Midian, it also made him the grandson of Abraham and his wife Keturah.

Abiel

Bible Name Means: (God is my Father) - He was the grandfather of King Saul, and the father of Ner; and the son of Zeror.

Abiezer

Bible Name Means: (my father is help) - He was the head of one of the Manasseh households that had settled west of the Jordan. He was also the first born son of Gilead and the grandson of Machir.

Abigail

Bible Name Means: (mother of joy) - She was the wife of a wealthy man name Nabal the Calebite. She was a very intelligent and beautiful woman and her husband was surly and mean. He had insulted David the General (He was not yet King of Israel) when David had sent word that he wanted some type of favor from Nabal, being that he was kind to Nabal's shepherds while they were out in the field.

Now after being insulted by this man, David was planning on killing Nabal and every man that was in his camp. But Abigail went out to meet David with a load of food supplies that she was giving to him for his kindness to her husband shepherds. David was impress and pleased with Abigail, so therefore he decided not to shed any blood within Nabal's camp. About ten days later the Lord struck Nabal dead; and when David heard this he sent for Abigail asking her to be his wife, and she agreed.

Abihail

Bible Name Means: (my father is might) - He was Levi's youngest son and father to, Zuriel. He was a Levite that was over the house of Merari; during the time, the Israelites dwelled in the wilderness in the days of Moses.

Abihu

Bible Name Means: (he is my father) - He was Aaron's second born son, who would be eventually consecrated to the priesthood. He had the honor of accompanying his father, and his brother Nadab; and the seventy elders, as they traveled along with Moses up the mount. They would not go all the way up the mount with Moses, but part of the way.

Unfortunately, Abihu and his older brother Nadab, would suffer an unusual death; after they were struck dead, after they had offered up "a strange fire" to the Lord - for it wasn't the fire that came from the brazen altar, as the Lord had instructed.

Abihud

Bible Name Means: (my father is majesty) - He was the grandson of Benjamin and the son of Bela. He is also known by the name "Ahihud."

Abijah

Bible Name Means: (my father is Jehovah) - He was the son of the first Israel king Jeroboam. He was found to be quite ill, and the king had sent his wife to go see the prophet about him. The name of this prophet was Ahijah. Jeroboam wife had disguised herself, when she went to see the prophet, but God had already told Ahijah about her. God told Ahijah to tell her that her son Abijah, would be the only one who would die a peaceful death from within the Jeroboam's household. And when Jeroboam's wife returned home, and as she walked through the door, her son Abijah passed away peacefully -- just like the prophet had foretold.

Abijam (also known as: Abijah)

Bible Name Means: (my father of the sea) - He was the son of the Judean king Rehoboam. Abijam would eventually succeed his father, in which he would reign for three years. During his short reign, he waged war against the Northern Kingdom (the ten tribes) with four-hundred thousand men. Jeroboam sent eight-thousand of his own men to confront Abijam. And even though he was out numbered two-to-one, Abijam would win this battle, for the Lord aided him. God would strike down five-hundred thousand of Jeroboam's men, and because of this, the Israelites retreated and on that day, the Lord handed Abijam and his men victory against the Northern Kingdom.

Abimael

Bible Name Means: (my father is God) - He was the son of Joktan. And out of Joktan's thirteen sons that were born to him, Abimael was born ninth. Joktan was a desendant of Shem, and the son of Eber.

Abimelech

Bible Name Means: (my brother is king) - He was a Philistine king of Gerar that reigned during the days of Abraham. He had taken Abraham's wife Sarah from him, after the patriarch lied and told him that Sarah was his sister. After Abimelech had done this, the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and told him, that he was as good as dead, if he didn't return Sarah back to her husband. Abimelech would do as he was told, and because of his obedience to the one true God, his life and household was spared.

Abinadab

Bible Name Means: (My father is willing) - He was a Levite and the father of Eleazar. Abinadab house was chosen by the people of Kiriath-jearim, in which they placed the ark of the Lord within his house. The ark of the Lord would be held there for some twenty years. The people of Kiriath-jearim placed Eleazer, in charge of guarding the ark of the Lord, during the days of the prophet Samuel.

Abinoam

Bible Name Means: (my father is delight) - He was the father of Barak the general who served under Deborah the prophetess and judge of Israel. He came from Kedesh-naphtali, which is known to be one of the fortified cities that belonged to the tribe of Naphtali.

Abiram

Bible Name Means: (belonging to a fountain) - He was the son of Eliab a Reubenite chief. He would eventually join the rebellion that was taking place against Moses and his brother Aaron, during Israel's wilderness days.

Abishag

Bible Name Means: (my father is a wanderer) - She was a young and beautiful and vigorous Shunammite woman, who served as David's nurse and personal attendant. She was present at Solomon's appointment to succeed his father David. Adonijah was looking to marry the young woman, but Solomon had him put to death, for he thought that Adonijah was plotting against his kingdom.

Abishai

Bible Name Means: (father of gift) - He served under King David as a brave and loyal soldier.

Abner

Biblical Name Means: (father of light) - He was the son of Ner, and a related cousin to king Saul. He was also a commander in Saul's army. He would later be killed by Joab the commander of David's army.

Abraham

Biblical Name Means: (the father of a multitude / father is exalted) - Formally known as Abram, this prophet was trusted by God to become the founder and representative of the Hebrew race. He was father to Isaac and Ishmael and grandfather to Jacob and Esau. He also received the Abrahamic Covenant which would be the foundation for all future covenants that came after it. (The Davidic Covenant - The New Covenant - The Blood Covenant)

Abram

Biblical Name Means: (A High Father) - Was called out of the city of Ur, which lead him on his path to later becoming Abraham. This was done through God's blessing that was bestowed on the descendants of Shem... and through the dedication and faith that Abram had develop towards the Most High God. He also received the Abrahamic Covenant which would be the foundation for all future covenants that came after it. (The Davidic Covenant - The New Covenant - The Blood Covenant)

Absalom

Biblical Name Means: (my father is peace) - He was the very handsome son of King David. He kills his brother Amnon after Amnon rapes their sister Tamar. Absalom also decides to go against his own father King David, so he can become the new king.

Achan

Biblical Name Means: (troublemaker) - He was the Israelite who sin kept the Joshua lead army from defeating the men of Ai. Because of his sin, God would no longer fight along side the Israelites until they had consecrate (to cleanse and make holy) themselves.

Achish

Biblical Name Means: (the king gave) - Was a Philistine King who also went by the name Abimelech. He was the king that David took refuge while the Israel king Saul was seeking to kill him. David was able to do this by pretending that he was insane.

Adam

Biblical Name Means: (man) - Was the first human God created and husband of Eve. He was also the first recorded human to sin. Because of his sin he along with Eve was banished from the Garden of Eden, and caused the fall of humanity.

Adonijah

Biblical Name Means: (my Lord is God) - He was the son of David and Haggith. He tried to steal his younger brother throne by requesting permission to marry Abishag the Shunammite. His younger brother king Solomon would later have him executed behind this plot to steal the throne.

Adonizedek

Biblical Name Means: (Lord of righteousness) - He was the Jerusalem king who formed an alliance with four Canaanite kings, so that he could attack Joshua and the Israelites at the city of Gibeon.

Ahijah

Biblical Name Means: (the Lord's brother) He was the prophet God used to tell Jeroboam that the Lord was about to rip the kingdom from out of king Solomon's hands. God said through Ahijah; that Jeroboam would get ten out of the twelve tribes, but God will leave king Solomon with one.

Ahab

Biblical Name Means: (father's brother) - He was the Israel king that was married to a woman named Jezebel in the days if Elijah. God used the prophet Elijah to reprove the king of his evil and sinful life.

Ahasuerus

Biblical Name Means: (mighty) - He was a Persian king that was also known as The Mighty Xerxes. He later married Mordecai's cousin Esther.

Ahaz

Biblical Name Means: (he grasped) - He was the son of king Jotham who later became his successor to the throne of Judah. He was twenty years old when he became king in which he reigned for sixteen years.

Ahaziah

Biblical Name Means: (God sustains) - Was the name of two kings? One who ruled the kingdom of Judah in which he was succeeded by Athaliah. The second king ruled the kingdom of Israel in which he was succeeded by Jehoram.

Ahimelech

Biblical Name Means: (the king is my brother) - He was God's high priest of Nob, in which became friends with King David

Ahithophel

Biblical Name Means: (God is my brother) - He was one of King David's advisers who would later conspire against the King, by joining the rebellion that was lead by David's son Absalom.

Amnon

Biblical Name Means: (trustworthy) - He was King David's eldest son who raped his sister Tamar. He would later be killed by his younger sibling Absalom because of his attack on their sister.

Amos

Biblical Name Means: (burden) - A herdsman that was called to be a prophet and he also wrote the "Book Of Amos." Amos was very unpopular in Israel, because he was prophesying about their destruction during the peak of great success they were having at the time. He stood against their false religions, and the mistreatment of the poor.

Anak

Biblical Name Means: (long-necked) - He was the founder of the race that were considered giants that frighten the scouts of Moses as they surveyed the land for a possible attack. The names of these tribes were - Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai.

Anath

Biblical Name Means: (answer) - She was one of three Phoenician and Canaanite goddess that was worshiped within the Canaanite pantheon (temple). The other two were Asherah and Astarte.

Artemis

Biblical Name Means: (luminous) - Also known as "Diana the Greek goddess of fertility" that was worshiped at Ephesus, in which a great temple was built in her honor. This temple would sometime later be burned down by an historic arsonist who was looking to get famous, and he went by the name "Herostratus."

Asa

Biblical Name Means: (created) - He was the first king of Judah that was God fearing. He reigned for forty-one years. He lead Judah in revival and was known as a great builder. He later died from a foot disease, that he would not take to God, so He could heal him.

Asher

Biblical Name Means: (gladness) - Was one of the tribal founders to the twelve tribes of Israel. He was the son of Jacob and Zilpah (Leah's handmaiden). He would be Zilpah's second and Jacob's eight.

Asherah

Biblical Name Means: (grove) - Was a goddess of fertility that the Canaanites served. She was also seen as the wife of "Baal the storm god." The Canaanites would worship her at shrines that were located within, or near the groves of evergreen trees, or at places that were marked by, what was known as "The Wooden Asherah Poles." She was also one of the three goddess of the Canaanite pantheon (temple) that was worshiped right along with Astarte and Anath.

Astarte

Biblical Name Means: (star) - She was one of three Phoenician and Canaanite goddess that was worshipped within the Canaanite pantheon (temple). The other two were Asherah and Anath.

Athaliah

Biblical Name Means: (God is exalted) - She was the wicked daughter of king Ahab and Queen Jezebel who would later become the Queen of Judah along with her husband Jehoram.

Azariah

Biblical Name Means: (whom God aids) - He was the high priest that rebuked king Uzziah along with eighty other priest, when Uzziah tried to burn the incense in the temple. Uzziah could not do this, for it was the responsibility of the priest. Uzziah got very angry in the temple and started raging at them. Then leprosy broke out on Uzziah forehead, and he had this disease until the day he died.