A lot of people in the Bible had their names changed, or went by more than one name. I appreciate your patience while I compile a comprehensive list of all of them. If you can think of people I’ve missed, please use the form at the bottom of the page.
NOTE: This list is for name changes, or for people who went by different names. Variant spellings are too common to list, and are not included. If you’re looking for how to say “Jesus” in languages other than English, I also have a list: https://godwords.org/jesus-in-every-language/.
NOTE: Lucifer’s name was not changed to Satan. The Hebrew word HEYLEL means something like “shining one,” and is only translated as Lucifer in the King James and Bibles derived from it. Given the fact that the word is also used to describe Jesus, it doesn’t seem wise to believe that Lucifer became the devil. The word “satan” means adversary, which could be applied to anyone, but especially to the enemy of our souls.
| NAME | CHANGE | TO | BY WHOM |
| Abram | renamed | Abraham | God |
| Azariah | renamed | Abednego | Ashpenaz |
| Barnabas | also known as | Joseph | The Apostles |
| Barsabbas | also known as | Judas | |
| Bartholomew | believed to be | Nathanael | |
| Ben-Oni | also known as | Benjamin | his father Jacob |
| Boanerges | also known as | James and John | Jesus |
| Cephas (or Peter) | also known as | Simon | |
| Daniel | renamed | Belteshazzar | Ashpenaz |
| Daniel | also known as | Kileab | |
| Didymus | also known as | Thomas | |
| Dorcas | also known as | Tabitha | |
| Edom | also known as | Esau | |
| Eliakim | renamed | Jehoiakim | Pharoah Neco |
| Esau | also known as | Edom | |
| Esther | also known as | Hadassah | Persian > Hebrew |
| Gideon | renamed | Jerub-Baal | the men of Ophrah |
| Hadassah | also known as | Esther | Hebrew > Persian |
| Hananiah | renamed | Shadrach | Ashpenaz |
| Hoshea | renamed | Joshua | Moses |
| Jacob | renamed | Israel | God |
| James (Jesus’ disciple) | nicknamed | Boanerges | Jesus |
| Jedidiah | also known as | Solomon | God |
| Jethro | also known as | Reuel | |
| John (Jesus’ disciple) | nicknamed | Boanerges | Jesus |
| John | also known as | Mark | |
| Joseph | also known as | Barnabas | The Apostles |
| Joseph | renamed | Zaphenath-Paneah | Pharoah |
| Joshua | also known as | Hoshea | Moses |
| Judas | also known as | Barsabbas | |
| Kileab | also known as | Daniel | |
| Levi | also known as | Matthew | Hebrew > Greek |
| Lo-Ammi | renamed | Ammi | God |
| Lo-Ruhamah | renamed | Ruhamah | God |
| Mara | also known as | Naomi | Herself |
| Mark | also known as | John | |
| Mattaniah | renamed | Zedekiah | Nebuchadnezzar |
| Matthew | also known as | Levi | Greek > Hebrew |
| Merib-Baal | also known as | Mephibosheth | |
| Mephibosheth | also known as | Merib-Baal | |
| Mishael | renamed | Meshach | Ashpenaz |
| Moses | named | Moses | Pharaoh’s daughter |
| Naomi | renamed | Mara | Herself |
| Nathanael | believed to be | Bartholomew | |
| Niger | also known as | Simeon | |
| Pashhur | called | Terror on Every Side | God |
| Paul | also known as | Saul | Latin > Hebrew |
| Peter | also known as | Cephas (and Simon) | |
| Reuel | also known as | Jethro | |
| Sarai | renamed | Sarah | God |
| Saul | also known as | Paul | Hebrew > Latin |
| Silas | also known as | Silvanus | |
| Silvanus | also known as | Silas | |
| Simeon | also known as | Niger | |
| Simon | renamed | Cephas (or Peter) | Jesus |
| Solomon | also known as | Jedidiah | God |
| Tabitha | also known as | Dorcas | |
| “the one who is victorious” | renamed | Only known to the one who receives it | The Holy Spirit |
| “the woman” | named | Eve | Adam |
| Thomas | also known as | Didymus |
