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    Bible Name Meaning Tool

    Enter a name to see what it means in Scripture, the language it comes from, and the King James Version verses where it appears. 1,332 names searchable, free and without signup.

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    Ishmael

    Pronounced ISH-may-el

    boy
    ✓ In the King James Bible — Yes — Ishmael appears in the King James Bible, including Genesis 16:11.
    Meaning
    "God hears; God will hear"
    Origin
    Hebrew

    Ishmael was Abraham's firstborn son through Hagar. When Hagar fled into the wilderness, God found her and promised that her son would become a great nation. He named the child 'God hears' because He heard her affliction. God hears the cries of the forgotten.

    Spiritual meaning

    Ishmael declares that God hears the forgotten, the outcast, the abandoned — no cry escapes His attention.

    Related verses (KJV)

    • "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction."

      Genesis 16:11 (KJV) →

    • "And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven."

      Genesis 21:17 (KJV) →
    Full page for Ishmael

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    Questions about biblical name meanings

    How do I find the biblical meaning of a name?

    Type the name into the search box above. The tool returns the Hebrew, Greek, Aramaic, or Latin root behind the name, its literal meaning, and the King James Version passages where it appears.

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    No. Many modern Christian names never appear in Scripture, and some popular 'biblical meanings' circulating online are inaccurate. Where a name is thematic rather than scriptural, we say so plainly instead of inventing a verse for it.

    Which Bible translation do the verses come from?

    The King James Version. It is public domain in the United States, so the text can be quoted and shared freely.

    How can I tell whether a name is actually in the Bible?

    Each result distinguishes a name that appears in the KJV from a later Christian or thematic name. Related verses explain a theme; they are not presented as proof that a modern name occurs in Scripture.

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