Bible Name Meaning Tool — Search Any Name (KJV)

Saul

Pronounced SAWL

boy

✓ In the King James Bible — Yes — Saul appears in the King James Bible; the passages below give the context.

Meaning: "Asked for; Prayed for"
Origin: Hebrew

Saul means "asked for" or "prayed for" in Hebrew. Israel's first king was literally the answer to the people's demand for a king "like all the nations." Standing head and shoulders above everyone else, Saul looked the part — but his reign became a cautionary tale about external appearance versus internal character. Saul's early reign showed promise — he was humble, Spirit-empowered, and victorious in battle. But his disobedience in sparing King Agag and the best livestock, contrary to God's command, led to Samuel's devastating pronouncement: "The LORD hath rejected thee from being king." Saul's tragic descent into jealousy, paranoia, and occult practices stands in stark contrast to David's rise. The other famous Saul — later called Paul — experienced the opposite trajectory: from persecutor to apostle. Together, the two Sauls illustrate both the tragedy of rejecting God's authority and the triumph of submitting to it.

Spiritual meaning

Saul's story warns that being 'asked for' by others doesn't guarantee God's continued blessing. Outward qualifications without inner obedience lead to tragic endings. God desires heart-level submission above all else.

Related verses (KJV)

"Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft."
1 Samuel 15:22-23 (KJV) →
"A choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he."
1 Samuel 9:2 (KJV) →

Full page for Saul Saul in the Bible →

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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.

Does every name have a biblical meaning?

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.