There are many instances in Scripture where God changed someone’s name. This was often done to establish a new identity that God wished them to embody.
At Westdale, we understand that names are powerful and that the names given to us do not always reflect our authentic selves.
Re-naming ceremonies are not re-Baptisms, but often include elements of Baptismal and other liturgies.
If you are interested in having a re-naming ceremony done privately or within our church family’s worship service, please contact Rev. Evan
Here are some examples of scriptural name changes as compiled by God Words:
| 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 |