The story behind Saul
Borrowed from Old English Saul. Doublet of Silas, which derived from Aramaic.
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Finnish entry
From Biblical Hebrew שָׁאוּל (šāʾûl, literally “asked (for)”).
Polish entry
Learned borrowing from Late Latin Saul.
Pronunciation
Received-Pronunciation: /sɔːl/
Regional pronunciation variants
- Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard: /soːl/
- without the cot–caught merger: /sɔl/
- cot-caught-merger: /sɑl/
- Scotland: /sɔl/
- Finnish: /ˈsɑu̯l/
- Finnish: [ˈs̠ɑ̝u̯l]
- Polish: /ˈsawl/
Popularity
Saul ranked #557 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Saul
Schurl
Borrowed from Bavarian Schurl, possibly from French Georges, from Latin Geōrgius, from Ancient Greek Γεώργιος (Geṓrgios).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Shaul
A male given name from Hebrew, variant of Saul.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Joel
From Hebrew יוֹאֵל (yo'él, “Yahweh (is) God”). As a medieval French and English given name, it is also from Breton Judicaël (related to Joyce and Jocelyn). Cf. Elijah. From…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Tal
Borrowed from Hebrew טַל (tal, “dew”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Joël
a male given name from Hebrew or Breton, equivalent to English Joel
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Reuel
From Hebrew רְעוּאֵל (“friend of God”).
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends L
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Saul
Ari
Of the first sense, derives directly from Hebrew: אֲרִי (arí, “lion”); compare Yiddish: לייב (leyb, “Leib”), English: Leo, Leon, French: Léo, Léon, Czech: Lev, Polish: Lew,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends I
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Ary
A male given name from Hebrew, of Jewish usage, variant of Arieh.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Asa
Via Late Latin Asa from Koine Greek Ἀσά (Asá) from Biblical Hebrew אָסָא (ʾĀsāʾ), from Aramaic אָסְיָא (ʾāsyā, “physician, doctor, healer”), from Akkadian 𒀀𒍪 (A.ZU /asû/)…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Saul
Adah
From Hebrew עָדָה (adá, “Adah”, literally “ornament, dawn”).
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends H
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Adam
Middle English Adam English Adam From Middle English Adam, from Old English Adam, from Latin Adam, Adamus, from Ancient Greek Ἀδάμ (Adám), Ἄδαμος (Ádamos), from Biblical Hebrew…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends M
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection
Ahab
From Middle English Achab, from Latin Achab, from Ancient Greek Ἀχαάβ (Akhaáb), from Hebrew אַחְאָב (ʼAḥʼāḇ, “uncle”); from אַח (ʼaḥ, “brother”) + אָב (ʼāḇ, “father”). Attested…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends B
- compatible short style
- shared origin connection