Avner is a Hebrew given name, directly derived from the biblical figure Abner. It is the original Hebrew form of Abner, which entered English and other languages via translations of the Bible. Etymology The name Avner (אַבְנֵר) comes from two Hebrew elements: אָב (ʾav), meaning "father", and נֵר (ner), meaning "lamp, light". Thus the name semantically carries the meaning "my father is a light" or "father of light". In the Hebrew Bible, a longer variant Abiner (אֲבִינֵר) appears, where the first syllable is the construct form of "father" with a possessive suffix, literally "my father is Ner". Biblical Narrative In the Old Testament (1 Samuel and 2 Samuel), Avner (called Abner in English) was the cousin of King Saul and served as commander-in-chief of Saul's army. After Saul's death at the Battle of Gilboa, Avner installed Saul's son Ish-bosheth as king over Israel, while David reigned over Judah in Hebron. Avner eventually defected to David, but was later killed by David's general Joab in revenge for killing Joab's brother Asahel. Later Usage The name Avner, in its various transliterations, has been used throughout Jewish history. In Spain during the 14th century, the philosopher Abner of Burgos—who later converted to Christianity and adopted the name Alfonso of Valladolid—bore the name. Among English speakers, the form Abner became popular after the Protestant Reformation and was commonly used by Puritans, who brought it to the American colonies in the 17th century. In modern usage, Avner remains a common name in Israel. Translations and Variants Besides the English Abner, the name appears in other languages such as Biblical Greek Αβεννηρ (Abenner) and Russian Авинир (Avenir). Meaning: "my father is a light" Origin: Hebrew Type: First name (male) Usage regions: Hebrew-speaking world, Jewish diaspora, historical use in English-speaking countries via Puritans