Meaning & History
Iohel is the Latin form of Joel used in the Latin Old Testament (the Vulgate). The name originates from the Hebrew name יוֹאֵל (Yoʾel), meaning "Yahweh is God," derived from the elements יוֹ (yo) and אֵל (ʾel), both referencing the Hebrew God.
In the Bible, Joel is one of the twelve minor prophets, credited with the Book of Joel, which warns of a devastating locust plague as divine judgment and calls for repentance. While the Latin form Iohel appears in Jerome's 4th-century Vulgate translation, the name gained popularity as a Christian name in England only after the Protestant Reformation, when biblical names became more common.
The Greek equivalent is Ioel, used in the Septuagint. Modern variant forms include French Joël, Italian Gioele, Galician Xoel, and Spanish Yoel, among others.
- Meaning: Yahweh is God
- Origin: Latin Vulgate rendering of Hebrew Yoʾel
- Type: Biblical / religious
- Usage: Latin Bible, historical Christian contexts