Zebadiah

Zebadiah is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, appearing several times in the Old Testament. It means "Yahweh has given," derived from the Hebrew elements zavaḏ. meaning "to give" and Yahweh, the name of the God of Israel. The name therefore shares its core meaning with related names such as Zevadya (its Biblical Hebrew form) and Zebedee (a New Testament variant).

In the Hebrew Bible, several minor figures bear the name Zebadiah. For instance, Zebadiah is listed among the descendants of Benjamin in 1 Chronicles 8:15, and another Zebadiah appears as a Levite in 1 Chronicles 26:7. These brief mentions reflect a common pattern in biblical genealogies, where names expressing divine blessing or gratitude were frequently given. The name Zebadiah thus belongs to a class of theophoric names in Hebrew dedicating a child to God's providence.

The root element is the divine name Yahweh, likely derived from the Hebrew verb hawa meaning "to be"—thus representing God as the eternal, self-existent one. Combined with zavaḏ, the name affirms God as the source of every good gift. This theological nuance makes Zebadiah more than a simple identification; it expresses faith that every child is a gift from God.

Forms and Variants

Beyond the English form Zebadiah, the name appears across several language cultures. In Biblical Hebrew it is Zevadya, in Biblical Greek Zebedaios, and in Biblical Finnish Sepeteus. The English short form Zeb is also used as a nickname, while the unrelated Finnish name Seppo 2 descends from a different root. The New Testament carries the related Zebedee, father of the apostles James and John, further extending the name's influence.

Notable Bearers

The biblical Zebadiahs are not individually prominent, but the name was later adopted by English Puritans after the Protestant Reformation, who often chose scriptural names from the Hebrew Bible. Though never extremely common, Zebadiah and its variants have been used consistently through the centuries, particularly in religious communities that value Old Testament names.

• Meaning: Yahweh has given
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: Theophoric given name
• Usage regions: English Bible traditions, with variants in Greek, Hebrew, Finnish