Ammiel

Ammiel is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, appearing in the Hebrew Bible. The name is composed of two elements: עַם (ʿam) meaning "people, nation, kinsman" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God", giving it the meaning "God is my kinsman" or "people of God".

Biblical Bearers

In the Old Testament, Ammiel is the name of several individuals. The most notable is Ammiel, son of Gemalli, who was one of the twelve spies sent by Moses to scout the land of Canaan. He was among the ten spies who brought back a negative report, inciting the people's rebellion, and subsequently perished in a plague sent by God (Numbers 13:12; 14:37). Another Ammiel is described as the father of Machir of Lo-debar, in whose house Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, resided (2 Samuel 9:4–5; 17:27). Yet another Ammiel is noted in 1 Chronicles 3:5 as the father of Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and later of King David; however, in 2 Samuel 11:3, Bathsheba's father is called Eliam, which may be a variant of Ammiel. A fourth Ammiel appears as one of the sons of Obed-edom the Levite (1 Chronicles 26:5).

Cultural and Linguistic Notes

The name Ammiel reflects a common theophoric pattern in Hebrew, combining a relational term (ʿam) with the divine name El. It is semantically parallel to names like Elam and Ammi. While the name is not common in modern usage, it is predominantly associated with English translations of the Bible and is occasionally adopted by Jewish or Christian families seeking a biblical name with a positive meaning relating to kinship with God.

Notable Modern Bearers

Notable contemporary bearers include: Ammiel Alcalay (born 1956), an American poet; Ammiel Bushakevitz (born 1986), an Israeli-South African pianist; Ammiel Hirsch (born 1959), a Reform Jewish rabbi; and Ammiel J. Willard (1822–1900), a chief justice of the Dakota Supreme Court.

• Meaning: "God is my kinsman" or "people of God"
• Origin: Hebrew
• Type: First name
• Usage: English Bible, Hebrew Bible