Saul

See also: Saül, Saúl, and saul

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Hebrew שָׁאַל

Hebrew שָׁאוּלlbor.

Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl)lbor.

Late Latin Saullbor.

Old English Saulbor.

English Saul

Borrowed from Old English Saul. Doublet of Silas, which derived from Aramaic.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sɔːl/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (Standard Southern British, General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /soːl/
• (US)
  • (without the cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /sɔl/
  • (cot–caught merger) IPA^(key): /sɑl/
• (Scotland) IPA^(key): /sɔl/
• Rhymes: -ɔːl

Proper noun

Saul

2. (biblical) The first king of Israel in the Old Testament.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 16:23, column 2:

     And it came to paſſe, when the euill ſpirit from God was vpon Saul, that Dauid tooke an harpe, and played with his hand: So Saul was refreſhed, and was well, and the euill ſpirit departed from him.

3. (Christianity) The Hebrew name of Apostle Paul in the New Testament.
   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 13:9, column 2:

     Then Saul (who alſo is called Paul) filled with the holy Ghoſt, ſet his eyes on him

4. A male given name from Hebrew.
   • 2000, Peter Abrahams, Crying Wolf, Ballantine Books, →ISBN:

     “You got an uncle named Saul?” “I never mentioned him?” “What are you saying —you got some Jewish guy for an uncle?” “He's not Jewish. It's just a name they have back in the old country.”

5. A surname.
6. A village in Fretherne with Saul parish, Stroud district, Gloucestershire, England (OS grid ref SO7409).
7. A village near Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland.
8. An unincorporated community in Perry County, Kentucky, United States.

Translations

first king of Israel

• Arabic: شَاؤُول m (šāʔūl) (used by Christians), طَالُوت m (ṭālūt) (used by Muslims)
• Aramaic:

  Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܫܵܐܘܿܠ m (Šaol)

• Armenian: Սավուղ (Savuġ)
• Bengali: তালূত (talūt)
• Catalan: Saül m
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (sou³ lo⁴), 撒烏耳 / 撒乌耳 (saat³ wu¹ ji⁵) (Catholic)

  Hokkien: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (Sò-lô, Sàu-lô)

  Mandarin: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (zh) (Sǎoluó), 撒烏耳 / 撒乌耳 (Sāwū'ěr) (Catholic)

• Comorian:

  Maore Comorian: Saulusu

  Ngazidja Comorian: Twalut

• Czech: Saul m
• Danish: Saul
• Dutch: Saul (nl)
• Finnish: Saul (fi)
• French: Saül (fr) m
• German: Saul (de) m
• Greek: Σαούλ (el) m (Saoúl)

  Ancient Greek: Σαῦλος m (Saûlos), Σαούλ m (Saoúl)

• Hebrew: שָׁאוּל (he) (sha'úl)
• Italian: Saul (it) m, Saulo m
• Japanese: サウル
• Korean: 사울 (Saul)
• Latin: Saul m
• Norwegian: Saul (no)
• Polish: Saul (pl) m
• Portuguese: Saul (pt) m
• Romanian: Saul
• Russian: Сау́л m (Saúl), Савл m (Savl), Шау́ль m (Šaúlʹ)
• Sami:

  Northern Sami: Sávlos

• Spanish: Saúl (es) m
• Swedish: Saul
• Yiddish: שאול m (shoel)

Hebrew name of Paul

• Arabic: شَاؤُول m (šāʔūl)
• Aramaic:

  Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܫܵܐܘܿܠ m (Šaol)

• Cherokee: ᏐᎳ (sola)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (sou³ lo⁴), 掃祿 / 扫禄 (sou³ luk⁶) (Catholic)

  Hokkien: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (Sò-lô, Sàu-lô)

  Mandarin: 掃羅 / 扫罗 (zh) (Sǎoluó), 掃祿 / 扫禄 (Sǎolù) (Catholic)

• Comorian:

  Maore Comorian: Saulusu

• Czech: Saul m, Šaul m, Šavel m
• Danish: Saulus
• Dutch: Saulus, Saul (nl)
• Esperanto: Saŭlo
• Finnish: Saul (fi)
• French: Saul (fr) m
• German: Saulus m
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: Σαῦλος m (Saûlos), Σαούλ m (Saoúl)

• Italian: Saulo m
• Kazakh: Саул (Saul)
• Latin: Saulus m
• Norwegian: Saulus
• Polish: Szaweł (pl) m
• Portuguese: Saulo (pt) m
• Russian: Сау́л m (Saúl), Савл m (Savl)
• Sami:

  Northern Sami: Sávlos

• Spanish: Saulo (es) m
• Swedish: Saul

male given name

• Arabic: سَوْل m (sawl), شَاؤُول m (šāʔūl)
• Aramaic:

  Assyrian Neo-Aramaic: ܫܵܐܘܿܠ m (Šaol)

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 索爾 / 索尔 (zh) (Suǒ'ěr)

• Dutch: Saul (nl)
• Esperanto: Saŭlo
• Finnish: Sauli (fi)
• Hebrew: שָׁאוּל (he) m (sha'úl)
• Lithuanian: Saulius (lt) m
• Māori: Haora
• Polish: Saul (pl) m
• Portuguese: Saulo (pt) m
• Sami:

  Northern Sami: Sávlos

• Spanish: Saúl (es) m
• Yiddish: שאול m (shoel)

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Saul is the 4981^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 7047 individuals. Saul is most common among White (95.85%) individuals.

Anagrams

• Auls, Luas, ULAS, ULAs, alus, auls

Estonian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑu̯l/, [ˈsɑu̯l]

Proper noun

Saul (genitive Sauli, partitive Sauli)

1. a surname

Finnish

Etymology

From Biblical Hebrew שָׁאוּל (šāʾûl, literally “asked (for)”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsɑu̯l/, [ˈs̠ɑ̝u̯l]
• Rhymes: -ɑul
• Syllabification^(key): Saul
• Hyphenation^(key): Saul

Proper noun

Saul

1. (biblical) Saul
2. a male given name

Declension

Inflection of Saul (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)
nominative		Saul	Saulit
genitive		Saulin	Saulien
partitive		Saulia	Sauleja
illative		Sauliin	Sauleihin
		singular	plural
nominative		Saul	Saulit
accusative	nom.	Saul	Saulit
	gen.	Saulin
genitive		Saulin	Saulien
partitive		Saulia	Sauleja
inessive		Saulissa	Sauleissa
elative		Saulista	Sauleista
illative		Sauliin	Sauleihin
adessive		Saulilla	Sauleilla
ablative		Saulilta	Sauleilta
allative		Saulille	Sauleille
essive		Saulina	Sauleina
translative		Sauliksi	Sauleiksi
abessive		Saulitta	Sauleitta
instructive		—	Saulein
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of Saul (Kotus type 5/risti, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Saulini Saulini accusative nom. Saulini Saulini gen. Saulini genitive Saulini Saulieni partitive Sauliani Saulejani inessive Saulissani Sauleissani elative Saulistani Sauleistani illative Sauliini Sauleihini adessive Saulillani Sauleillani ablative Sauliltani Sauleiltani allative Saulilleni Sauleilleni essive Saulinani Sauleinani translative Saulikseni Sauleikseni abessive Saulittani Sauleittani instructive — — comitative — Sauleineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative Saulisi Saulisi accusative nom. Saulisi Saulisi gen. Saulisi genitive Saulisi Sauliesi partitive Sauliasi Saulejasi inessive Saulissasi Sauleissasi elative Saulistasi Sauleistasi illative Sauliisi Sauleihisi adessive Saulillasi Sauleillasi ablative Sauliltasi Sauleiltasi allative Saulillesi Sauleillesi essive Saulinasi Sauleinasi translative Sauliksesi Sauleiksesi abessive Saulittasi Sauleittasi instructive — — comitative — Sauleinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Saulimme Saulimme accusative nom. Saulimme Saulimme gen. Saulimme genitive Saulimme Sauliemme partitive Sauliamme Saulejamme inessive Saulissamme Sauleissamme elative Saulistamme Sauleistamme illative Sauliimme Sauleihimme adessive Saulillamme Sauleillamme ablative Sauliltamme Sauleiltamme allative Saulillemme Sauleillemme essive Saulinamme Sauleinamme translative Sauliksemme Sauleiksemme abessive Saulittamme Sauleittamme instructive — — comitative — Sauleinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative Saulinne Saulinne accusative nom. Saulinne Saulinne gen. Saulinne genitive Saulinne Saulienne partitive Saulianne Saulejanne inessive Saulissanne Sauleissanne elative Saulistanne Sauleistanne illative Sauliinne Sauleihinne adessive Saulillanne Sauleillanne ablative Sauliltanne Sauleiltanne allative Saulillenne Sauleillenne essive Saulinanne Sauleinanne translative Sauliksenne Sauleiksenne abessive Saulittanne Sauleittanne instructive — — comitative — Sauleinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative Saulinsa Saulinsa accusative nom. Saulinsa Saulinsa gen. Saulinsa genitive Saulinsa Sauliensa partitive Sauliaan Sauliansa Saulejaan Saulejansa inessive Saulissaan Saulissansa Sauleissaan Sauleissansa elative Saulistaan Saulistansa Sauleistaan Sauleistansa illative Sauliinsa Sauleihinsa adessive Saulillaan Saulillansa Sauleillaan Sauleillansa ablative Sauliltaan Sauliltansa Sauleiltaan Sauleiltansa allative Saulilleen Saulillensa Sauleilleen Sauleillensa essive Saulinaan Saulinansa Sauleinaan Sauleinansa translative Saulikseen Sauliksensa Sauleikseen Sauleiksensa abessive Saulittaan Saulittansa Sauleittaan Sauleittansa instructive — — comitative — Sauleineen Sauleinensa

Statistics

• Saul is the 886^th (tied with 4 other names) most common male given name in Finland, belonging to 138 male individuals (and as a middle name to 86 more), according to August 2025 data from the Digital and Population Data Services Agency of Finland.

Latin

Etymology

Etymology tree

Hebrew שָׁאַל

Hebrew שָׁאוּלlbor.

Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl)lbor.

Latin Saul

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl).

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ˈsa.uːɫ]

• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈsaː.ul]

Proper noun

Saūl m sg (genitive Saūl or Saūlis); indeclinable, variously declined, third declension

1. Saul, the first king of Israel

Declension

Indeclinable noun or third-declension noun, singular only.

	singular
nominative	Saūl
genitive	Saūl Saūlis
dative	Saūl Saūlī
accusative	Saūl Saūlem
ablative	Saūl Saūle
vocative	Saūl

References

• “Saul”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Saul”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Old English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Hebrew שָׁאַל

Hebrew שָׁאוּלlbor.

Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl)lbor.

Late Latin Saullbor.

Old English Saul

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Saūl, from Koine Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl), from Biblical Hebrew שָׁאוּל (šāʾûl).

Proper noun

Saul m

1. Saul (biblical king of Israel)

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	Saul	—
accusative	Saul	—
genitive	Saules	—
dative	Saule	—

Old Irish

Etymology

From Latin Saūl, from Koine Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl), from Biblical Hebrew שָׁאוּל (šāʾûl).

Proper noun

Saul m

1. Saul (first king of Israel)
   • c. 800–825, Diarmait, Milan Glosses on the Psalms, published in Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus (reprinted 1987, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited and with translations by Whitley Stokes and John Strachan, vol. I, pp. 7–483, Ml. 30^a3

     Amal nád n-airigther ⁊ nád fintar a ndu·gníther hi suidi, sic ba in fortgidiu ⁊ ba hi temul du·gníth Saul cona muntair intleda ⁊ erelca fri Dauid.

     As what is done in this is not perceived and discovered, so it was covertly and it was in darkness that Saul with his people was making snares and ambushes against David.

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Hebrew שָׁאַל

Hebrew שָׁאוּלlbor.

Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl)lbor.

Late Latin Saullbor.

Polish Saul

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Saul.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈsawl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -awl
• Syllabification: Saul

Proper noun

Saul m pers

1. (biblical) Saul (first ruler of Israel)
   • 2003, Jan Łach, chapter 15, in Pierwsza Księga Samuela‎^[1], Poznań: Wydawnictwo Pallottinum; translation of anonymous author, ספר שְׁמוּאֵל, (Please provide a date or year):

     Żałuję tego, że Saula ustanowiłem królem. […]

     I regret that I made Saul king. […]

2. (countable, rare) a male given name from Late Latin [in turn from Ancient Greek, in turn from Hebrew], equivalent to English Saul

   Rodzinie Saula nieźle się powodzi. ― Saul's family is doing quite well.

Declension

Declension of Saul

	singular	plural
nominative	Saul	Saulowie
genitive	Saula	Saulów
dative	Saulowi	Saulom
accusative	Saula	Saulów
instrumental	Saulem	Saulami
locative	Saulu	Saulach
vocative	Saulu	Saulowie

Further reading

• “Saul”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[2] (in Polish)
• Saul in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Etymology

Etymology tree

Hebrew שָׁאַל

Hebrew שָׁאוּלlbor.

Ancient Greek Σαούλ (Saoúl)lbor.

Latin Saullbor.

Portuguese Saul

Learned borrowing from Late Latin Saul.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /saˈuw/ [saˈuʊ̯]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /sɐˈul/ [sɐˈuɫ]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /sɐˈul/ [sɐˈuɫ]
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /sɐˈu.li/

• Rhymes: (Portugal) -ul, (Brazil) -uw
• Hyphenation: Sa‧ul

Proper noun

Saul m

1. (biblical) Saul (first king of Israel)