Given name
Obadiah
“servant of God”·“a servant of God”
Obadiah is used as a given name. Interpretations include “servant of God” (Hebrew) and “a servant of God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewעובדיה
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “servant of God” (Hebrew) and “a servant of God” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In English usage, Obadiah developed from עובדיה.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1914. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Obadiah appears in 1 Kings 18:3, 1 Chronicles 3:21, 1 Chronicles 7:3 and 9 other passages.
- 1 Kings 18:3
- 1 Chronicles 3:21
- 1 Chronicles 7:3
- 1 Chronicles 8:38
- 1 Chronicles 12:9
- 1 Chronicles 27:19
- 2 Chronicles 17:7
- 2 Chronicles 34:12
- Ezra 8:9
- Nehemiah 10:5
- 1 Chronicles 9:16
- Nehemiah 12:25
From biblical name research
Obadiah through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 2,521
- 2,521 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 131 babies
- 2025
- 104
- #1,630 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +14%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 104 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,630 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 13.7% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (14). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,523 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Obadiah’s family of names
In English usage, Obadiah has a diminutive in Obie. In English usage, Obadiah developed from the Hebrew form עובדיה. Obadiah has a related form in Obed.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Obadiah has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
Hebrewwhere Obadiah comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 19
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 6
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 9
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
- Abdielshares a root
- Abdishares a root
- Abdonshares a root
- Ebedshares a root
- Ebed-melechshares a root
- Abdeelshares a root
- Abdashares a root
- Gottschalksee also
Show 1 moreShow fewer
People named Obadiah
- Obadiahbiblical prophet associated with the Book of Obadiah586 BC–500 BC
- Obi ToppinAmerican basketball player (born 1998)
- Obie TrotterAmerican basketball playerborn 1984
- Obadiah of BertinoroItalian rabbi (c.1450–1509)1445–1500
- Obadiah ben Jacob SfornoItalian philosopher and rabbi1470–1549
- Obadiah GardnerAmerican politician (1852–1938)
- Obadiah JohnsonNigerian doctor1849–1920
- Obadiah GermanAmerican politician (1766-1842)
- Ovadia HedayaIsraeli rabbi (1889–1969)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Obadiah, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Amaziah
“Yah is strong” · “strength of Yah”
90% boys · 10% girls
Ananias
“Yah has been gracious” · “graciously given of Yah”
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Asaiah
“Yah has made”
97% boys · 3% girls
Ozias
“power of Yah” · “Yah is strong”
>99% boys
Adonai
“my foundation” · “my Lord”
88% boys · 12% girls
Hezekiah
“God is my strength”
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Jeziah
“Yah sprinkles”
95% boys · 5% girls
Eliab
“(my) God is father”
>99% boys