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Name Lineage

    The first name Obadiah

    A boy’s name from Hebrew meaning “servant of yahweh”, “servant of god”.

    Pronounced /ˌoʊbəˈdaɪə/ 4 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Hebrew origin

    Obadiah means “servant of yahweh”, “servant of god” in Hebrew.

    From Hebrew עובדיה (Ovadya, “servant of Yahweh”); comparable to Arabic عبد اللّٰه (ʕabd-allah, “servant of God”).

    More names that mean god.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 10 boys were named Obadiah, making it the 2,269th most popular boys’ name.

    0510 1996200020052010201520202025
    91
    babies named Obadiah, 1996–2025
    #2,269
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Obadiah with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Obadiah at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 104 boys born in the United States were named Obadiah, the 1,630th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 2024, when 131 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,521
    babies named Obadiah since 1880
    #1,630
    rank in 2025
    2024
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Obadiah

    Famous people named Obadiah

    2 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Obadiah
      Biblical prophet associated with the Book of Obadiah, -586–-500
    • Abdullah ibn Salam
      Companion of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, 550–663

    More Hebrew boys’ names

    All 346 names of Hebrew origin

    Questions

    What does the name Obadiah mean?
    Obadiah means “servant of yahweh”, “servant of god” in Hebrew.
    What is the origin of the name Obadiah?
    From Hebrew עובדיה (Ovadya, “servant of Yahweh”); comparable to Arabic عبد اللّٰه (ʕabd-allah, “servant of God”).
    How popular is the name Obadiah?
    In 2025, 10 boys born in England and Wales were named Obadiah, ranking 2,269th.
    What are nicknames for Obadiah?
    Common nicknames for Obadiah include Obie.
    Is Obadiah a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 100% of the 2,521 US babies named Obadiah since 1880 were boys.
    When was Obadiah most popular?
    2024 in the United States, when 131 babies were named Obadiah, its highest rank at 1,414th.
    How do you pronounce Obadiah?
    Obadiah is /ˌoʊbəˈdaɪə/, 4 syllables.