Names of Angels in the Bible
The Bible names only two holy angels: Michael, the archangel (Daniel, Jude, Revelation), and Gabriel, who brings messages to Daniel, Zechariah and Mary. A third name belongs to the angel of the abyss, Abaddon or Apollyon (Revelation 9:11). Raphael and Uriel are named only in Tobit, 2 Esdras and 1 Enoch, outside the 66 books.
Updated November 2, 2026. Counts are from the King James Version (KJV) and the World English Bible (WEB), 66 books. Every use of the word, verse by verse, is on the word page for angels.
Every name the Bible gives an angel, and the names readers add
The table lists 7 names: the 3 the 66 books give to angels, the 2 that readers often take as angels' names, and the 2 that are found only in books outside the 66. Counts are verses that hold the name.
| Name | Status | KJV | WEB | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Meaning: Who is like God?. Called one of the chief princes; the archangel. 15 verses name a Michael in both translations; 5 are the angel and 10 are men in lists and genealogies. | Named in the Bible | 15 | 15 | Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1; Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7 |
Gabriel Meaning: God is my strength, or man of God. Called the angel who stands in the presence of God. Every Gabriel verse is the angel: twice in Daniel, twice in Luke 1. | Named in the Bible | 4 | 4 | Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19; Luke 1:26 |
Abaddon (Apollyon) Meaning: Destruction (Hebrew); Destroyer (Greek). Called the angel of the bottomless pit (WEB: of the abyss). The angel's name is given once, in Revelation 9:11. The WEB also keeps Abaddon as a place in Job 26:6, Proverbs 15:11, Proverbs 27:20, where the KJV says "destruction". | Named in the Bible | 1 | 4 | Revelation 9:11 |
Lucifer Meaning: The Latin name of the morning star; the Hebrew helel means shining one. Called son of the morning. KJV only. The verse is part of a taunt against the king of Babylon (Isaiah 14:4); Christian tradition later read it of the devil. The WEB says "morning star". | Readings differ | 1 | 0 | Isaiah 14:12 |
Satan Meaning: Adversary. Called the dragon, that old serpent, the devil. Never called an angel by name; Revelation 12:9 says "his angels" were cast out with him, and 2 Corinthians 11:14 says he poses as an angel of light. | Readings differ | 55 | 54 | Revelation 12:9; 2 Corinthians 11:14 |
Raphael Meaning: God has healed. Called one of the seven holy angels. In the Book of Tobit, part of Catholic and Orthodox Bibles; not in the KJV's 66 books or the WEB counted here. | Outside the 66 books | 0 | 0 | Tobit 12:15 |
Uriel Meaning: God is my light. Called the angel sent to Ezra. In 2 Esdras (Apocrypha) and 1 Enoch, which lists seven archangels; neither is in the 66 books. | Outside the 66 books | 0 | 0 | 2 Esdras 4:1; 1 Enoch 20 |
Satan's row counts every verse with the word (55 KJV, most in Job), not only those about angels. Meanings are from Strong's Hebrew entries on Bible Hub for Michael, Gabriel, Abaddon, helel and satan, and Wikipedia for Raphael and Uriel.
Michael: the archangel, in 5 of the 15 Michael verses
Michael is the only angel the Bible calls an archangel (Jude 9). His name means "who is like God?", and Strong's Hebrew 4317 gives it as "the name of an archangel and of nine Israelites". Daniel calls him "one of the chief princes", "your prince" and "the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people". Jude has him dispute with the devil over the body of Moses, and in Revelation he and his angels fight the dragon.
By Bible Says About's count of both full texts (November 2, 2026), the word angel appears 297 times in the King James Version and 287 in the World English Bible, most in Revelation (76 KJV). The name Michael is in 15 verses, but only 5 of them are the angel; the other 10 are men in Israel's lists.
KJV: But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
WEB: But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; but, behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me because I remained there with the kings of Persia.
KJV: But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.
WEB: But I will tell you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth. There is no one who holds with me against these, but Michael your prince.
KJV: And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
WEB: “At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of your people; and there will be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. At that time your people will be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.
KJV: Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
WEB: But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the Lord rebuke you!”
KJV: And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
WEB: There was war in the sky. Michael and his angels made war on the dragon. The dragon and his angels made war.
The other 10 Michael verses are Numbers 13:13, 1 Chronicles 5:13, 1 Chronicles 5:14, 1 Chronicles 6:40, 1 Chronicles 7:3, 1 Chronicles 8:16, 1 Chronicles 12:20, 1 Chronicles 27:18, 2 Chronicles 21:2 and Ezra 8:8: fathers and sons in tribal lists, a son of King Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 21:2) and a returning exile's father (Ezra 8:8). Every use is on the word page for Michael, and the book page for Daniel has the chapters.
Gabriel: four verses, two books
Gabriel appears in 4 verses in both translations, every one about the angel. In Daniel he explains visions; in Luke he tells Zechariah that he "stand[s] in the presence of God" and is sent to Mary in Nazareth. Luke 1:26 is the only verse that calls him "the angel Gabriel"; Daniel 9:21 calls him "the man Gabriel". Strong's Hebrew 1403 gives the name's meaning as "man of God"; it is also often read as "God is my strength".
KJV: And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
WEB: I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
KJV: Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.
WEB: yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening offering.
KJV: And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
WEB: The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
KJV: And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
WEB: Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Every use is on the word page for Gabriel; his announcements open the Gospel of Luke.
Abaddon and Apollyon: the angel of the abyss
Revelation 9:11 gives the third name the Bible attaches to an angel: the king of the locusts is "the angel of the bottomless pit" (WEB "the angel of the abyss"), named Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in Greek. Strong's Hebrew 11 defines abaddon as "a perishing", and the King James Version translates the same Hebrew word "destruction" elsewhere. The World English Bible keeps the name Abaddon as a place in Job 26:6, Proverbs 15:11 and Proverbs 27:20, so it has 4 Abaddon verses to the KJV's 1.
KJV: And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
WEB: They have over them as king the angel of the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon”, but in Greek, he has the name “Apollyon”.
Lucifer and Satan: is either an angel's name?
Lucifer is in one verse of the King James Version and none of the World English Bible. Isaiah 14:12 is addressed in the chapter to "the king of Babylon" (14:4). Strong's Hebrew 1966 gives the Hebrew word, helel, as "morning star" or "shining one", and Wikipedia's article on Lucifer says Lucifer was the Roman name for the morning star and later became a Christian name for the devil. Both readings are held: some read the verse only of the king, others of Satan's fall as well.
KJV: How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
WEB: How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low!
Satan means adversary (Strong's Hebrew 7854). The Bible never calls him an angel by name, but Revelation 12:9 says "his angels were cast out with him", and 2 Corinthians 11:14 says he is "transformed into an angel of light". See the word pages for Satan, devil and Lucifer.
KJV: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
WEB: The great dragon was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
KJV: And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
WEB: And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
Raphael and Uriel: named outside the 66 books
Raphael is named in the Book of Tobit, where he travels with Tobias as a man named Azarias and then reveals himself, in the words of the Catholic Encyclopedia, as "the angel Raphael, one of the seven, who stand before the Lord" (Tobit 12:15). Wikipedia says Tobit is deuterocanonical for Catholic and Orthodox Christians and Apocrypha for Protestants, so it is not among the 66 books counted here.
Uriel is the angel sent to answer Ezra in 2 Esdras (4:1, 5:20 and 10:28, per Wikipedia's Uriel article). Wikipedia's 2 Esdras article says Catholics and Protestants count that book among the Apocrypha, while the Ethiopian Orthodox Church has it in its canon. 1 Enoch lists seven archangels, Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel and Remiel, according to Wikipedia's Michael article; of these only Michael and Gabriel are in the 66 books.
Kinds of angels: archangel, cherubim, seraphim, watchers
Besides names, the Bible uses words for kinds of heavenly beings. None of these is a personal name; each is counted below in both translations.
| Word | KJV | WEB | Key verse |
|---|---|---|---|
Angel, angels The general word: a messenger sent by God. The Hebrew malak and the Greek angelos both mean messenger. | 297 | 287 | Hebrews 1:14 |
Archangel Chief angel. Only Michael is called one by name. | 2 | 2 | 1 Thessalonians 4:16 |
Cherub, cherubim Guard the way to the tree of life, are shaped in gold on the ark's cover, and carry the throne in Ezekiel's visions. | 95 | 94 | Genesis 3:24 |
Seraphim Six-winged beings above the throne in Isaiah's vision, crying holy, holy, holy. | 2 | 2 | Isaiah 6:2 |
Watchers (holy ones) Heavenly beings who decree Nebuchadnezzar's sentence in Daniel 4. | 3 | 3 | Daniel 4:13 |
The angel of the LORD Speaks as God in several scenes; readers differ on whether he is an angel or God himself. WEB: "Yahweh's angel" in the Old Testament. | 68 | 68 | Exodus 3:2 |
Both words for angel mean messenger: Hebrew malak and Greek angelos, which Strong's also gives for human messengers. Archangel, Greek archangelos, is "a chief angel" (Strong's Greek 743). The King James Version spells the plural "cherubims" 63 times, a double plural the WEB writes as cherubim. The watchers appear only in Daniel 4:13, Daniel 4:17 and Daniel 4:23. Every cherubim verse is on the word page for cherubim.
Who is the angel of the LORD?
The angel of the LORD is an unnamed figure who speaks as God in several scenes: he finds Hagar, speaks from the burning bush, and tells Manoah his name is "secret" (WEB "incomprehensible"). The King James Version has the phrase 68 times, 56 in the Old Testament and 12 in the New; the World English Bible writes "Yahweh's angel" 56 times in the Old Testament and "an angel of the Lord" or "the angel of the Lord" 12 times in the New. Wikipedia's article gives the range of readings: some take him as a created angel, others as an appearance of God, and some as Christ before his birth.
KJV: And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
WEB: Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.
KJV: And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
WEB: Yahweh’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the middle of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
KJV: And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Why askest thou thus after my name, seeing it is secret?
WEB: Yahweh’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible?”
What do these counts leave out?
The counts match English words, so they miss angels described without the word, such as the three men who visit Abraham in Genesis 18 (two of them are called angels in Genesis 19:1) and the "man clothed in linen" of Daniel 10:5. They also include uses that may mean human messengers: the "angel of the church" in each of Revelation 2 and 3 is read as an angel by some and as a church leader by others. Whether the angel of the LORD is an angel, and whether Isaiah 14 is about Satan, are questions of interpretation that a count cannot settle.
Sources
- The King James Version (1769) and the World English Bible, both public domain: every verse quoted and every count on this page, counted by scripts/lists/names-of-angels-in-the-bible.mjs (read and counted 2026-11-02).
- Bible Hub, Strong's Hebrew 4317 Mikael, 1403 Gabriel, 11 abaddon, 1966 helel, 7854 satan and 4397 malak, and Strong's Greek 32 angelos and 743 archangelos: meanings of the names and words (read 2026-11-02).
- Catholic Encyclopedia, "St. Raphael the Archangel" (New Advent): Tobit 12:15 (read 2026-11-02).
- Wikipedia, "Book of Tobit", "2 Esdras", "Uriel", "Michael (archangel)", "Lucifer" and "Angel of the Lord" and "Shem HaMephorash": canon status, Uriel in 2 Esdras, the seven archangels of 1 Enoch, the Roman morning star, the readings of the angel of the LORD, the 72 names of Kabbalah (read 2026-11-02).
Questions about the names of angels
What are the names of the angels in the Bible?
The 66-book Bible names two holy angels, Michael and Gabriel, and gives the angel of the bottomless pit the names Abaddon (Hebrew) and Apollyon (Greek) in Revelation 9:11. Raphael is named in the Book of Tobit and Uriel in 2 Esdras and 1 Enoch; those books are in some Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, not in the King James Version's 66 books or the World English Bible counted here.
How many angels are named in the Bible?
Two holy angels by name, Michael and Gabriel, plus Abaddon/Apollyon, the angel of the abyss, for three names given to angels in the 66 books. Michael appears in 5 verses as the angel (Daniel 10:13, 10:21 and 12:1, Jude 9, Revelation 12:7) and Gabriel in 4 (Daniel 8:16 and 9:21, Luke 1:19 and 1:26).
Is Lucifer an angel's name in the Bible?
Lucifer appears once, in the King James Version of Isaiah 14:12, "O Lucifer, son of the morning". The World English Bible reads "morning star, son of the dawn". The chapter is a taunt "against the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 14:4). Wikipedia notes that Lucifer was the Roman name for the morning star and that Christian tradition later made it a name for the devil.
Who are the seven archangels?
The Bible's 66 books call only Michael an archangel, and use the word just twice (1 Thessalonians 4:16 and Jude 9). The list of seven comes from 1 Enoch, which names Uriel, Raphael, Raguel, Michael, Sariel, Gabriel and Remiel, per Wikipedia's article on Michael. In Tobit 12:15, Raphael calls himself one of the seven who stand before the Lord.
What are the 72 names of angels?
They are not in the Bible. The 72 three-letter names come from Kabbalah: Wikipedia's article on the Shem HaMephorash says they are derived from Exodus 14:19-21, three Hebrew verses read letter by letter. Those verses name no angel; the only angel in them is "the angel of God" (Exodus 14:19). The 66 books name two holy angels, Michael and Gabriel.
What is the difference between cherubim and seraphim?
Cherubim guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24), are shaped in gold on the ark's cover and carry God's throne in Ezekiel's visions; the word appears 95 times in the KJV. Seraphim appear only in Isaiah 6:2 and 6:6, six-winged beings above the throne who cry "Holy, holy, holy". Neither word is a personal name.
How many times is angel mentioned in the Bible?
297 times in the King James Version (117 Old Testament, 180 New) and 287 in the World English Bible, counting angel, angels and angel's. Revelation has the most, 76 in the KJV. The phrase "the angel of the LORD" adds 68 KJV uses, which the WEB writes as "Yahweh's angel" in the Old Testament.
The companion lists are the names of God, the names of Jesus and the names of the Holy Spirit. Book pages: Revelation. Word counts: heaven and dragon. More counts are on the Bible by the numbers.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible, verse text only, 66 books. A count is every whole-word use in a verse, so a verse with two uses counts twice; "angel" includes angel, angels and angel's. Name rows count the verses that hold the name. Books outside the 66 (Tobit, 2 Esdras, 1 Enoch) are not in either text and are described from the sources listed. Data compiled 2026-11-02.