Sophonias
/ˌsɒfəˈnaɪəs/noun
A Greek and Latin form of the biblical name Zephaniah, referring especially to the Hebrew prophet.
Did you know?Sophonias is the Septuagint Greek form of Zephaniah, whose Hebrew name invokes YHWH as the one who conceals, shelters, or treasures.
Etymological Timeline
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
צְפַנְיָה (Ṣəfanyāh)
“YHWH has hidden, sheltered, or treasured”
6th Century BCE
Hebrew
Ṣəfanyāh
“The personal name of the prophet Zephaniah”
3rd–2nd Century BCE
Ancient Greek
Σοφονίας (Sophonías)
“Greek transliteration of the Hebrew prophetic name”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Sophonias
“Latin form used in biblical and Christian writings”
Middle English
English
Sophonias
“A learned biblical name inherited through Latin tradition”
Modern English
English
Sophonias
“A rare proper-name variant of Zephaniah”