Obadja

The male first name Obadja is a biblical and Swedish form of Obadiah (עֹבַדְיָה). Its direct translation is 'the servant of JHWH', 'the worshiper of JHWH', as well as 'the devotee of JHWH'.

What does the name Obadja mean?

Obadja is a biblically Swedish variant of the name Obadiah (עֹבַדְיָה). The meaning of the name includes 'the servant of JHWH', 'the worshiper of JHWH', and 'the devotee of JHWH'. The roots lie in two ancient Hebrew elements: 'avad' (עָבַד), which means 'to serve', 'to worship', or 'to adore', and 'yah' (יָה), which stands for 'the name of God' (JHWH). This name is borne by the prophet who authored the Book of Obadiah. Other variants include Ovadja, Ovadya, Obdias, Abdiou, Abdias, and Avdey.

Where does the name Obadja come from?

Obadja is a male first name whose origin lies in ancient Hebrew and carries the meaning 'the servant of JHWH'.

How do you pronounce Obadja?

The sound structure and pronunciation of Obadja: The name Obadja is three syllables and fluid. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'O-bad-ja' [oˈbaːdja], which creates a calm and slightly swinging sound movement with clear segmentation. The 'bad' forms a distinctive, stable center, while the 'ja' allows the name to end openly and gently. Thus, Obadja conveys a calm and meaningful aura – sonorous, harmonious, and with a traditional, slightly ceremonial note.

Popularity

In Germany, Obadja is a rare first name. In 2019, it ranked 3,920th on the list of the most common male baby names. Its best placement was in 2014 at 3,829th. In the last ten years, Obadja has been given as a first name less than 10 times, placing it at 8,008th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 8,037th.

Famous people

• Obadja (Prophet (in the Old Testament)
• Obadja ben Jacob Sforno (Italian philosopher)