Boy Old Testament Known
Darius
he that informs himself
דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ dar.ya.vesh
Darius (Hebrew: דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ, dar.ya.vesh) means “he that informs himself”, by traditional interpretation. Three men in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a king. In 2025 it was given to 322 children in the United States, ranking 788. Use is falling away. Around 54,278 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Ahasuerus in Daniel 9.
Which Darius?
Three men in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Darius
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Darius
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Darius
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 26 across 5 books
- Bearers
- 3 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Return
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 322 | Falling |
| All-time total | 54,278 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 2,200 in 1994 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | CA | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Ezra 4:5 |
| Last appears | Zechariah 7:1 |
| Cross-references | 401 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Iddo co-occurrence Appears with Iddo in Zechariah 1.
- Zechariah co-occurrence Appears with Zechariah in Zechariah 1.
- Berechiah co-occurrence Appears with Berechiah in Zechariah 1.
- Shethar-bozenai co-occurrence Appears with Shethar-bozenai in Ezra 5.
- Tattenai co-occurrence Appears with Tattenai in Ezra 5.
- Haggai co-occurrence Appears with Haggai in Ezra 6.
- Jaddua co-occurrence Appears with Jaddua in Nehemiah 12.
- Jonathan co-occurrence Appears with Jonathan in Nehemiah 12.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Dan.5.31;
son of: Ahasuerus (H0325)
Also named: dar.ya.vesh (דָּֽרְיָ֫וֶשׁ "Darius" H1868H)
§ Darius = "lord"
1) Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, king of the Chaldeans, who succeeded to the Babylonian kingdom on the death of Belshazzar; probably the same as "Astyages" the last king of the Medes (538 BC)
2) Darius, the son of Hystaspes, the founder of the Perso-Arian dynasty (521 BC)
3) Darius II or Darius III
3a) Darius II, Nothus (Ochus) was king of Persia during the time of Nehemiah (424/3-405/4 BC). Darius II is the most probable because he is mentioned by Nehemiah and ruled during the time of Nehemiah
3b) Darius III, Codomannus was king of Persia during its last years at the time of Alexander the Great and was his opponent (336-330 BC)
Darius the Mede received the Empire of Babylon and ruled over it.
The biblical story
Darius the Mede is mentioned in the Book of Daniel as the ruler who took over the Babylonian kingdom after the fall of Babylon to the Medo-Persian Empire. He is first introduced in Dan.5.31, which states that Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two.
In Daniel 6, Darius is portrayed as the king who was manipulated by his officials into issuing a decree that prohibited prayer to anyone but him for thirty days. This decree led to Daniel being thrown into the lions' den when he was caught praying to God. However, God protected Daniel, and Darius, upon discovering Daniel's miraculous survival, issued a new decree acknowledging the power of Daniel's God (Dan.6.25-28).
Darius is also mentioned in Dan.9.1, which sets the context for Daniel's prayer of confession and supplication for his people. The chapter begins by stating that this event took place in the first year of Darius' reign.
In Dan.11.1, an angelic messenger refers to the first year of Darius the Mede, indicating that he had been supporting and protecting the prince of Persia.
The identity of Darius the Mede has been a subject of debate among scholars, as there is no clear historical record of a Median king ruling Babylon between the reigns of Belshazzar and Cyrus the Great. Some scholars suggest that Darius may have been a subordinate ruler or a governor under Cyrus, while others propose that the name may be a title or a reference to Cyrus himself. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his identity, the biblical account presents Darius the Mede as a significant figure in the early days of the Medo-Persian Empire and in the life of Daniel.
Key verses
Darius appears in 8 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.
Daniel 5:31 -
It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;
Daniel 6:1 -
Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.
Daniel 6:6 -
Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.
Daniel 6:9 -
Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.
Daniel 6:25
Show all 8 references
Daniel (8)
- Daniel 5:31
- Daniel 6:1
- Daniel 6:6
- Daniel 6:9
- Daniel 6:25
- Daniel 6:28
- Daniel 9:1
- Daniel 11:1