Girl Old Testament Rare
Deborah
word; thing; a bee
דְּבוֹרָה de.bo.rah
Deborah (Hebrew: דְּבוֹרָה, de.bo.rah) means “word; thing; a bee”, by traditional interpretation. Two women in scripture bear the name; the best attested is a prophet. In 2025 it was given to 313 children in the United States, ranking 862. Around 744,478 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Abinoam in Judges 5.
Which Deborah?
Two women in scripture bear this name. Here is each of them.
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Deborah
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Deborah
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 10 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 2 distinct people in scripture
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Judges
The same name elsewhere
| Country | Form | Standing | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Deborah | rank 862 · 313 in 2025 | Births in year |
| Brazil | DEBORA | 313,947 bearers · born 1930–2010 | Living residents |
| Spain | DEBORA | 6,068 bearers · mean age 36.5 | Living residents |
| Portugal | Débora | permitted | IRN approved list |
Two different questions are shown here. Rows marked births in year count children registered during a period; rows marked living residents count people of every age alive at a census. They answer different questions and are never added together.
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 313 | Steady |
| All-time total | 744,478 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 54,754 in 1954 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | TX | Highest share relative to births |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 35:8 |
| Last appears | Judges 5:15 |
| Cross-references | 171 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Barak co-occurrence Appears with Barak in Judges 5.
- Lappidoth co-occurrence Appears with Lappidoth in Judges 4.
- Abinoam co-occurrence Appears with Abinoam in Judges 5.
- Sisera co-occurrence Appears with Sisera in Judges 4.
- Heber co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Heber.
- Jael co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Jael.
- Rebekah co-occurrence Appears with Rebekah in Genesis 35.
- Zebulun co-occurrence Appears with Zebulun in Judges 4.
Origin & meaning
A judge living at the time of the Patriarchs, only mentioned at Gen.35.8
§ Deborah = "bee"
1) the nurse of Rebekah who accompanied her from the house of Bethuel
2) a prophetess who judged Israel
Deborah, Rebekah's nurse, died and was buried under an oak below Bethel.
The biblical story
Deborah is mentioned briefly in Gen.35.8 as the nurse of Rebekah, the wife of Isaac. The context of this passage is Jacob's return to Bethel, where he had previously encountered God in a dream (Gen.28.10-22).
As Israel (or 'Jacob') and his household journeyed to Bethel, Deborah died and was buried under an oak tree below Bethel. The oak tree was then called Allon-bacuth, which means "Oak of Weeping," indicating the mourning that took place at her burial site.
The mention of Deborah's death and burial at this point in the narrative suggests that she had been with Jacob's family for a long time, likely since Rebekah's marriage to Isaac.
Key verses
Deborah appears in 1 verse. Here are some of the most notable:
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But Deborah Rebekah’s nurse died, and she was buried beneath Beth–el under an oak: and the name of it was called Allon–bachuth.
Genesis 35:8
Show all 1 reference
Genesis (1)
- Genesis 35:8
Name variants & nicknames
- Debbie — nickname
- Deb — nickname
- Débora — Spanish & Portuguese
- Devorah — Hebrew form