Girl Old & New Testament Known
Hagar
a stranger; one that fears
הָגָר Ἄγαρ ha.gar
Hagar (Hebrew: הָגָר, ha.gar) means “a stranger; one that fears”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 12 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In 2025 it was given to 5 children in the United States. Appears in the same passages as Abida.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
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Hagar
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 12 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Both
- Era
- Patriarchal
Using it today
Based on 2025 births across the United States.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 5 | Steady |
| All-time total | 157 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 11 in 1998 | Its highest year on record |
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Genesis 16:1 |
| Last appears | Galatians 4:25 |
| Cross-references | 249 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Sarah co-occurrence Appears with Sarah in Genesis 16.
- Ishmael co-occurrence Appears with Ishmael in Genesis 16.
- Abraham co-occurrence Appears with Abraham in Genesis 16.
- Letushim co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Letushim.
- Leummim co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Leummim.
- Asshur co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Asshur.
- Asshurim co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Asshurim.
- Abida co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Abida.
Origin & meaning
A woman living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.16.1; married to Abraham (H0085);
mother of: Ishmael (H3458)
Also named: Agar (Ἄγαρ "Hagar" G0028)
§ Hagar = "flight"
Sarah's Egyptian slave girl, Abraham's concubine, Ishmael's mother
Hagar, Sarah's Egyptian maidservant, bore Abraham a son named Ishmael and is also mentioned in Paul's allegory in Galatians.
The biblical story
Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, Abraham's wife. When Sarah was unable to conceive, she gave Hagar to Abraham as a concubine to bear a child on her behalf, following the custom of the time (Gen.16.1-3). Hagar conceived and gave birth to a son named Ishmael (Gen.16.15). However, tensions arose between Hagar and Sarah, leading Sarah to mistreat Hagar, who then fled into the wilderness (Gen.16.4-6). An angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar, instructing her to return and submit to Sarah, and promising that her descendants would be greatly multiplied (Gen.16.7-10). Years later, after Isaac was born to Sarah, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away by Abraham at Sarah's insistence (Gen.21.9-14). God heard Ishmael's cry in the wilderness and provided for him and Hagar, promising to make Ishmael into a great nation (Gen.21.17-21). In the New Testament, Paul uses Hagar and Sarah as an allegory, with Hagar representing the old covenant of slavery under the law, and Sarah representing the new covenant of freedom through Christ (Gal.4.24-25). Hagar's story illustrates God's care for the oppressed and His faithfulness to His promises, even to those outside the primary line of Abraham's descendants.
Key verses
Hagar appears in 12 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Genesis 16:1 -
And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
Genesis 16:3 -
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Genesis 16:4 -
And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
Genesis 16:8 -
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Genesis 16:15
Show all 12 references
Genesis (10)
- Genesis 16:1
- Genesis 16:3
- Genesis 16:4
- Genesis 16:8
- Genesis 16:15
- Genesis 16:16
- Genesis 21:9
- Genesis 21:14
- Genesis 21:17
- Genesis 25:12
Galatians (2)
- Galatians 4:24
- Galatians 4:25