Samuel
The origin and history of Samuel.
Etymology
Came into English via Latin Samuēl, from Ancient Greek Σαμουήλ (Samouḗl), from Biblical Hebrew שְׁמוּאֵל (šəmûʾēl, literally "'God has set' or 'God has placed'"). This has been taken as a contraction, by popular folk etymology, of שְׁאִלְתִּיו מֵאֵל ("I have asked/borrowed him from God") (Modern: Šəʾīltīv mēʾĒl, Tiberian: Šĭʾīltīw mēʾĒl), by way of שָׁאוּל מֵאֵל ("asked/borrowed from God") from 1 Samuel 1:20.
