Hadar meaning

There are two completely different Hebrew names that transliterated into English turn out as Hadar. We'll call them Hadar I (הדר) and Hadar II (חדר):

Meaning

Ornament, Honor

Etymology

From the verb הדר (hadar), to honor or adorn.

Related names

• Via הדר (hadar): Adar, Hadarezer, Hadoram

The name הדר (Hadar I) occurs once in the Bible. It's the name of the eighth king of Edom (Genesis 36:39). Hadar's city was Pau and his wife was named Mehetabel. In 1 Chronicles 1:50, this man is called הדד (Hadad I) and his city is called Pai.

The name Hadar could be construed to come from the verb הדר (hadar), meaning to honor or adorn:

For a meaning of this name Hadar, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Ornament. Neither NOBSE Study Bible Name List nor BDB Theological Dictionary interprets this name.

Meaning

Chamberlain, Inner Chamber

Etymology

From the verb חדר (hadar), to surround.

It's not sure whether the name חדר (Hadar II) is actually a Biblical name. It occurs only once in the Bible (namely in Genesis 25:15), and that only in a few manuscripts. Most manuscripts read חדד (Hadad II). Still, some of the older English translations use the name Hadar here.

Genesis 25:15 reads that Hadar/Hadad is one of the twelve sons of Ishmael, the son of Abraham with Hagar. In 1 Chronicles 1:30 the same list of sons appears, and here this man is called Hadad indeed.

The name Hadar, whether it's truly a Biblical name or not, could be regarded to come from the verb חדר (hadar), meaning to surround, or rather from its derived noun חדר (heder), meaning innermost chamber:

For a meaning of the name Hadar II, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Chamberer. Neither NOBSE Study Bible Name List nor BDB Theological Dictionary interpret this name (or even acknowledges its existence).