The Names of Angels

By Rosemary Ellen Guiley

c. Visionary Living, Inc.

The proper names of angels hold great mystical and magical power. The names of angels reflect their official duties or roles in the cosmic schema of things; each letter shines a divine light that can be meditated upon and contemplated. Angel names are “names of power” used in prayers, incantations and on amulets to help the mortal person gain access to the mysteries expressed by the name, and also provide protection against the forces of darkness.

Most angel names in Judaic-Christian lore are Hebrew. The “-el” at the end of the names is a suffix meaning “God;” thus angels are “of God.”

Only three angels are named in Christian scripture: Michael, Gabriel and Raphael (the latter’s name appears in the Book ofTobit, which is part of the Catholic Bible). However, ex-canonical works belonging to the Apocrypha and Pseudipigrapha, as well as other sources, are rich in angel names. The Catholic Church does not permit the use of any other proper names of angels other than the three mentioned. All names from Apochryphal writings were rejected by Pope Zachary in 745, and again by a synod at Aix-la-Chapelle, France in 789.

The significance of names of power

The concept of “names of power” dates to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Assyrians, Essenes and Gnostics, who believed that incredible power could be unleashed by the vibrations of spoken words. The Egyptians invented names of power for magical rituals, which were passed into texts absorbed into the Western culture. Names of power play a prominent role in mysticism and in magical traditions. By uttering a name of power, we summon the essence of that vibration. This is the principle behind the mantra: repeating the name of God takes us into the presence of divine vibrations, which become imbued into our being (see my column on “Further Thoughts on Seed Thought Meditations, Mantras and More.”)

The Merkabah, Jewish mysticism which preceded the Kabbalah (c. 100 B.C.-1000 A.D.) emphasized the importance of name of power as a way of ascending through the layers of heavens to the throne-chariot of God. The names of angels and the secret names of God intermingle in the literature, and some names are not distinguished as referring specifically to one or the other.

The Essenes, a Jewish sect that existed at about the time of Jesus, had a mystical literature both magical and angelological in content. Persons were required to take an oath of secrecy never to reveal angel names, lest they be abused for evil purposes. The Gnostics, too, had rites of initiation that involved secret names of archons and aeons, classes of angels.

The most powerful of all names of power is the Tetragrammaton, the personal name of God in the Old Testament. It is given as YHVH, the Hebrew letters yod, he, vau, he. The numerical values assigned to these letters add up to ten, which in Hebrew numerology represents the basic organizing principle in the universe. So powerful is the Tetragrammaton that for centuries it was seldom spoken. As early as the time of Jesus, it was whispered only on Yom Kippur by a high priest. In the scriptures, substitute words were used, such as “Adonai” or “Adonay” or “Elohim” (the latter term is also interpreted as a name of an angel or of a rank of angels). The exact pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton is not known; the most accepted is “Yahweh.” A common variation is “Jehovah.”

The power of a name was determined through gematria, a system for discovering truths and hidden meanings behind words. The name “gematria” specifically refers to a means of interpreting the Torah, each letter of which has its own divine significance, but also is used to refer to a general way of mystically interpreting names.

In gematria, numerical values are assigned for each letter of the alphabet. The numerical values of words are totalled, and interpreted in terms of other words with the same numerical value. In this manner, names can be related to other names, and names can be related to passages in scripture.

The first known use of gematria dates to the Babylonian king Sargon II in the eighth century B.C.. Sargon built the wall of Khorsabad exactly 16,283 cubits long, because that was the numerical value of his name. The ancient Greeks used gematria to interpret dreams; the system also appears in the literature of the Magi. The Gnostics applied it to the names of the deities Abraxas and Mithras, equating them because they both added up to 365. The Gnostic cosmology conceives of 365 aeons or celestial spheres; thus Abraxas is the chief of aeons. Early Hebrews used gematria to interpret scripture; the first reference to the term in rabbinc literature appears in the second century. Early Christians borrowed the technique to ascertain that the dove is the symbol of Jesus: the Greek word for dove, peristera, adds up to 801, and so do the Greek letters of alpha and omega, which represent the Beginning and the End.

The Kabbalists did much to develop gematria into various complex methods; one Kabbalistic tract alone lists seventy-two different methods.

Discovering the names of your angels

The angelic presences around you will always give their names when asked. Any being that is evasive should be dismissed and avoided. You may “hear” the names, or they may come as intuitive impressions or in dreams. Allow whatever arises spontaneously to stand as the answer. Do not project impressive-sounding names onto angels. They give names with the vibrations that are appropriate for us.

People sometimes ask me to tell them who the angels are around them. It is much better, and much more effective for your spiritual growth, to discover the names on your own, by asking in prayer. Asking the names establishes the relationship and connects you to the power. No one can do this for you. If you try and nothing comes to you, you may be listening too hard. Set aside expectations. Surrender to the presence of God, and angels will make themselves known to you.

As we grow, our vibrations change, and so do the angelic presences who come to assist us. Over time, you will notice shifts and hear new names.