Peniel, Penuel, Phanuel

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  • Origin: Biblical Hebrew
  • Meaning: “face of God; presence of God.”
  • Gender: Male
  • Eng (PEN-yel; PEN-you-el, FAN-you-wil)
  • Variations: Panuel, Paniel, Peniel, Penuel, Fanuel, and Feniel

The name is from the Hebrew פְּנוּאֵל (Pĕnū’ēl) or פְּנִיאֵל (Pĕnī’ēl), meaning “face of God” or “presence of God.” It is composed of two elements פָּנִים (panim) – “face” or “presence” אֵל (El) – “God.”

In the Book of Genesis (32:30), Penuel is the name Jacob gives to the place where he wrestled with the angel of the Lord. Later, in 1 Kings 12:25, Penuel appears as the name of a city built by Jeroboam, located east of the Jordan River near the Jabbok. It is also the name of a character mentioned in 1 Chronicles 4:4.

Its Greek form of Phanuel is borne in the New Testament (Luke 2:36) by the father of the prophetess Anna, who recognized the infant Jesus in the Temple. It is also the name of an angel in the Apocrypha Book of Enoch.

International Variations

  • Fanouel ፋኑኤል (Amharic/Ge’ez)
  • Penouel (French)
  • Phanouel Φανουήλ (Greek)
  • Fanuele (Italian)
  • Phanuhel (Latin)

A potential short form is Pen(n).

Sources

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