Berechiah

Berechiah is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin, typically rendered in English as Berechiah or Barachiah. The name derives from the Hebrew elements barak, meaning “bless,” and the divine name Yahweh, yielding the sense “Yahweh blesses” or “blessed of the Lord.” It has historical usage in Jewish and Christian texts, and appears in various transliterations such as Barachias in Greek.

In the Hebrew Bible, the most notable bearer of the name is Berechiah, the father of the prophet Zechariah. The verse Zechariah 1:1 identifies Zechariah as “the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet,” placing Berechiah in the prophetic lineage of Iddo. Beyond this genealogical reference, Berechiah is not a major figure in biblical narratives, and little is known of his own deeds or life beyond his place in the lineage of Zechariah.

In the New Testament, the name appears in its Greek form Barachias. Matthew 23:35 mentions “the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah,” a reference traditionally associated with Zechariah (the prophet) or, in some manuscript traditions, with Zechariah the priestly figure martyred in the temple precinct. The exact identification varies among traditions and scholarly interpretations, but the form Barachias reflects the same Hebrew name Berechiah.

Variations and related forms include Barachias, Barachiah, and Berechiah. The name is relatively rare in modern use but continues to appear in Jewish and Christian onomastics as a historical biblical given name.