According to the Bible, what was Paul’s name before it was Paul? Saul. The New Testament introduces the apostle as Saul of Tarsus, a Jewish man and Roman citizen who became one of Christianity’s most influential missionaries and theologians.
Acts describes Saul’s conversion experience on the road to Damascus, where he encountered the risen Jesus and subsequently became a follower of Christ. The book later begins calling him “Paul” in Acts 13:9, using the phrase “Saul, who also is called Paul.” This means the text does not clearly describe a formal name-change ceremony caused by his conversion.
Saul and Paul were likely two names used by the same person: Saul was his Jewish name, while Paul was his Roman name. Bilingual or multicultural Jews in the Roman world commonly used more than one name, especially when communicating across Jewish and Greek-speaking communities. The popular idea that Saul’s name was simply changed to Paul after conversion is therefore a useful shorthand, but the biblical wording suggests both names coexisted.