First, it should be stated that several Biblical people received a new name by those other than God. This was usually practiced for a variety of reasons. As captives in Babylon, for example, Daniel and his three friends were given new Babylonian names when they began to serve King Nebuchadnezzar.
And among them were four of the sons of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
To whom the chief of the officers gave new names. For he called Daniel, Belteshazzar; and Hananiah, Shadrach; and Mishael, Meshach; and Azariah, Abed-Nego (Daniel 1:6 - 7, HBFV).
The First Two
The first two people in the Bible who were given a new name directly by God were Abram and Sarai.
"As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations . . ."
And God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.
"And I will bless her, and give you a son also of her. Yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations - kings of people shall be from her." (Genesis 17:4 - 5, 15 - 16, HBFV).
Reward for Victorious Wrestling!
Jacob, the grandson of Abram (Abraham), also received a new name from God. He was, surprisingly, given it after being victorious in a wrestling match with a mysterious spirit being who took the form of a man!
And Jacob was left alone. And a Man wrestled there with him until the breaking of the day. And when the Man saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the hollow of his thigh. And the hollow of Jacob’s thigh became out of joint as he wrestled with Him . . .
And He (the mysterious spirit being) said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." (Genesis 32:24 - 25, 28, 30, HBFV).
Children of a Whore
One rather unique example of the Lord giving names to humans was when He commanded the prophet Hosea to marry a known whore as a sign of Israel's sin.
The beginning of the Word of the Lord by Hosea. And the Lord said to Hosea, "Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms, for the land has utterly committed great whoredoms, departing from the Lord." (Hosea 1:2, HBFV).
The Lord, as Hosea's "whore wife" bore him children, gave each of them a name as a testament against the kingdom of Israel (the northern ten tribes).
So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim, who conceived and bore him a son. And the Lord said to him, "Call his name Jezreel, for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu, and will cause the kingdom of the house of Israel to cease . . .
And she conceived again and bore a daughter. And God said to him, "Call her name Lo-Ruhamah, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel. But I will utterly take them away . . .
And when she had weaned Lo- Ruhamah she conceived and bore a son. And He (God) said, "Call his name Lo- Ammi, for you are not My people, and I will not be your God." (Hosea 1:3 - 4, 6, 8 - 9, HBFV).
New Testament Renaming
Only four people in the entire New Testament were given a new name. The Bible reveals that Jesus gave three of these during his earthly ministry. The first one to be renamed was Simon upon his first meeting with Jesus.
And he (Andrew, Simon's brother) led him (Simon) to Jesus. And when He saw him, Jesus said, "You are Simon, the son of Jona. You shall be called Cephas" (which is, being interpreted, "a stone") (John 1:43, HBFV).
Jesus would later give the brothers John and James a rather humorous designation!
And He chose James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James; and He added to them the name Boanerges, which means "sons of thunder." (Mark 3:17, HBFV).
The fourth person in the New Testament given a new name was Saul. It must be admitted that the Bible does not state if God gave him the new reference or not.
But Saul, who was also called Paul, being filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his eyes on him (a false prophet named Bar-jesus) . . . And now behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you (God is going to directly punish you for your disobedience), and you shall be blind . . ." (Acts 13:9, 11).
From Acts 13:9 forward Saul would always be referenced as the Apostle Paul!
The Greatest Renaming
Perhaps the greatest new name given by God to anyone was to Lucifer. He was the great covering cherub who, after he was promoted with his own throne of responsibility, became God's enemy!
How you are fallen from the heavens, O shining star, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! (Isaiah 14:12, HBFV).
Job is the oldest Biblical book, written around the 1660's B.C. God, after Lucifer's fall, gave his former angelic servant a new name to reflect his changed character and his role as his chief enemy.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord. And Satan (which means opponent or adversary) also came among them (Job 1:6, HBFV).