Simon (given name)

Simon
	St. Simon the Zealot
Gender	Male
Name day	January 5 (Hungary); May 9 (Eastern Orthodoxy); October 28 (France, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain)
Origin
Word/name	The Bible
Meaning	"listen"
Popularity	see popular names

Simon is a given name, from Hebrew שִׁמְעוֹן Šimʻôn, meaning "listen" or "hearing".^[1] It is also a classical Greek name, deriving from an adjective meaning "flat-nosed".^[2]^: 232^[3] In the first century AD, Simon was the most popular male name for Jews in Roman Judea.^[4]

The Hebrew name is Hellenised as Symeon (Ancient Greek: Συμεών) in the Septuagint, and in the New Testament as both Symeon^[5] and, according to most authorities, Simon.^[6]^: 58 Simon is one Latinised version of the name, the others being Symeon or Simeon.

In other languages

Ancient Greek: Σίμων (Simon). This name appears in Greek mythology as one of the Telchines. In Greek means "flat-nosed".^[7]^[3]^[8]^[9] Συμεών is the Hellenization of the name found in the Septuagint and parts of the New Testament,^[5] this form continues in use through the mediaeval era, viz. Symeon the New Theologian.
Albanian: Simon, Simeon
Amharic: ስምዖን, Smeon
Arabic: سِمْعَان (Simʻān), شَمْعُون (Šamʻūn)
Old Aramaic: Šimʻōn (Shim'on)
Aramaic (middle and modern): ܫܡܥܘܢ (Šëmʻūn, Shem'un or Sëmʻān, Semaan)
Aragonese: Simón
Azerbaijani: Şımon
Basque: Simon or, sometimes, Ximun
Belarusian: Сымон (Symon), Сямён (Sjamyon)
Bengali: সাইমন (Saimon), শিমন (Šimon), সিমন (Simon)
Breton: Simon
Bulgarian: Симеон (Simeon)
Catalan: Simó
Chinese: 西蒙 (Xīméng), 西門 (Xīmén), 賽門 (Sàimén). 西蒙 (Xīméng) is usually used to refer to Σίμων (Simon) of Ancient Greek origin, while 西門 (Xīmén) usually refers to Συμεών (Symeon) of Hebrew origin. 西門 (Xīmén) is also a purely Chinese surname and has nothing to do with Σίμων (Simon) or Συμεών (Symeon).
Croatian: Šimun
Czech: Šimon
Danish: Simon
Dutch: Simon, Simeon, Siem
English: Simon
Esperanto: Simono
Estonian: Siimon, Siim, Simon, Siimeon
Faroese: Símun, Símin, Simona, Mona
Finnish: Simo, Simon, Simeoni
French: Simon
Galician: Simón
Georgian: სჳმეონ (Swimeon), სჳმონ (Swimon), სიმონ (Simon)
German: Simon
Greek: Συμεών (Simeón), Σύμος (Símos)
Gujarati: સિમોન (Simōna)
Hebrew: שמעון (Šimʻōn, Shimeon, Shimon)
Hindi: साइमन (Sā'imana)
Hmong: Ximoos
Hungarian: Semjén, Simon
Icelandic: Símon
Indonesian: Simon
Irish: Síomón
Italian: Simone
Japanese: サイモン (Saimon), シメオン（Simeon), シモン (Shimon)
Kannada: ಸೈಮನ್ (Saiman)
Korean: 시몬 (Simon)
Latin: Simeonus, Simonis, Symeon
Latvian: Sīmanis, Sīmans, Simons, Saimons
Lithuanian: Simonas, Šimonas
Macedonian: Симон (Simon), Симеон (Simeon)
Malayalam: ശിമയോൻ (Shimayon), സൈമൺ (Simon), ചുമ്മാർ (Chummar)
Maltese: Xmun
Māori: Haimona
Marathi: सायमन (Sāyman)
Mongolian: Симон (Simon)
Nepali: सिमोन (Simōna)
Norwegian: Simon, Simen
Occitan: Simon
Persian: سامان (Saman
Polish: Szymon
Portuguese: Simão
Prekmurje Slovene: Šimon
Punjabi: ਸ਼ਮਊਨ (Śama'ūna)
Quechua: Simun
Romanian: Simion
Russian: Симон (Simon) - non-native; used for foreign names and canonic Orthodox saints; Семён, Сёма (Semyon)
Scottish Gaelic: Sim
Serbian: Симон (Simon), Симеон (Simeon), Симеун (Simeun), Симо (Simo)
Slovak: Simon, Šimon
Slovene: Simon
Spanish: Simón, Jimeno
Swahili: Simoni
Swedish: Simon
Classical Syriac: ܫܡܥܘܢ (Shemon, pronounced [ʃɛmʕon])
Tamil: சைமன் (Caimaṉ)
Telugu: సీమెాను (Simonu)
Thai: ไซมอน (Sai mon)
Tigrinya: ስምኦን (Simi'on)
Turkish: Simun, Simon, Şimon
Ukrainian: Семен (Semen), Симон (Symon)
Urdu: سائمن
Vietnamese: Sỹ Minh, Xi Mông
Welsh: Simwnt, Seimon
Yiddish: שמעון

Notable people with the given name Simon or Simón

For a comprehensive list see All pages with titles beginning with Simon.

Ancient

Simon the Shoemaker (5th century BCE), friend of Socrates
Simon Thassi (r. 141–135 BCE), high priest of Jerusalem and ruler of Judaea
Simon of Peraea (died 4 BCE), Jewish rebel mentioned by Josephus
Simon the Zealot, apostle of Jesus
Simon bar Giora, (died 70 CE), Judean leader in the First Jewish-Roman War
Simon bar Kokhba, Jewish rebel leader
Simon bar Yochai, rabbi
Simon of Bet-Parsaje (died 339), Christian martyred with Mana of Bet-Parsaje
Simon of Bet-Titta (died 447), Christian martyr

Medieval

Simeon I of Bulgaria (died 927), tsar of the First Bulgarian Empire
Simon the Tanner (10th century), Coptic saint
Simon of Kalocsa (fl. 1108–1142), Hungarian prelate
Simon (bishop of Transylvania) (fl. 1111–1113), Hungarian prelate
Simon of Worcester (died 1150), English Bishop of Worcester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (1208–1265) Leader of the barons against Henry III
Simon Kacsics (fl. 1212–1228), Hungarian lord
Simon Kacsics, Count of the Székelys (fl. 1291–1327), Hungarian lord
Simon of Southwell, canon lawyer and Treasurer of Lichfield Cathedral
Simon Sudbury (died 1381) English Archbishop and Lord Chancellor
Simon, Metropolitan of Moscow (died 1512), Russian Orthodox leader

Renaissance to modern

Simon Abeywickrema (1903–1948), Sri Lankan politician
Simon Abkarian (born 1962), French actor
Simon Adingra (born 2002), Ivorian footballer
Simon Adjei (born 1993), Swedish footballer
Simon Pardiñas López (born 1987), Spanish dentist
Simon Ammann (born 1981), Swiss ski jumper
Simon Amstell (born 1979), English television presenter
Simon Armitage (born 1963), English poet, playwright and novelist who was appointed Poet Laureate in May 2019
Simon Appiah Asamoah (born 2002), Ghanaian footballer
Simon Arora (born 1969), British billionaire businessman
Simon Aspelin (born 1974), Swedish tennis player
Simon Baker (born 1969), Australian actor and director
Simon Barere (1896–1951), Russian-born American pianist
Simon Baron-Cohen (born 1958), British autism researcher
Simon Baynes, British politician
Simon Beckett (born 1960), British journalist and author
Simon Bengtsson (born 2004), Swedish footballer
Simon Bening (1483–1561), Flemish miniaturist
Simon van den Bergh (1819–1907), Dutch margarine manufacturer, founder of Unilever
Simón Bolívar (1783–1830), Latin American military and political leader
Simon Bolivar Buckner (1823–1914), American soldier and Governor of Kentucky
Simon Callow (born 1949), British actor
Simon Cameron (1799–1889), American politician and Secretary of War
Simon Carmiggelt (1913–1987), Dutch poet, columnist and satirist
Simon Chang (designer) (born 1947), Chinese-Canadian fashion designer
Simon Chang (politician) (Chang San-cheng; born 1954), Premier of the Republic of China
Simon J. Clark, British protein biochemist
Simon Conway Morris (born 1951), English palaeontologist
Simon Coveney (born 1972), Irish government minister
Simon Cowell (born 1959), British television personality
Simon Dach (1605–1659), Prussian lyrical poet
Simon Dallow, New Zealand television journalist
Simon Davies (disambiguation), several people
Simon Dobler (born 2006), German trampoline gymnast
Simon Donaldson (born 1957), English mathematician
Simon Dring (1945–2021), British journalist and television presenter
Simon During (born 1950), New Zealand-Australian academic
Simon Episcopius (1583–1643), Dutch theologian and Remonstrant
Simon Fairweather (born 1969), Australian archer
Simon Farine (born 1987), Canadian basketball player
Simon Fernando Sri Chandrasekera (1829–1908), Sri Lankan Sinhala businessman
Simon Fisher-Becker (1961–2025), British stage, television and film actor
Simon Gagné (born 1980), Canadian ice hockey player
Simon Gallup (born 1960), bassist in English rock band The Cure
Simon Harris (born 1986), Irish Fine Gael politician, Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael since 2024
Simon Harris (musician) (born 1962), British music producer
Simon Helberg (born 1980), American actor, comedian, and musician
Simon Heslop (born 1987), English footballer
Simon Jackson, British playwright, filmmaker and poet
Simon Jolin-Barrette, Canadian lawyer and politician from Quebec
Simon Joyner (born 1971), American singer-songwriter
Simon Karam (born 1950), Lebanese lawyer and diplomat
Simon Katich (born 1976), Australian test cricketer
Simon Keenlyside (born 1959), British baritone
Simon Kidane (born 1975), Ethiopian basketball player
Simon Kuper (born 1969), British author
Simon Lane (born 1978), British comedian and YouTuber
Simon Le Bon (born 1958), lead singer of English band Duran Duran
Simon Lindholm (born 2001), Finnish footballer
Simon MacCorkindale, British actor
Simon Madden (born 1957), Australian footballer
Simon Magalashvili (born 1968), Israeli Olympic judoka
Simon Maljevac (born 1981), Slovenian politician
Simon Mann (1952–2025), British Army officer and convicted mercenary
Simon Marcus (1986), Canadian kickboxer
Simon van der Meer (1925–2011), Dutch particle physicist and Nobel Laureate
Simon Mignolet (born 1988), Belgian football player
Simon Miller, wrestling journalist for WhatCulture and professional wrestler
Simon Moabi, Motswana MP
Simon Monjack (1970–2010), British filmmaker
Simon Neil (born 1979), Scottish guitarist and lead singer of Biffy Clyro
Simon Oakland (1928–1983), American actor
Simon Okker (1881–1944), Dutch Olympic fencer killed in Auschwitz
Simon Pegg (born 1970), English writer and actor
Simon Poulsen (born 1984), Danish footballer
Simon Pryce (born 1972), Australian children's lead singer of The Wiggles
Simon Rex (born 1974), American actor and rapper
Simon H. Rifkind (1901–1995), American lawyer and judge
Simon Rosenbaum (baseball) (born 1993), American-Israeli baseball player with Team Israel
Simon Schama (born 1945), English historian specializing in art, Dutch, and French history
Simon Sears (born 1984), Danish actor
Simon Shirley (born 1966), Australian decathlete
Simon Shnapir (born 1987), American Olympic medalist pair skater
Simon Singer (born 1941), American world champion American handball player, and radio and television actor
Simon Sjödin (born 1986), Swedish swimmer
Simon Skrabb (born 1995), Finnish footballer
Simon Steel (born 1969), English cricketer
Simon van der Stel (1639–1712), Dutch Governor of the Cape Colony
Simon Stepaniak (born 1997), American football player
Simon Stevin (1548–1620), Netherlandish mathematician, physicist and engineer
Simon Tahamata (born 1956), Dutch and Belgian footballer
Simon Terry (1974–2021), British archer
Simon Townsend (1945–2025), Australian children's show host and producer
Simon Tong (born 1972), English guitarist and keyboardist formerly of The Verve
Simon Trpčeski (born 1979), Macedonian pianist
Simon Vestdijk (1898–1971), Dutch novelist and poet
Simon Vukčević (born 1986), Montenegrin footballer
Simon de Vlieger (1601–1653), Dutch designer, draughtsman, and marine painter
Simon Vroemen (born 1969), Dutch steeplechase runner
Simon Webbe (born 1978), English singer and rapper from Blue
Simon Weston (born 1961), British soldier who suffered severe burn injuries during the Falklands War
Simon Wiesenthal (1908–2005), Austrian Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter
Simon Yam (born 1955), Hong Kong actor/director
Simeon II of Bulgaria (born 1937), tsar of the Kingdom of Bulgaria

Biblical characters

Simeon (Hebrew Bible), second son of Jacob and Leah
Simon Maccabaeus (died 135 BCE), brother of Judas Maccabeus and ruler of Judea
Simon Peter, better known as Saint Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles
Simon the Zealot (also called Simon the Canaanite), another of the Twelve Apostles
Simon the Leper, resident of Bethany visited by Jesus
Simon the Tanner (New Testament), resident of Joppa with whom Peter stayed on the way to Caesarea to see Cornelius
Simon of Cyrene, man forced to carry Jesus' cross
Simon Magus, magician confronted by Saint Peter and namesake of the term "simony"
Simon (brother of Jesus)

Fictional characters

Simon Adebisi, a sadistic Nigerian inmate in the HBO drama Oz
Simon Alvarez, a main character in Soy Luna
Simon Bar Sinister, main antagonist in the television cartoon Underdog
Simon de Belleme, a baron and evil sorcerer in the television series Robin of Sherwood
Simon Belmont, one of the main characters of the video game series Castlevania
Simon Boccanegra, pirate in a Verdi opera by the same name
Simon Camden, one of the main characters of television drama 7th Heaven
Simon P. Chillings, a character who appeared in 5 episodes of The Punky Brewster TV sitcom
Simon Cooper, one of the main characters in the British television series The Inbetweeners
Simon Doyle, played by Simon MacCorkindale in the movie Death on the Nile
Simon Escher, a recurring villain in the espionage television series Burn Notice
Simon Gold, an uncle of Sally Gold in Tennessee Williams's Little New Orleans Girl
Simon Grace, one of the main characters of The Spiderwick Chronicles, by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Simon Gruber, antagonist in Die Hard with a Vengeance
Simon Henriksson, the main protagonist of Cry of Fear
Simon Kelleher, the victim in Karen McManus's One of Us Is Lying
Simon Lasker (Pyro), a Marvel Comics character and member of the X-Men
Simon Laurent, a character from Infinity Train
Simon Legree, the antagonist of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Simon Lewis, one of the protagonists in The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare
Simon Lynch, a 9-year-old autistic boy and one of the main characters in the film Mercury Rising
Sir Simon McDuck, a Disney character who is an ancestor of Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck
Simon McKay, genius inventor played by David Rappaport on the CBS television series The Wizard
Simon Petrikov, more commonly known as the Ice King, a character in the animated television series Adventure Time
Simon Phoenix, fictional criminal in the 1993 film Demolition Man
Simon "Ghost" Riley, a popular campaign and playable character appearing in several games from the Call of Duty video game franchise, and the subject of a series of graphic novels
Simon Seville, a fictional animated character from Alvin and the Chipmunks
Simon Silver, one of the main characters of Red Lights
Simon Sinestrari, protagonist of the 1971 film Simon, King of the Witches
Simon Snow, the main character in Rainbow Rowell's novel Carry On
Simon Spier, the main character in Becky Albertalli's novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, its follow up Leah on the Offbeat, and film adaptation Love, Simon
Simon Tam, fictional character from the television series Firefly
Simon Templar, main character of Leslie Charteris' The Saint novels
Simon (Gurren Lagann), protagonist of the anime series Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Simon (Lord of the Flies), character in Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
Simon (Trollz), main villain in the television series Trollz
Simon, a child in the British television programme Simon in the Land of Chalk Drawings
Simon, a child in the Canadian television programme The Secret Railroad
Simon, a character from the animated band Prozzäk
Simon, a character from the television series The Walking Dead, played by Steven Ogg
Simple Simon, a character from Simon Says

Notes

^ Smith, William, Dr. (1901) "Entry for 'Simon'". Smith's Bible Dictionary.
^ Barnett, Paul (2002). Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times. Intervarsity Press. ISBN 9780830826995.
^ ^a ^b Σίμων. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project
^ Ilan, Tal (2002) Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Palestine 330 BCE–200 CE (Texts & Studies in Ancient Judaism, 91), Coronet Books, pp. 56–57; Hachili, R. "Hebrew Names, Personal Names, Family Names and Nicknames of Jews in the Second Temple Period," in J. W. van Henten and A. Brenner, eds., Families and Family Relations as Represented in Early Judaism and Early Christianity (STAR 2; Leiden:Deo, 2000), pp. 113–115; apud Bauckham, Richard (2017). Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (2nd ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 68–72. ISBN 9780802874313. Quote (p. 71): 15.6% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph; (p. 72): for the Gospels and Acts... 18.2% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph.
^ ^a ^b Greek word #4826 in Strong's Concordance
^ Lachs, Samuel (1987). A Rabbinic Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. KTAV Publishing House, Inc. ISBN 9780881250893.
^ Harper, Douglas. "Simon". Online Etymology Dictionary.
^ σιμός. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.
^ Walter Burkert, Greek Religion, Harvard University Press, 1985, p. 182.

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[1] Smith, William, Dr. (1901) "Entry for 'Simon'". Smith's Bible Dictionary.

[barnett-2] Barnett, Paul (2002). Jesus & the Rise of Early Christianity: A History of New Testament Times. Intervarsity Press. ISBN 9780830826995.

[lsjsimon-3] Σίμων. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project

[4] Ilan, Tal (2002) Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Palestine 330 BCE–200 CE (Texts & Studies in Ancient Judaism, 91), Coronet Books, pp. 56–57; Hachili, R. "Hebrew Names, Personal Names, Family Names and Nicknames of Jews in the Second Temple Period," in J. W. van Henten and A. Brenner, eds., Families and Family Relations as Represented in Early Judaism and Early Christianity (STAR 2; Leiden:Deo, 2000), pp. 113–115; apud Bauckham, Richard (2017). Jesus and the Eyewitnesses (2nd ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 68–72. ISBN 9780802874313. Quote (p. 71): 15.6% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph; (p. 72): for the Gospels and Acts... 18.2% of men bore one of the two most popular male names, Simon and Joseph.

[strong1-5] Greek word #4826 in Strong's Concordance

[lachsntcom-6] Lachs, Samuel (1987). A Rabbinic Commentary on the New Testament: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. KTAV Publishing House, Inc. ISBN 9780881250893.

[7] Harper, Douglas. "Simon". Online Etymology Dictionary.

[8] σιμός. Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; A Greek–English Lexicon at the Perseus Project.

[9] Walter Burkert, Greek Religion, Harvard University Press, 1985, p. 182.

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