Other Names for the Devil and his Demons

Lists of Terms From the Five Books of LDS Scripture

Devil
Stefano Bianchetti/Corbis via Getty Images

Whether you choose to believe in him or not, the devil is real. The lists below can help you identify references to him in scripture.

Some Facts to Consider About Terms for the Devil

As used in the King James Version English, the word devil is used for three Greek words (slanderer, demon, and adversary), as well as one Hebrew word (spoiler).

Throughout the Old and New Testament, the devil is referred to as the dragon. Sometimes this term refers to the devil. However, it comes from two separate Hebrew terms that can also be translated as jackal, whale, serpent, large snake, snake-like creature or sea monster. Sometimes the term is also used figuratively. For usage hints, check the footnotes in the LDS edition. For example, see the footnote in Isaiah 13:22b.

References to the name Lucifer are few. There are no references to the name Lucifer in the Pearl of Great Price or in the New Testament.

How to Use the Lists Below

Many of the terms found below are used with articles, like the word the. For example, devil or adversary are usually termed the devil or the adversary. No articles are included in the lists that follow. However, sometimes the distinctions are important because Satan is the devil; whereas the term devils or a devil usually refers to the evil spirits who follow Satan.

Sometimes in scripture, common terms for the devil, such as liar, do not seem to refer to Satan at all. This can only be inferred from the context and reasonable people can disagree on the interpretation. However, this is why the word liar is not in the Old Testament list, but it does appear in other lists.

Names From the Old Testament

Although the largest book of scripture we have, the Old Testament has surprisingly few references to the devil. The list is short and the total references are few.

  • adversary
  • devil
  • destroyer
  • dragon
  • enemy
  • evil spirit
  • great dragon
  • Lucifer
  • Satan
  • serpent
  • son of the morning
  • son of wickedness
  • spoiler
  • tempter

Names From the New Testament

From the Bible Dictionary, we learn that Abaddon is a Hebrew term and Apollyon is Greek for the angel of the bottomless pit. This is how the terms are used in Revelation 9:11.

Usually, the letter d in the word devil or the phrase the devil is not capitalized. However, we do find some references to the devil capitalized in the New Testament, but not anywhere else. The only two references are both in Revelations (See Revelation 12:9 and 20:2). The list below notes both uses.

Only the New Testament refers to the devil as Beelzebub. In the Old Testament, Baal-zebub is a Philistine god and a derivative of Baal, a name used for idol worship in several cultures.

The word mammon is an Aramaic word that means riches and that is how the term is used in the New Testament. However, it can refer to the devil in other scripture, especially when the M is capitialized.

  • Abaddon
  • accuser
  • adversary
  • angel of the bottomless pit
  • antichrist
  • Apollyon
  • beast
  • Beelzebub
  • chief of the devils
  • destroyer
  • devil
  • Devil
  • dragon
  • enemy
  • great dragon
  • great red dragon
  • man of sin
  • murderer from the beginning
  • Satan
  • old serpent
  • prince of the devils
  • prince of the power of the air
  • prince of this world
  • son of perdition
  • spirit of antichrist
  • tempter
  • wicked one

Names From the Book of Mormon

Instead of using mammon to describe riches as the New Testament does, the Book of Mormon refers to Mammon and capitalizes the M. Clearly, this is a reference to Satan.

Although the devil is referred to as a serpent in other scripture, Book of Mormon references always use that "old serpent" unless it is referring to snakes.

  • adversary
  • angel of God...fallen from heaven
  • angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God
  • author of all sin
  • awful monster
  • devil
  • devourer
  • enemy
  • enemy of God
  • enemy of my soul
  • enemy to God
  • enemy unto God
  • evil one
  • evil spirit
  • father of contention
  • father of all lies
  • father of lies
  • founder of murder
  • the devil of all devils
  • he who is the author of all sin
  • him who perverteth the ways of the Lord
  • liar
  • Lucifer
  • Mammon
  • old serpent
  • Satan
  • same being who did entice our first parents to partake of the forbidden fruit
  • same being who did plot with Cain
  • same being who led on the people who came from that tower into this land
  • same being who put it into the heart of Gadianton to still carry on the work of darkness, and of secret murder
  • son of perdition
  • son of the morning

Names From the Doctrine & Covenants

The sons of perdition are referred to in the D&C. However, Satan himself is only referred to as Perdition, with a capital P.

  • adversary
  • devil
  • liar from the beginning
  • Lucifer
  • destroyer
  • enemy
  • old serpent
  • Perdition
  • prince of this world
  • Satan
  • slanderer
  • son of the morning
  • wicked one

Names From the Pearl of Great Price

The Pearl of Great Price is the smallest book of scripture used by Mormons.

  • adversary
  • devil
  • father of all lies
  • Satan
  • serpent
  • wicked one

Names that Do Not Actually Appear in Scripture

  • Chief of the Demons
  • Enemy of Righteousness
  • Great Antichrist
  • Prince of Darkness

Demons

We know that the spirits who followed Satan in the premortal life serve him and help tempt mortals in this life.

These list items come from all books of scripture. Angels to a devil may seem to be a logical term, but it is only mentioned once in the Book of Mormon. The term, devil's angels, does not appear anywhere in scripture.

The reference to angels that did not keep their first estate is only found once in the New Testament. The term, false spirits, is only found once in the D&C.

  • angels to a devil
  • angels which kept not their first estate
  • child of the devil
  • children of the wicked one
  • demon or demons
  • destroyer or destroyers
  • devil or devils
  • evil spirit or evil spirits
  • false spirits
  • his angels
  • his subjects
  • satyrs
  • seducing spirits
  • a son of perdition or sons of perdition
  • spirit of antichrist
  • spirits of devils
  • unclean spirit or unclean spirits
  • wicked spirit

How These Lists Were Constructed

The terms were all searched via the Church's web page in the search box labeled, Search Scriptures. The PDF's of all scriptures were searched as well. However, these searches did not reveal terms they should have. Therefore, the above search feature is probably more reliable.

Format
mla apa chicago
Your Citation
Cook, Krista. "Other Names for the Devil and his Demons." Learn Religions, Sep. 3, 2021, learnreligions.com/other-names-for-the-devil-2158925. Cook, Krista. (2021, September 3). Other Names for the Devil and his Demons. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/other-names-for-the-devil-2158925 Cook, Krista. "Other Names for the Devil and his Demons." Learn Religions. https://www.learnreligions.com/other-names-for-the-devil-2158925 (accessed March 19, 2024).