Sometimes I hear Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego called by other names, can you explain why this is?

    We are accustomed to calling the three Hebrew youths, who were themselves among many captives (including Daniel) under Babylonian captivity, by the names mentioned above. In fact we are so accustomed to it that we feel that those are their true names. In all actuality those names are actually heathen names that were given to these youths in Babylon. Just as Daniel’s name (meaning God is my judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (meaning Bel’s prince) so were their names changed to glorify the pagan gods of the Babylonians as opposed to the true God.
    What then were the names of these youths before? Daniel 1:7 shows us: “Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego.”
    It has been my practice to call these youths by their Hebrew names: Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. When you see the meanings of each of the Hebrew and Babylonian names you will understand why.

In Hebrew the names meant: Hananiah-God is gracious, or God has given Mishael-Who is what God is Azariah-God has helped, or whom God helps It is thought that in the Babylonian tongue the names meant: Shadrach-Commander of Aku/Achu (the sun god), or Aku’s/Achu’s command, or the servant of sin, or circuit of the son Meshach-Who is what Aku/Achu is, or the shadow of the prince Abednego-Servant of Nebo/Nego, or servant of Ishtar

The meanings may not be exact, but the general idea is seen. Their Hebrew, or Godly, names were replaced (1) to honor the heathen gods of the Babylonians, and (2) no doubt to “Babylonianize” these special youth (not unlike the efforts of the Babylonians in Daniel 1:5).