From ChatGPT on 1/4/2026 and below that are extracts from a good BAR article.
Prompt: When did Saul become Paul in the New Testament?
In the New Testament, Saul does not undergo a formal “name change” moment like Abram→Abraham. Instead, the shift from Saul to Paul happens quietly and narratively in the book of Acts.
The key point is Acts 13:9.
While on Cyprus, Luke writes: “But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him…” (Acts 13:9, NRSV). From this verse forward, Luke uses Paul almost exclusively.
A few practical clarifications:
- Saul and Paul were likely both his names from the start.
“Saul” (Hebrew Sha’ul) fits his Jewish identity as a Benjaminite (cf. Philippians 3:5), while “Paul” (Latin Paulus) fits a Roman citizen operating in the Greco-Roman world (Acts 22:25–28). Luke signals this by saying “Saul, who was also called Paul”, not “Saul was renamed Paul.” - The timing is mission-driven, not conversion-driven.
Luke continues to call him Saul even after the Damascus road experience (Acts 9:1–30, NRSV). The consistent use of Paul begins only once he turns decisively toward Gentile mission territory in Acts 13. - The change coincides with a shift in role and audience.
Acts 13 marks Paul’s emergence as the primary speaker and leader of the mission to Gentiles, beginning with Cyprus and moving into Asia Minor. From that point, a Roman name is socially and rhetorically appropriate.
In short:
Saul did not “become” Paul at his conversion. According to Acts, he was always also called Paul, and Luke switches to that name in Acts 13:9 when his Gentile mission fully begins.
Myth – When Did Saul Become Paul? Did the apostle really change his name from Saul to Paul? by John Drummond, July 15, 2025. The following paragraphs are extracts from that good article.
Some 15 years or so after Saul of Tarsus became a follower in the Jesus movement, after having been a prominent member of the church in Antioch for some time, he and Barnabas were sent out on a missionary journey. While on Cyprus, the two have dealings with a Roman proconsul named Sergius Paulus and it is only then that the author of Acts decides to let his readers know that Saul was also called Paulus (Acts 13:9). What a coincidence! And from then on the author, and seemingly also Paul, refers to the apostle by his Roman name.
Again, we can only speculate about the sudden change in preference. It could very well have nothing to do with ideas of cultural or religious identity. In the Greek world, the word saulos carried a negative connotation when it came to males and meant something like “prancing.” It seems likely that someone in Antioch gave Saul some valuable advice before he went out among the peoples of the Roman world. Calling oneself “Prancer” when standing before the likes of philosophers and Roman governors would probably not generate a great first impression.
