There's a Deeper Meaning Behind Angels' Names in Good Omens

If you've been enjoying the latest season of Good Omens (or indeed the previous one), you may have noticed that a lot of the angels in the show have names that end in 'el'. But have you ever wondered why?

Well, some people have, and they were so intrigued that they asked Neil Gaiman to explain. And the author and co-creator of the series replied on his Tumblr page.

'Angelic names tend to discuss the relationship of the angel to god, or be a description of an aspect of god. The 'El' at the end of angelic names means 'God' (or more precisely 'god' because it can refer to lots of different gods),' he wrote in response to the question.

Of the eight main angels in the first two seasons of the show, five have names ending in 'El':

• Michael which means 'like god'
• Gabriel which means 'my strength comes from god'
• Uriel which means 'light of god
• Saraquel which means 'beloved by god'
• Muriel which means 'smells like god' (yeah, I don't really get that one either)

As for the names of the other angels in the show, things are not quite so clear.

Aziraphale was the name of the principality angel who guarded the gates of the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve were cast out for giving in to sin. The exact meaning of this name is disputed, but there seems to be a general consensus that it has something to do with healing.

Metatron is another name whose etymology is disputed. Some say it was given to Enoch after he became an angel, while others claim it comes from the Arabic for 'angel of the veil'. What is certain is that it is a name for an angel in Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

And finally, there's another name with an unclear explanation. Sandalphon is believed by some to be the name given to the prophet Elijah after he became an angel. Others say he was the twin brother of Metatron - although the dispute over who exactly Metatron was casts significant doubt on this explanation.

Ultimately, though, what we can say is that the names of the angels in Good Omens were not made up by Niel Gaiman or Terry Pratchett. They are all names of angels from the history of the world's major religions.

Source: Tumblr.