Abinadi is possibly formed form two
Hebrew words: abi, “my father,” and nadi, “to wander, show grief.” Combining
these two words may yield the name-phrase “my father wanders” or “my father
shows grief.”
In essence, Abinadi’s name may suggest that
he came from a priestly or prophetic class that were “wanderers,” perhaps
because the wicked did not want to hear their message and so they were cast out
of society. Or it may suggest the idea that God the Father shows grief over the
wickedness of the people. If these
meanings are correct, Abinadi’s name contributes to the context of the story
while providing additional witness of the divine purpose of his message. (Taylor
Halverson, The Book of Mormon: Scriptural
Insights and Commentary [American Fork, Utah: Covenant Communications,
Inc., 2019], 127-28, emphasis in bold added)
