The Greek that is typically transliterated as “Beelzebul” in English used to be transliterated in English and most other languages with a long tradition in Bible translation as Beelzebub, going back to the Latin Vulgate translation that had used Beelzebub. St. Jerome likely had done that to correspond with the pronunciation of Baal Zebub (בַּעַל זְבוּב) of 2 Kings 1:2 where a Philistine god by that name is mentioned. The Hebrew name carries the derogative meaning “Baal (or: god) of flies” and is likely an ironic and humiliating misspelling of Baal Zebul with the meaning of “Baal (or: god) the Prince” (see Translation commentary on 2 Kings 1:2).

In popular German literature of the 14th through 17th century, the term “Beelzebock” was also used, a word with a similar sound, but with last and changed syllable carrying the meaning of “(billy) goat / ram,” the partial form of the devil in popular imagination. (Source: Jost Zetzsche — see also the sheep from the goats)

In languages that use Chinese characters, including Mandarin Chinese, Min Nan Chinese, Yue Chinese (Cantonese), or Hakka Chinese, the characters 別西卜 are used in Protestant translations (pronunciation in Mandarin: biéxību, in Cantonese: bit⁶ sai¹ buk¹, in Hakka phe̍t-sî-puk). That transliteration name has been used since at least 1850 in the Literary Chinese Delegates’ Version, likely because of the suitably negative meaning of the last character 卜 or “divination.” (The Catholic transliteration is 貝耳則步 / bèiěrzébù in Mandarin, without any particular meaning.)

In Western Bukidnon Manobo it is translated with Endedaman, the Manobo name for the ruler of the evil spirits (source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation) and in the German New Testament translation by Berger / Nord (publ. 1999) with Oberteufel or “chief devil.”

In Libras (Brazilian Sign Language) it is translated with a sign that combines the signs for “Baal” and “fly,” because of its meaning of “Baal (god) of flies.” (Source: Missão Kophós )

“Beelzebul” in Libras (source )

“The name of the god of Ekron in 2 Kings 1:2, Baal-zebub, may possibly mean ‘Lord of the fly,’ in other words the god who protected people from the sores and diseases caused by flies. However, the name may instead be related to the Ugaritic word zebul (𐎇𐎁𐎍), ‘the highest,’ and thus may have originally been Baal-zebul (𐎁𐎓𐎍. 𐎇𐎁𐎍), the Canaanite equivalent of ‘Most High Lord,’ but it was changed sarcastically by the people of Israel to Baal-zebub, ‘Lord of the fly.’ Because of the doubt about the proper derivation of the word, it is probably best to transliterate the name rather than try to translate it, and add a footnote as follows, ‘This name means ‘Lord of flies’ and may be a mocking corruption of the god’s real name Baal-zebul.’ (Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators) ).