Isaiah 14:12 - The Name “Lucifer”

"Lucifer" is found in the King James Version only once, at Isaiah 14:12:

Isaiah 14:12 -  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations. 

Some background information concerning the word “lucifer”. The word “lucifer” is taken from Jerome’s Latin Vulgate translation. In the Vulgate, the Hebrew word often transliterated as hê-lêl  (Strong’s #1966, meaning “shining one, or morning star”) is rendered “lucifer” in Isaiah 14:12, which is part of the words of the dead kings in sheol figuratively speaking (Isaiah 14:9,10) to the king of Babylon. (Isaiah 14:4) However, the king of Babylon evidently was being used as a type of Satan. The King James Version brings this Latin word over into English as a proper name in Isaiah 14:12, and from this the word has traditionally been applied as a proper name in retrospect to the angel who later became Satan.

In the Vulgate the Latin word is also found in Job 11:17 (a rendering of the Hebrew word *boqer*, meaning “morning”; Strong’s #1242) and 2 Peter 1:19 (a rendering of the Greek word “phosphoros”, Strong’s #5459; meaning “morning star”).

The Hebrew word “hê-lêl” is only once used in the Bible, and this is at Isaiah 14:12. We doubt that “heylel” was meant to be a proper name of the angel who later became Satan, but, by tradition, the rendering of “heylel” into the Vulgate as “lucifer”, and then into English as “Lucifer”, has brought about this application. It appears most likely that this term is applied of him in Isaiah as a reference to what Satan purported himself to be, as though he were the sun brightly shining over all the other angels (Isaiah 14:13), and over mankind. (2 Corinthians 11:14) At any rate the present sun reigning over mankind is depicted in Ecclesiastes as a sun resulting in vanity and evil. (Ecclesiastes 1:14; 3:16; 4:3,7; 5:13; 6:1; 9:3,11) This contrasts with the "sun of righteousness" who will soon make righteousness prevail on the earth. -- Psalm 72:7,17; Malachi 4:2; 2 Peter 3:13.

The words of Isaiah 14:12 or directly spoken to the "king of Babylon". We cannot be certain that this refers to any particular king of Babylon, but due to what is stated in Isaiah 14:22, many believe that this refers to Belshazzar, the last king of Babylon. At any rate, it is the king of Babylon who is directly being spoken of as heylel in Isaiah 14:12. The king of Bablyon viewed himself to be the shining one, the morning star (the sun) to guide the world. 

Nevertheless, the description given appears to be making use of the King of Babylon as a type of Satan himself. Satan promotes himself as being ''an angel of light". (2 Corinthians 11:14) Thus, the prophecy evidently has its final fulfillment upon Satan.

"The name Satan, meaning "adversary" or "opposer" was given to an angel who had developed pride in himself and wanted to be like the Most High. The word devil means "slanderer". Isaiah 14:13,14 tells us:  "You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'" (English Standard Version) 

This describes the King of Babylon, but it also describes Satan who, in effect, slandered Jehovah by telling Eve: "Ye shall not die by death" (Wycliffe). In effect, Satan was claiming that Jehovah had lied in saying that if Adam ate of fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, that he would die. (Genesis 3:3) Satan desire was make himself equal to God and to have all the stars (angels) bow down to him.

"How you are fallen from heaven." (Isaiah 14:12) While the king of Babylon exalted himself to heaven's position, it was Satan who actually fell out of favor with heaven. Thus, Jesus stated: "I saw Satan having fallen like a star from heaven." -- Luke 10:18.

Regardless, while we do not believe that the Bible uses the word hê-lêl in Isaiah 14:12 as a name, the word "lucifer" is widely used as a name of the angel who became Satan. It is not for us to assume authority to tell anyone not to use Lucifer as a name of the devil. Since the meaning behind the name fits what Satan self-proclaimed himself to be, we see no reason to make an issue over the use of Lucifer as a name of the angel who made such claims for himself.

References:
Bible Hub's Hebrew Analysis of Isaiah 14:12
Your Adversary, the Devil