Have you ever wondered why names hold such importance in the Bible? We frequently encounter phrases like “he was named so because…” or “his name was no accident…” in the scriptures. But does a name truly have the power to define a person’s destiny? And what about the times when people’s names are changed in the Bible stories?
A World Filled With Names
From ancient times to the present, people have debated whether the names of things are randomly assigned labels or reflections of their mysterious essence. Today, the first explanation is more commonly accepted, but in ancient times the second seemed more natural. For example, the Akkadian poem about the creation of the world, “Enuma Elish” (from the late 2nd millennium BCE), starts like this:
“When above the sky had not been named, And the earth below did not yet have a name,
Apsu, the primordial creator, and Tiamat, the mother that birthed everything, Mixed their waters together.
No reed hut had been matted, no marshland had appeared.
When none of the gods had been brought into being, Unnamed, their destinies undetermined, Then the gods were born within them,
Lahmu and Lahamu were named.”
In other words, until the elements of the world were named, the world itself was not yet created. Naming something is only half the job, the other half is “to give it a name.” This is how the Bible describes it: “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night’” (Genesis 1:3-5).
What Do Names Mean? Many names have clear and unambiguous meanings. For example, Tamar means "palm tree," a remarkable plant that provided exquisite food and building material. But not all name meanings are easily understood, not just in the Bible but in many ancient texts. For instance, the main character's name in the Sumerian-Akkadian Epic of Gilgamesh has different interpretations related to words for "ancestor," "hero," "young," and even certain types of trees. Similarly, the name of the first human, Adam, has a dual explanation in the Bible. It means "human" and is related to the word "adamah," meaning "soil" or "ground." This relationship between human and land -- with soil being not only the material from which humans were created but also, conversely, the focus of human creative effort -- illustrates the interconnectedness of God's creation and humanity's role within it.
The Significance of Naming in the Bible
In the biblical story of creation, naming serves as the final touch by which the Creator completes His creation. From the moment man is created, he too participates in this process: “Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them, and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name” (Genesis 2:19). In a way, the Creator here passes on His right to name to man, thereby involving him in His creativity and His authority over the created world.
Interestingly, in the subsequent centuries, people debated a lot over the interpretation of this passage: Did Adam name each animal out of his own choice, or did he discern the name that was inherently theirs? Essentially, this is a question about the nature of language and the use of names and words: are they arbitrary, or do they reflect some objective qualities of the named objects? Today, we lean more towards the first perspective, but in ancient times, the second was more popular. In any case, in the book of Genesis, we see that naming is by no means a random act – it is, in essence, the culmination of creation, establishing or confirming one’s authority over the created world.
And indeed, Christ gives His apostle a new name at one of the most critical moments: “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it” (Matthew 16:18). The natural name of this man was Simon, but Christ henceforth calls him “rock” (which is what the name Peter means in Greek), and under this name, he is known to us. This is no longer just the fisherman named Simon, but the great apostle… For the same reasons, a new name is given today during monastic tonsure: the same person begins a new life, set apart for a special service.
Names as Prophecies and Jokes If a name was understood to reflect the essence of a person, it could also act as a prophecy about their future. For instance, Jacob’s name (Yakov in Hebrew), sounding similar to the word "heel" (akev in Hebrew), foreshadows his life story of usurping his brother Esau’s rights as the firstborn. Later, Jacob received a new name, Israel, representing not just a change in his personal identity but the name for the nation descended from him. This renaming underscores the transformative power of names within the biblical narrative. Moreover, names sometimes served to mock or critique. For example, the name Baal-Zebub, which the biblical authors probably intended as a derogatory pun meaning "Lord of the Flies" rather than the worshipped "Baal the Prince," illustrates how names could be used to demonstrate scorn for pagan gods.
The Power of Names
Thus, the Bible teaches us that names are far from random — they carry significant meaning, reflecting the essence, destiny, and divine purpose of their bearers. While they may not have magical powers to dictate one’s fate, they serve as signs helping us understand the nature of things more deeply. Names in the Bible remind us of the power of language, the importance of identity, and the meaningful connections between names, people, and their stories.