Theophoric name

This article contains Hebrew text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Hebrew letters.

A theophoric name (Greek: "bearing a deity") embeds the name of a god, both invoking and displaying the protection of that deity. Instances of theophoric names embedding Apollo, will be familiar among the many men named Apollonios or Apollodorus in Greek Antiquity.

Theophoric names were also exceedingly common in the Ancient Near East and Mesopotamia, where the personal name of an individual included the name of a god in whose care the individual is entrusted. The practice, called in onomastics theophory, refers to this naming convention of adding a god's name (or the local equivalent of the generic term for god) to an individual's proper name.

Contents 1 Judaism and biblical 1.1 Theophoric names with "Yeho" or "Yo" prefixes or "Yah" or "Yahu" suffixes 1.2 "Yeho" prefixes changed to "Yo" prefixes 1.3 Table of theophoric names with "Yeho" and "Yo" prefixes 1.4 Table of Theophoric names with "Yah" and "Yahu" suffixes 2 Greek, Roman and Germanic Christian names 3 Islam 3.1 "Abdul" names 3.2 Other Islamic names 3.3 Islamic names which some think are faulty 4 Hinduism 5 External links 6 References

Judaism and biblical

The name of God that appears in Hebrew biblical texts as יהוה transliterates as YHWH, (For more information about the pronunciation of יהוה see Tetragrammaton, Jehovah and Yahweh)

Here, "-hh" at the end of a word means Hebrew h with mappiq, showing that that 'h' must be pronounced and is not a mater lectionis.

Among the Biblical names that have developed this way are:
Referring to God:

• El: Elizabeth: Hebrew Elisheva = "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance"
• El: Samuel: "heard by God"
• El: Michael: "Who is like God?"
• El: Emmanuel/Immanuel: "God is with us"
• El: Gabriel: "strong man of God"
• El: Israel: "Laid with God" (After Jacob's dream, in which god promised him the land of Israel)
• YHWH /Yahweh: Jonathan (Hebrew Yônāṯān or Y^ehônāṯān: "who Yahweh gave"
• YHW: Joshua: Anglicized version of the Hebrew name Yahu·shu′a‛: “Yahu Is Salvation” (Jesus is the Anglicized version of the Greek transliteration (ιησους/Iesous) of "Joshua").

Referring to other gods:

• Yam: Abijam: "my father is Yam"
• Nabu: Nebuchadnezzar (in Babylonian Nabu-kudurri-usur)
• Baal: Ishbaal: "man of Baal".

Theophoric names in Baal were sometimes "censored" as -bosheth = "shameful one", whence Ishbosheth etc.

Some names might be controversial theological statements: Bealiah could mean Baal is Yahweh and Elijah could mean Yahweh is El (and vice-versa, respectively). On the other hand, as traditionally understood, these names simply mean "YHWH is Master," and YHWH is God."

Theophoric names with "Yeho" or "Yo" prefixes or "Yah" or "Yahu" suffixes

"The name of the Israelite deity YHWH (usually shortened to Yah or Yahu, and Yeho or Yo) appears as a prefix or suffix in many theophoric names of the First Temple Period, e.g., Yirme-yahu (Jeremiah), Yesha-yahu (Isaiah), Netan-yah, Yedid-yah, Adoni-yah, Nekhem-yah, Yeho-natan, Yeho-chanan, Yeho-shua, Yeho-tzedek.

"Yahū" or "Yah" is the abbreviation of "YHWH" when used as a suffix in Hebrew names; as a prefix it appears as "Y^ehō-", or "Yo". In former times that was thought to be abbreviated from the Masoretic pronunciation "Yehovah". There is nowadays an opinion [1] that, as "Yahweh" is likely an imperfective verb form, "Yahu" is its corresponding preterite or jussive short form: compare yiŝt^ahawe^h (imperfective), yiŝtáhû (preterit or jussive short form) = "do obeisance".

However, the name Judah (Y^ehūda^h) is not an example: here the y^e- is a verb imperfective prefix, and the name means "He adds [a son to my family]". Some other examples of "y-" in biblical Hebrew names are also verb imperfectives.

"Yeho" prefixes changed to "Yo" prefixes

In the table below, 13 theophoric names with "Yeho" prefixes have corresponding forms (in bold type) where the letters "eh"' have been omitted. There is a theory by Christian Ginsburg that this is due to Hebrew scribes omitting the "h", changing Jeho (יְהוֹ) into Jo (יוֹ), to make the start of "Y^eho-" names not sound like an attempt to pronounce the Divine Name. ^[1] and [2]

Table of theophoric names with "Yeho" and "Yo" prefixes

[Note that theophoric names with "יוֹ" [i.e. "Yo"] are written in bold letters.]

Strong's #	Hebrew word	Strong's Transliteration	Strong's Words Compounded	English Spelling
3059	יְהוֹאָחָז	Yehow'achaz	Jehovah & achaz [# 270]	Jehoachaz
3099	יוֹאָחָז	Yow'achaz	"a form of 3059"	Joachaz
3060	יְהוֹאָש	Yehow'ash	Jehovah & 'esh [# 784]	Jehoash
3101	יוֹאָש	Yow'ash	"a form of 3060"	Joash
3075	יְהוֹזָבָד	Yehowzabad	Jehovah & zabad [# 2064]	Jehozabad
3107	יוֹזָבָד	Yowzabad	"a form of 3075"	Jozabad
3076	יְהוֹחָנָן	Yehowchanan	Jehovah & chanan [# 2603]	Jehochanan
3110	יוֹחָנָן	Yowchanan	"a form of 3076"	Jochanan
3077	יְהוֹיָדָע	Yehowyada	Jehovah & yada [# 3045]	Jehojada
3111	יוֹיָדָע	Yowyada	"a form of 3077"	Jojada
3078	יְהוֹיָכִין	Yehowyakiyn	Jehovah & kuwn [# 3559]	Jehojakin
3112	יוֹיָכִין	Yowyakiyn	"a form of 3078"	Jojakin
3079	יְהוֹיָקִימ	Yehowyaqiym	Jehovah & quwm [# 3965]	Jehojakim
3113	יוֹיָקִימ	Yowyaqiym	"a form of 3079"	Jojakim
3080	יְהוֹיָרִיב	Yehowyariyb	Jehovah & riyb [# 7378]	Jehojarib
3114	יוֹיָרִיב	Yowyariyb	"a form of 3080"	Jojarib
3082	יְהוֹנָדָב	Yehownadab	Jehovah & nadab [# 5068]	Jehonadab
3122	יוֹנָדָב	Yownadab	"a form of 3082"	Jonadab
3083	יְהוֹנָתָן	Yehownathan	Jehovah & nathan [# 5414]	Jehonathan
3129	יוֹנָתָן	Yownathan	"a form of 3083"	Jonathan
3085	יְהוֹעַדָּה	Yehow'addah	Jehovah & 'adah [# 5710]	Jehoaddah
3087	יְהוֹצָדָק	Yehowtsadaq	Jehovah & tsadaq [# 6663]	Jehotsadak
3136	יוֹצָדָק	Yowtsadaq	"a form of 3087"	Jotsadak
3088	יְהוֹרָם	Yehowram	Jehovah & ruwm [# 7311]	Jehoram
3141	יוֹרָם	Yowram	"a form of 3088"	Joram
3092	יְהוֹשָפָט	Yehowshaphat	Jehovah & shaphat [# 8199]	Jehoshaphat
3146	יוֹשָפָט	Yowshaphat	"a form of 3092"	Joshaphat

Table of Theophoric names with "Yah" and "Yahu" suffixes

Strong's #	Hebrew word	Strong's Transliteration	Strong's Words Compounded	English Spelling
3470	יְשַׁעְיָה	Yesha'yah	yasha [# 3467] & Yah	Jeshajah
3470a	יְשַׁעְיָהוּ	Yesha'yahuw	yasha [# 3467] & Yahu	Jeshajahu
5418	נְתַנְיָה	Nethanyah	nathan [# 5414] & Yah	Nethanjah
5418a	נְתַנְיָהוּ	Nethanyahuw	nathan [# 5414] & Yahu	Nethanjahu
138	אֲדֹנִיָּה	'Adoniyah	'adown [# 113] & Yah	Adonijah
138a	אֲדֹנִיָּהוּ	'Adoniyahuw	'adown [# 113] & Yahu	Adonijahu
452	אֵלִיָּה	' Eliyah	'el [# 410] & Yah	Elijah
452a	אֵלִיָּהוּ	' Eliyahu	'el [# 410] & Yahu	Elijahu
3414	יִרְמְיָה	Yirmeyah	ruwm [# 7311] & yah	Jirmejah
3414a	יִרְמְיָהוּ	Yirmeyahuw	ruwm [# 7311] & yahu	Jirmejahu
5166	נְחֶמְיָה	Nechemyah	nacham [# 5162] & yah	Nechemjah

Greek, Roman and Germanic Christian names

• The name "Christopher" literally means "Christ-bearer"
• Theodore/Theodora means "gift of God" [3]
• Dorotheus/Dorothea means "gift to God"
• Theodosius/Theodosia, Theodotos/Theodotē and Dositheus/Dosithea mean "God-given"
• Theophilus (Greek), Amadeus (Latin), Gottlieb (German) and Bogumił (Polish) mean "one who loves God"
• Theognis means "god-knowing"
• Theophanes means "manifestation of God"
• Theophrastus means "godly speech"
• Theaetetus means "one who pleads to God"
• Fürchtgott (German) means "fear God"
• Thimothyeaetetus means "one who fears God"

Some Christian saints have polytheistic theophoric names (such as Saint Dionysius, Saint Mercurius, Saint Saturninus, Saint Hermes, Saint Martin of Tours).

Many Polytheistic deity names are also used as Christian names, such as

• Martin for the Roman god Mars
• Thor for the Scandinavian god Thor
• Thorstein means "Thor's stone"
• Torkel means "Thor's craft"
• Thorulf means "Thor's wolf"

Islam

"Abdul" names

"Abd" (= slave or servant) added to a name of Allah or one of his attributes. In Classical Arabic any of these names can be pronounced as "Abdul-" or "Abdal-" or "Abdil-" according to grammatical position in the speech. The most common are the first two:

‘Abdullah (name) ‘Abdul-Rahman (name) ‘Abdul Rahiem (name) ‘Abdul `Aakher (name) ‘Abdul `A'ala (name) ‘Abdul Akram (name) ‘Abdul Ielah (name) ‘Abdul Awwal (name) ‘Abdul Bari`e (name) ‘Abdul Basit(name) ‘Abdul Batin (name) ‘Abdul Barr (name) ‘Abdul Basier (name) ‘Abdul Tawwab (name) ‘Abdul Jabbar (name) ‘Abdul Jamiel (name) ‘Abdul Jawad (name) ‘Abdul Hadi (name) ‘Abdul Hasieb (name) ‘Abdul Hafiez (name) ‘Abdul Haq (name) ‘Abdul Hakam (name) ‘Abdul Hakiem (name) ‘Abdul Haliem (name) ‘Abd al-Hamid (name) ‘Abdul Haie (name) ‘Abdul Khaliq (name) ‘Abdul Khabier (name) ‘Abdul Khallaq (name) `Abdul Karim (name) ‘Abdul Diaan (name) ‘Abdul Raouf (name) ‘Abdul Razieq (name) ‘Abdul Razzaq (name)

‘Abdul Rabb (name) ‘Abdul Rafieq (name) ‘Abdul Raqieb (name) ‘Abdul Subboh (name) ‘Abdul Settier (name) ‘Abdul Salam (name) ‘Abdul Samie' (name) ‘Abdul Sayyied (name) ‘Abdul Shafie (name) ‘Abdul Shaker (name) ‘Abdul Shakoor (name) ‘Abdul Shahied (name) ‘Abdul Samad (name) ‘Abdul Tayyieb (name) ‘Abdul Dhahier (name) ‘Abdul 'Aziz (name) ‘Abdul 'Aziem (name) ‘Abdul ‘Afou (name) ‘Abdul ‘Alie (name) ‘Abdul ‘Aliem (name) ‘Abdul Ghaffar (name) ‘Abdul Ghafour (name) ‘Abdul Ghanie (name) ‘Abdul Fattah (name) ‘Abdul Qabiedh (name) ‘Abdul Qadir (name) ‘Abdul Qadier (name) ‘Abdul Qahir (name) ‘Abdul Quddous (name) ‘Abdul Qarieb (name) ‘Abdul Qahhar (name) ‘Abdul Qawi (name) ‘Abdul Qaioum (name)

‘Abdul Kabier (name) ‘Abdul Kariem (name) ‘Abdul Latief (name) 'Abdul Maalik (name) ‘Abdul Mlieek (name) ‘Abdul Malik (name) 'Abdul Moakhier (name) ‘Abdul Moe'min (name) ‘Abdul Mobien(name) 'Abdul Motaali (name) ‘Abdul Motakabbir (name) ‘Abdul Matien (name) 'Abdul Mugieb (name) ‘Abdul Magied (name) ‘Abdul Mohsen (name) 'Abdul Mos'a'air (name) ‘Abdul Mlieek (name) ‘Abdul Mosawir (name) 'Abdul Mo'ati (name) ‘Abdul Moqaddim (name) ‘Abdul Moqiet (name) ‘Abdul Muqtadier (name) ‘Abdul Mannan (name) ‘Abdul Mawla (name) ‘Abdul Nasier (name) ‘Abdul Wahid (name) ‘Abdul Wasie (name) ‘Abdul Witr (name) ‘Abdul Wadoud (name) ‘Abdul Wakiel(name) ‘Abdul Walii (name) ‘Abd-al-Wahhab (name)

Other Islamic names

• Asad-u-Allah (name)
• Saif-u-Allah (name) nickname for Khalid bin al Walid

• Habibur-Rahman
• Najibul-rahman
• Amatul-Laah
• Waliul-Laah
• Rooh-Allah

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Islamic names which some think are faulty

• ‘Abdal Rasoul (name) means "slave of the prophet", a misnomer according to orthodox Muslim thinking, some change the name to Abd-Rab-Ar-Rasoul to mean "slave of the Lord of the prophet".
• Examples in Arabic name#Common mistakes

Hinduism

Some traditional Hindu names honor Hindu gods or goddesses. Often, the same name is ascribed to multiple deities.

External links

• http://www.ancientneareast.net/religion mesopotamian/cult ritual/names theophoric.html Theophoric names: bibliography
• Lexicon of Greek Personal Names
• Ogden Goelet, "Moses' Egyptian Name"
• Jewish onomastics
• When Can Muslims Use the Name Mohammed?: Plus, why don't English speakers name their children Jesus? by Michelle Tsai

References

1. ^ Christian Ginsburg, Introduction To the Massoretico-Critical Edition Of The Hebrew Bible, p 369