What's in a Name?

We choose the names of our children when they are born. For some couples, it is easy. For others it takes a lot of discussion and compromise. There are lots of different ideas about what the name should be. Should it be long or short? Should it be a family name or a name that seems to come out of nowhere? How does it sound with the last name? Today, names are rarely chosen based on the meaning of the name.  

It was different in Bible days. Names were associated with the character of the person. Sometimes they were prophetic of their characters.  

This is important to remember that in scripture, name equals character. And to know the name of a person is to know the character of the person. We see this connection between a name and the character of a person especially well in scripture when God changes the names of some of His children.

Let’s take Abraham as an example.

AB means “father” in Hebrew. At birth, his name was Abram which means “High Father.”

In Genesis 17:14, God made a covenant with 99-year-old Abram that he would be the father of a multitude of nations. Then God changed his name from Abram (High Father) to Abraham which means “Father of Multitudes.”

God also changed the name of Abraham’s wife. Her original name was Sarai which means dominating, controlling. God changed it to Sarah, which means Princess.

How thrilled Abraham and Sarah must have been to have their names changed in such as meaningful way!

One of their grandson’s names was Jacob-which means “to take by the heel / supplanter.” But God changed his name to Israel meaning “Prince with God, or Wrestles with God.”

Human names and human character are important. But the most important of ALL is the concept that the names of God in scripture teaches us about the character of God.

Many years ago, I was in a Bible study and a woman said she was making Christmas ornaments with the names of God on them. I remember thinking, the three names I knew (God, Lord, and Savior) would not be enough ornaments to decorate a tree.

How little I knew! In fact, scripture tells us many names of God. And each name teaches us more and more about the character of God. Each name shows us a different facet of who God IS.

Join me in the next few weeks as we study each name of God. We will get to know God’s character as we go.

Carla Killough McClafferty