What is Your Name?

[Dennis1209]

Biblical names and numbers add to our understanding of scripture. Do you know the meaning of your name?

My name, Dennis, means “follower of Dionysius, a Christian saint.” My parents were not Christians at the time, and believe me, my lifestyle was anything but saintly.

Has anyone ever considered Hebrew and Greek names in the Bible, the meaning of hundreds of them, incorporating them and associating their names with Biblical study?

With our Western minds, we generally give little thought to naming our children, with the meaning of the name (generally with exceptions of course). In the ancient Hebrew-Jewish world, did they officially name their babies as we do, just before or after birth?

Some were a primitive type of surname, i.e., Simon Bar-jona, the family name of the apostle Simon Peter—‘Bar- Jona’ or ‘Bar-Jonas’ (Mt 16:17).^[1] Simon meaning “he who hears,” but there is much more to that, as with every Biblical name.

Most Hebrew names were not associated with a son of the father. Many Biblical names and meanings give us an accurate glimpse of hundreds of their personalities, traits, characters, circumstances, or calling.

Other than by divine intervention with hundreds of names in the Bible that accurately describe the above. How did the father have the insight to know their child’s character, personality, traits, or calling as newborn babes?

 

 

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^[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 819.

[NConly]

Benny; Son of my right and from Binyamin and or Benjamin

hope I got it right

[Ausie 52]

Jeffrey...'God's peace'.

[Marilyn C]

2 hours ago, Dennis1209 said:

 

Other than by divine intervention with hundreds of names in the Bible that accurately describe the above. How did the father have the insight to know their child’s character, personality, traits, or calling as newborn babes?

 

Also. some names then were also related to the Lord.

Benjamin - Son of my right hand. (as NC said) Named of the father. (Gen. 35: 18)

Ben Oni - Son of my sorrow. Named of the mother. (Gen. 35: 18)

 

And relating to Jesus we realize that -

Jesus was named of Father God. (Matt. 1: 21) And seated at the right hand of the Father. (Heb. 1: 3)

Jesus was also a `man of sorrows.` (Isa. 53: 3)

[PATrobas]

Pat by which I have taken the moniker from Romans 16:9 "PATrobas" meaning "life of the Father."

1 John 5:11-12a "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. :12  He that hath the Son hath life;"

Amen!

[missmuffet]

I am Kathleen meaning "pure"....cough..cough  It is Irish from my Irish heritage.

I have been known to be called"

Kathi

Kath

Kat

Katie

I answer to all.

Edited December 28, 2024 by missmuffet

[Dennis1209]

To expand on the importance of names and paraphrase from the secularist Neil Gaiman, you only have your name. Having your name stained is a dishonor, embarrassment, and blemish for entire families (i.e., the relatives of Hitler). Our names are a source of honor or shame and embarrassment. When you think about it, it is the one thing you take to the grave, representing that dash between two dates on the gravestone and what you did with Jesus. At our last breath, final heartbeat, our name has eternal consequences and significance, as John writes below.

Many powerful, elite, and wealthy strive to leave a legacy for their namesake in vain (all is vanity). One Name is exalted beyond measure, with 135 Biblical names and titles:

John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [to name but several]

Obversely, some names are slandered and cursed, i.e., Samuel Mudd, your name is now Mud. Naming and calling people curse words and derogatory names.

How important are our names, and what they represent?

Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

[Ghostdog]

my name is dennis as well and it means god of wine which fits me as i was born with fasd

[Cyoder]

Christopher meaning bearer of Christ or one who carries Christ in their heart.  I never looked that up before.  It actually made me a little emotional.  

[missmuffet]

2 hours ago, Ghostdog said:

my name is dennis as well and it means god of wine which fits me as i was born with fasd

I like that name. My brother's name was Dennis. He was a wonderful person.