The names God writes himself into.

“Man / humankind — from adamah, 'ground.'”

Ada

from adamah, 'ground/red earth'

m

closing mem

First occurrence · Genesis 1:26

Wordplay in Genesis 2:7: God formed adam from the adamah.

“Life-giver — 'the mother of all living.'”

Chavva

from chayah ('to live'), 'life-giver'

h

feminine ending

First occurrence · Genesis 3:20

Pop-etymology in Genesis 3:20: 'because she was the mother of all living.'

“Rest / comfort.”

No

from nuach, 'to rest'

ach

closing chet

First occurrence · Genesis 5:29

Genesis 5:29: 'This one shall give us rest from our work.'

“Father of a multitude — renamed from Abram.”

Av

father

raham

of a multitude (hamon)

First occurrence · Genesis 17:5

Renamed from Avram ('exalted father') in Genesis 17:5 with this etymological gloss.

“Princess.”

Sara

from sar, 'prince/noble'

h

feminine ending

First occurrence · Genesis 17:15

Renamed from Sarai in Genesis 17:15.

“He laughs.”

Yi

3rd-person prefix 'he'

tzchak

from tsachaq, 'to laugh'

First occurrence · Genesis 17:19

Named for Abraham and Sarah's laughter at the promise of a son in old age (Gen 17:17; 18:12; 21:6).

“Captivating / ensnaring.”

Riv

from a root meaning to bind/tie

kah

ending

First occurrence · Genesis 22:23

“Heel-grabber / supplanter.”

Ya

3rd-person prefix 'he'

akov

from akev, 'heel'; verb 'to grasp the heel'

First occurrence · Genesis 25:26

Named because he gripped Esau's heel at birth (Gen 25:26); later renamed Israel (Gen 32:28).

“He strives with God / God strives.”

Yisra

from sarah, 'to strive/contend/persevere'

El

God

First occurrence · Genesis 32:28

Given to Jacob after wrestling at Peniel: 'for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed' (Gen 32:28).

“Hairy.”

E

(ayin) opening

sav

from a root meaning hairy/rough

First occurrence · Genesis 25:25

Named for his appearance at birth — covered in red hair (Gen 25:25). Also called Edom ('red').

“Weary.”

Lea

from la'ah, 'to be weary'

h

feminine ending

First occurrence · Genesis 29:16

“Ewe.”

Rachel

female sheep, ewe

First occurrence · Genesis 29:6

Fitting for a shepherdess of her father's flock (Gen 29:9).

“See, a son! — Leah's cry at his birth.”

Re'u

imperative 'see!', from ra'ah

ven

from ben, 'son'

First occurrence · Genesis 29:32

“Hearing — 'because the LORD has heard.'”

Shim

from shama, 'to hear'

on

noun-forming suffix

First occurrence · Genesis 29:33

“Joined / attached.”

Lev

from lavah, 'to join/attach'

i

ending

First occurrence · Genesis 29:34

Genesis 29:34: 'Now this time my husband will be joined to me.'

“Praise YHWH.”

Yehu

from YHWH (Yah)

dah

from yadah, 'to praise/give thanks'

First occurrence · Genesis 29:35

Genesis 29:35: 'This time I will praise the LORD.' The messianic tribe.

“May he add — Rachel's prayer for another son.”

Yo

3rd-person prefix

sef

from yasaph, 'to add'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:24

“Son of the right hand — Jacob's rename from Ben-oni.”

Bin

from ben, 'son'

yamin

right hand (of favor/strength)

First occurrence · Genesis 35:18

Rachel named him Ben-oni ('son of my sorrow') as she died; Jacob renamed him Benjamin (Gen 35:18).

“He judged / vindicated.”

Dan

from din, 'to judge'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:6

Genesis 30:6: 'God has judged me.'

“My wrestling — Rachel's struggle with her sister.”

Naftali

from patal, 'to wrestle/twist'

i

1st-person suffix, 'my'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:8

“Good fortune / troop.”

Gad

good fortune (one tradition) / troop (another)

First occurrence · Genesis 30:11

“Happy / blessed.”

Asher

from ashar, 'to be happy/blessed'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:13

Genesis 30:13: 'Happy am I! For the daughters will call me blessed.'

“There is reward / a man of hire.”

Yis

from yesh, 'there is'

sachar

from sakar, 'wages/reward'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:18

“Dwelling / honor.”

Zevulun

from zaval, 'to dwell/honor'

First occurrence · Genesis 30:20

“Drawn out — from the water.”

Moshe

from mashah, 'to draw out'

h

ending

First occurrence · Exodus 2:10

Exodus 2:10: 'because I drew him out of the water.' May also derive from Egyptian 'msi' ('to give birth, son of'), as in Thutmose, Ramses.

“Meaning uncertain — possibly 'mountain of strength' or 'enlightened.'”

Aha

opening (etymology debated)

ron

ending (possibly 'mountain' from har)

First occurrence · Exodus 4:14

Etymology genuinely uncertain. May be non-Hebrew (possibly Egyptian) in origin.

“Meaning debated — 'bitterness,' 'rebellion,' or 'beloved.'”

Mir

possibly from mar, 'bitter'

yam

ending (uncertain — possibly Egyptian 'mry,' 'beloved')

First occurrence · Exodus 15:20

Same name as Mary in the New Testament. Etymology genuinely debated.

“YHWH saves.”

Yeho

from YHWH

shua

from yasha, 'to save'

First occurrence · Numbers 13:16

Renamed by Moses from Hoshea ('salvation') to Yehoshua ('YHWH is salvation') in Num 13:16. Greek form: Iēsous → Jesus.

“Bee.”

Devora

from davar (related to honey/bee)

h

feminine ending

First occurrence · Judges 4:4

“Hewer / cutter.”

Gid

from gada, 'to cut down/hew'

on

noun-forming suffix

First occurrence · Judges 6:11

Fitting: he cut down the Asherah pole of Baal (Judg 6:25-27).

“Of the sun / sunny.”

Shimsh

from shemesh, 'sun'

on

noun-forming suffix

First occurrence · Judges 13:24

“Heard by God / asked of God.”

Shmu

from shama, 'to hear' (or sha'al, 'to ask')

el

God

First occurrence · 1 Samuel 1:20

1 Sam 1:20: 'I have asked him of the LORD' — the verb sha'al puns on Sha'ul (Saul), whom Samuel will anoint.

“Asked for / requested.”

Sha

from sha'al, 'to ask'

ul

passive ending

First occurrence · 1 Samuel 9:2

Same Hebrew name as the apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus).

“Beloved.”

David

from dod, 'beloved'

First occurrence · 1 Samuel 16:13

“Peaceful — from shalom.”

Shlo

from shalom, 'peace/wholeness'

mo

ending

First occurrence · 2 Samuel 12:24

“YHWH strengthens.”

Chizki

from chazaq, 'to be strong/strengthen'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · 2 Kings 18:1

“YHWH supports / heals.”

Yoshi

from a root meaning 'support/give'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · 1 Kings 13:2

“My God is YHWH.”

Eli

El + 1st-person suffix, 'my God'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · 1 Kings 17:1

His very name is the manifesto he proclaimed against Baal worship.

“My God is salvation.”

Eli

El + 1st-person suffix, 'my God'

sha

from yasha, 'to save'

First occurrence · 1 Kings 19:16

“YHWH is salvation / YHWH saves.”

Yesha

from yasha, 'salvation/to save'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Isaiah 1:1

“YHWH raises up / appoints.”

Yirme

from rum, 'to be high/raise up'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Jeremiah 1:1

“God strengthens.”

Yechezke

from chazaq, 'to be strong/strengthen'

el

God

First occurrence · Ezekiel 1:3

“God is my judge.”

Dan

from din, 'to judge'

i

1st-person suffix, 'my'

el

God

First occurrence · Daniel 1:6

“Salvation.”

Ho

infinitive-construct prefix

shea

from yasha, 'to save'

First occurrence · Hosea 1:1

Same root as Yehoshua (Joshua). Hoshea was also Joshua's original name (Num 13:8).

“YHWH is God.”

Yo

short for YHWH

el

God

First occurrence · Joel 1:1

The same confession as Elijah ('My God is YHWH'), just inverted: YHWH is [the true] God.

“Burden-bearer.”

Amos

from amas, 'to load/carry a burden'

First occurrence · Amos 1:1

“Servant of YHWH.”

Ovad

from eved, 'servant'

yah

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Obadiah 1:1

“Dove.”

Yona

dove

h

ending

First occurrence · Jonah 1:1

“Who is like [YHWH]? — short form of Mikha-el.”

Mi

interrogative 'who?'

khah

from ka, 'like'

First occurrence · Micah 1:1

The implicit answer: no one. Longer form Mikha-el ('who is like God?') is the archangel's name.

“Comforted / consoled.”

Nachum

from nacham, 'to comfort'

First occurrence · Nahum 1:1

“Embrace / clinging.”

Chavaqquq

from chavaq, 'to embrace'

First occurrence · Habakkuk 1:1

“YHWH hides / protects.”

Tsefan

from tsafan, 'to hide/protect/treasure up'

yah

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Zephaniah 1:1

“Festive — 'my feast.'”

Chagga

from chag, 'feast/festival'

i

1st-person suffix, 'my'

First occurrence · Haggai 1:1

“YHWH remembers.”

Zekhar

from zakhar, 'to remember'

yah

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Zechariah 1:1

“My messenger.”

Mal'akhi

from mal'akh, 'messenger/angel'

i

1st-person suffix, 'my'

First occurrence · Malachi 1:1

The last prophet of the Hebrew Bible — his name a one-word prophecy of the messenger to come (Mal 3:1).

“Help — short for 'YHWH helps' (Azariah).”

Ezra

from azar, 'to help'

a

ending

First occurrence · Ezra 7:1

“YHWH comforts.”

Nechem

from nacham, 'to comfort'

yah

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Nehemiah 1:1

“YHWH saves — short form of Yehoshua.”

Ye

from YHWH

shua

from yasha, 'to save'

First occurrence · Matthew 1:21

Matthew 1:21: 'You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.' The Greek 'Iēsous' transliterates the post-exilic short form of Joshua.

“Same as Miriam — bitterness / beloved (debated).”

Mir

possibly from mar, 'bitter'

yam

uncertain ending

First occurrence · Matthew 1:16

Mary of Nazareth bears the same name as Moses' sister.

“May he add — same as the patriarch.”

Yo

3rd-person prefix

sef

from yasaph, 'to add'

First occurrence · Matthew 1:16

“YHWH is gracious.”

Yo

short for YHWH

chanan

from chanan, 'to be gracious'

First occurrence · Matthew 3:1

Born to a barren mother (Elizabeth) — a name that confesses unearned grace.

“Gift of YHWH.”

Mattit

from mattan, 'gift'

yahu

short for YHWH

First occurrence · Matthew 9:9

“Rock — Aramaic; translated to Greek as Petros (Peter).”

Kepha

rock, stone (Aramaic)

First occurrence · John 1:42

Jesus renamed Simon as Kepha (Aramaic); the Greek Gospels render this as Petros, which English brings over as Peter.

“Asked for — the apostle's Hebrew name before his Roman Paulus.”

Sha

from sha'al, 'to ask'

ul

passive ending

First occurrence · Acts 7:58

Same Hebrew name as Israel's first king. Acts 13:9 marks the shift to his Roman name Paulus on the Gentile mission.