Theophoric name

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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.

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[edit] 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: "his name is El"
  • El: Michael: "Who is like God?"
  • YHWH /Yahweh: Jonathan (Hebrew Yônāṯān or Yehônāṯān: "who Yahweh gave"
  • YHWH: Jesus: Ye·shu′a‛ or Yehoh·shu′a‛: “Yahweh/Jehovah Is Salvation”.

Referring to other gods:

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

Some names could be controversial political statements: Beliah can mean Baal is Yahweh, Jael and Elijah can mean Yahweh is El (and vice-versa, respectively), while Jabin can mean Yahweh is the son.

[edit] 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) appears 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.

"Yahū" or "Yehū" is a common short form for "Yahweh" in Hebrew names; as a prefix it sometimes appears as "Yehō-". In former times that was thought to be abbreviated from the supposed pronunciation "Yehowah". 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 yiŝtahaweh (imperfective), yiŝtáhû (preterit or jussive short form) = "do obeisance".

However, the name Judah (Yehūdah) is not an example: here the ye- 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.

[edit] "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 "Yeho-" names not sound like an attempt to pronounce the Divine Name. [1] and [2]

[edit] 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

[edit] 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

[edit] Greek, Roman and Christian names

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

[edit] Islam

Further information: List of Arabic theophoric names

[edit] "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)

[edit] Other Islamic names

  • Habibur-Rahman
  • Najibul-rahman
  • Amatul-Laah
  • Waliul-Laah
  • Rooh-Allah
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] 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

[edit] Hinduism

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

[edit] External links

[edit] Technical note

The Hebrew-alphabet and Greek-alphabet text in this article may be displayed in some browsers at a size too small for clarity; printing the article out, or cutting-and-pasting text from the web-browser into a word processor and increasing the font size, may help. Some browsers also have a text- or pagezooming feature.

[edit] References

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