Giving of names

Names may reflect personal experiences

Genesis 41:51–52 ESV

Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.”

See also Ge 29:31–35; Ge 30:6–8; Ge 30:18–20; Ge 30:23–24; Ge 35:18; Ex 2:10; Ex 2:21–22; Ex 18:3–4; 1 Sa 1:20; 1 Ch 4:9

Names may reflect national experiences

1 Samuel 4:21 ESV

And she named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has departed from Israel!” because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

See also Ge 10:25; Is 8:3–4; Ho 1:2–11

Names may indicate future destiny

Matthew 1:21 ESV

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

See also Lk 1:31–33

The giving of a name reflects the authority of the giver

Genesis 1:5–10 ESV

God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day. And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.

See also Ge 2:23; Ge 35:18; 2 Ki 23:34; 2 Ki 24:17; Lk 1:62–63

The changing of names

On divine instruction

Genesis 17:3–8 ESV

Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him, “Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.”

See also Ge 17:15–16; Ge 35:9–10; Jn 1:42

In relation to salvation

Isaiah 62:2 ESV

The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.

See also Is 65:15; Re 2:17

In the light of past experience

Judges 6:32 ESV

Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.

See also Ru 1:20

In the future

Zechariah 8:3 ESV

Thus says the Lord: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain.

See also Is 1:26; Is 44:5; Is 58:12; Is 62:4; Is 62:12; Je 7:32; Je 20:3–6; Mal 1:4

In a new culture

Genesis 41:45 ESV

And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenath-paneah. And he gave him in marriage Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera priest of On. So Joseph went out over the land of Egypt.

See also Da 1:7

The instance of Paul

Ac 13:9 The occasion of and reason for the change from “Saul” to “Paul” are not clear.

Place-names may reflect events or experiences

Ge 11:8–9; Ge 16:13–14; Ge 19:21–22; Ge 21:31; Ge 26:32–33; Ge 28:18–19; Ge 31:45–50; Ge 32:1–2; Ge 32:30; Ge 33:17; Ge 35:7–8