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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.


JUDAISM AND BIBLICAL

See Jehovah for the old controversy as to whether YHWH was pronounced "Yahweh" or "Yehowah".

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:
  • = "my God is an oath" or "my God is abundance"''

  • El: Samuel : "heard by God" or "his name is El"

  • (Hebrew Yônāṯān or Yehônāṯān: "who Yahweh gave"


Referring to other gods:
  • : "my father is Yam"

  • : "My king is Zedek"

  • (in Babylonian Nabu-kudurri-usur)

  • : "man of Baal".


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''.


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, Yesha-yahu, Netan-yah, Yedid-yah, Adoni-yah, Nekhem-yah.

"Yahū" or "Yehū" is a common short form for " 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 prefix, and the name means "He adds son to my family ". Some other examples of "y-" in biblical Hebrew names are also verb imperfectives.


"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 () into Jo (), to make the start of "Yeho-" names not sound like an attempt to pronounce the Divine Name. Christian Ginsburg , Introduction To the Massoretico-Critical Edition Of The Hebrew Bible, p 369 and {Link without Title}


Table of theophoric names with "Yeho" and "Yo" prefixes

that theophoric names with "" [i.e. "Yo" are written in bold letters.]


























































Strong's #Hebrew word Strong's Transliteration
Strong's Words Compounded
English Spelling
3059
Yehow'achaz
Jehovah '''& achaz''' 270
Jehoachaz
3099
'''Yow'achaz'''
'''"a form of 3059"'''
'''Joachaz'''
3060
Yehow'ash
Jehovah '''& 'esh''' 784
Jehoash
3101
'''Yow'ash'''
'''"a form of 3060"'''
'''Joash'''
3075
Yehowzabad
Jehovah '''& zabad''' 2064
Jehozabad
3107
'''Yowzabad'''
'''"a form of 3075"'''
'''Jozabad'''
3076
Yehowchanan
Jehovah '''& chanan''' 2603
Jehochanan
3110
'''Yowchanan'''
'''"a form of 3076"'''
'''Jochanan'''
3077
Yehowyada
Jehovah '''& yada''' 3045
Jehojada
3111
'''Yowyada'''
'''"a form of 3077"'''
'''Jojada'''
3078
Yehowyakiyn
Jehovah '''& kuwn''' 3559
Jehojakin
3112
'''Yowyakiyn'''
'''"a form of 3078"'''
'''Jojakin'''
3079
Yehowyaqiym
Jehovah '''& quwm''' 3965
Jehojakim
3113
'''Yowyaqiym'''
'''"a form of 3079"'''
'''Jojakim'''
3080
Yehowyariyb
Jehovah '''& riyb''' 7378
Jehojarib
3114
'''Yowyariyb'''
'''"a form of 3080"'''
'''Jojarib'''
3082
Yehownadab
Jehovah '''& nadab''' 5068
Jehonadab
3122
'''Yownadab'''
'''"a form of 3082"'''
'''Jonadab'''
3083
Yehownathan
Jehovah '''& nathan''' 5414
Jehonathan
3129
'''Yownathan'''
'''"a form of 3083"'''
'''Jonathan'''
3085
Yehow'addah
Jehovah '''& 'adah''' 5710
Jehoaddah
3087
Yehowtsadaq
Jehovah '''& tsadaq''' 6663
Jehotsadak
3136
'''Yowtsadaq'''
'''"a form of 3087"'''
'''Jotsadak'''
3088
Yehowram
Jehovah '''& ruwm''' 7311
Jehoram
3141
'''Yowram'''
'''"a form of 3088"'''
'''Joram'''
3092
Yehowshaphat
Jehovah '''& shaphat''' 8199
Jehoshaphat
3146
'''Yowshaphat'''
'''"a form of 3092"'''
'''Joshaphat'''



Table of Theophoric names with "Yah" and "Yahu" suffixes



























Strong's #Hebrew word Strong's Transliteration
Strong's Words Compounded
English Spelling
3470
Yesha'yah
yasha 3467 & Yah
Jeshajah
3470a
Yesha'yahuw
yasha 3467 & Yahu
Jeshajahu
5418
Nethanyah
nathan 5414 & Yah
Nethanjah
5418a
Nethanyahuw
nathan 5414 & Yahu
Nethanjahu
138
'Adoniyah
'adown 113 & Yah
Adonijah
138a
'Adoniyahuw
'adown 113 & Yahu
Adonijahu
452
' Eliyah
'el 410 & Yah
Elijah
452a
' Eliyahu
'el 410 & Yahu
Elijahu
3414
Yirmeyah
ruwm 7311 & yah
Jirmejah
3414a
Yirmeyahuw
ruwm 7311 & yahu
Jirmejahu
5166
Nechemyah
nacham 5162 & yah
Nechemjah



CHRISTIANITY


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


ISLAM



HINDUISM

One common type is a Hindu god's name with "-an" added, e.g. Radhakrishnan , Lakshmanan , Ganeshan .


EXTERNAL LINKS



TECHNICAL NOTE

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REFERENCES