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Explore the etymology and spiritual significance of 70 pivotal names from across all five volumes of scripture. Each name reveals its original language origin, pictographic roots, and profound LDS doctrinal connections.
A glimpse of what you'll find inside. The full tool includes 70 names with filters by volume and language.
אָדָם
Meaning
Man, mankind, earth
Pictograph
Strength of the human family -- ox (strength) + door (pathway) + water (chaos/life)
Adam's name connects him to 'adamah' (earth), reflecting humanity's earthly origin and divine creation. In LDS theology he is Michael, an archangel and the Ancient of Days.
אַבְרָהָם
Meaning
Father of many nations
Pictograph
House of the father who journeys -- aleph (strength) + bet (house) + resh (head) + hey (reveal)
Originally Abram ('exalted father'), changed to Abraham meaning 'father of many nations.' He is the covenant patriarch whose seed includes the Savior, central to both biblical and LDS theology.
Ἰησοῦς
Meaning
Yahweh saves, God is salvation
From the Hebrew Yeshua. The angel declared His name before birth, testifying that He would 'save his people from their sins.' Every use of the name affirms the central mission of the Atonement.
נְפִי
Meaning
Good, goodly
Nephi opens the Book of Mormon by declaring 'I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents' -- a statement that resonates with his very name. His life embodies the meaning: faithful, obedient, and goodly.
Πέτρος
Meaning
Rock, stone
Jesus renamed Simon to Peter (Petros, rock) declaring 'upon this rock I will build my church.' The name prophetically declares his apostolic role as the foundational leader of the Church after the Savior's ascension.
65 more names across all volumes of scripture
UnlockIn biblical culture, names were far more than labels -- they conveyed meaning, character, and destiny. A name often described the child's character, the circumstances of birth, or God's purpose for that life. When God changed someone's name (Abram to Abraham, Saul to Paul), it marked a spiritual transformation or new mission.
The Name Meanings Explorer includes names from Hebrew (the language of the Old Testament), Greek (the language of the New Testament), and Aramaic (used in portions of Daniel and the targums). The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price primarily use names derived from these ancient languages.
Hebrew pictographs are the ancient images from which Hebrew letters originated. Each letter started as a picture: Aleph was an ox head (strength), Bet was a house (family), Gimel was a camel (journey). When multiple letters combine to form a name, the pictographic meanings layer together to create a deeper picture of meaning.
The Book of Mormon continues the scriptural tradition of meaningful names. Names like Nephi ('good'), Alma ('maiden'), and Moroni ('strength from God') follow the pattern of Hebrew etymology, helping readers recognize the ancient scriptural tradition continuing in the latter-day revelation.
Search and filter by volume and language, view pictographic roots, scripture references, and LDS spiritual significance for every name.
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