August 2, 2021. “How Did Dad and Mom Know What to Name Me?”
How Did Dad and Mom Know What to Name Me?
What is in a Name? There is meaning and more than a name is present when naming a child. When we looked for a girl’s middle name for our daughter, a name I suggested, brought a quick, ‘no’, from my husband because of her behavior.
My Dad’s Mother’s name was Emilie Brunn. She came to this country when she was sixteen years old, 1895, from Norka, of Southern Russia. She raised five children. Four sons and one daughter. At sixteen months another daughter, Anna, died.
Herman (Biblical name is ‘Army Man’) and Anna (Biblical meaning is ‘Gracious. One who gives) had no problem finding a name for me. Emily Ann. (Biblical meaning is Industrious, Striving).
In Netherlands long ago, it was the tradition, if one Anna died, and another girl was born to that family, she would be named Anna, too. This makes genealogy research a bit challenging.
Grandpa Suderman married the beautiful Anna Loewen. Their second daughter, my Mother, was named Anna Daisy. Dad and Mom named me Ann, a derivative of Anna. My Grandma (GrosMom)’s sisters were named Louisa and Christina.
Looking at my two brother’s names – Bennie James and Donald Gene. I wondered what their names meant. Bennie is Herman’s middle name. The Biblical meaning is Son of my Right Hand. James is the Supplanter or replacer. Donald, in its Biblical meaning is Ruler of the World, while Gene is means God is Gracious.
In this picture I am three years old, Gene is six months old while Jim is 2 years old. Do names predict how the child will behave? Or is it how they are taught from the time they are young?
Does the meaning of the name foretell how a married couple’s life will be? I wondered all things and more. Then I remembered our Lord God has many different names. Often one of these names is written into the lyrics of a worship hymn. Bill Bright’s Book, GOD, Discover His Character has a list of eighteen names for our Lord God.
These names hold the key to understanding the truth of His character. His names express various aspects of His nature, character, and never-changing relationship to His people.
Adoni – Lord or Master. Psalm 39;7, 54:4, 71:5, 73:28, 8:5, 86:12, 140:7, Isaiah 6:8, “Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? Ezekiel 18:25
El – a generic term for God or deity. Psalm 22, And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”Mark15:34.
Elohim – The strong, faithful One, the only true God. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26.
El-Elyon – The Exalted One, the Most High God. Numbers 24;16, 2 Samuel 22:14, The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones, and coals of fire. Psalm 18:13, Isaiah 14;12-15
El Olam – Eternal, perpetual, the Everlasting God. Genesis 9:1, Genesis 9:16 17:8 21;33, Exodus 40:15, Deuteronomy 33:27, Jeremiah 29:11, 31:3, Daniel 4:3, Habakkuk 3:6, John 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9, And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. Hebrews 5:9.
El-Roi – To see, to perceive, understand and know, the God who sees. Psalm 139:1,2,7, So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. John 5:19.
El-Shaddai – Most powerful in strength; the Almighty God. Genesis 17:1-2. Exodus 6:3, “Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it.” Job 40:2.
Immanuel – God with us. Matthew 1:23, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. Galatians 4:4-5.
Jehovah – I AM or self-existence, translated as Yahweh of LORD. Exodus 3:14-15, John 4:25-26, 8:12, 8:28, 10:9, 11, 36, James 1:7, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8.
Jehovah-Jireh – To have regard for the one seen to see to his every need with provision and care, the Lord is our Provider. Genesis 22:8,14, Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Genesis 22:8, 14.
Jehovah-Mechaddesh – To purify, cleanse and sanctify unto God. Exodus 13:2, Leviticus 19:2, 20:7-8, 25-10, I Samuel 2:2, Psalm 103:1, Isaiah 6:3, John 17:17, Romans 12:1, but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” I Peter 1:15-16.
Jehovah-Nissi – A banner set up on a high place in case of invasions, assemblies the people for victory. The Lord is our Banner. Exodus 14:13, 17:15-16, Isaiah 13;2-4, 11, John 3:14, 16;33, I Corinthians 15:57, Ephesians 2:8-9, Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12.
Jehovah-Rohi – To tend as one cares for Sheep, The Lord our Shepherd. Isaiah 40:10-11, Ezekiel 34:11-16, Psalm 23:1, 4, 139:2, John 10:11, Hebrews 13:20, For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. I Peter 2:25.
Jehovah-Rophe – Jehovah who heals; God is our healer. Numbers 12:13, Psalm 103:2-3, Jeremiah 3:22, 30:17, 26, Malachi 4:2, Matthew 4:23, Luke 4:18, John 5:36, The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Revelation 22:17.
Jehovah-Sabaoth – And army or warriors who stand and fight against an enemy, the Lord, the Captain of our salvation. I Samuel 1:3, Jeremiah 11:20, Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6.
Jehovah-Shalom – Peace; The Lord our Peace. Numbers 6:24-26, Isaiah 9:6, 26:2, 4:12, Matthew 11:28-29, John 14:27, Romans 5:1, 15:33, Philippians 4:5-7, And through Him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. Colossians 1:20.
Jehovah-Shammah – There, in that place, therein; the Lord is there. Exodus 33:14-16, Psalm 132:8, 13-15, Isaiah 63:9, Ezekiel 43:1-7, 48:35, Matthew 28:20, John 1:14, 14:2-3. I Corinthians 2:16, 6:17, 2 Corinthians 6:16, So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone. Ephesians 2:19-22.
Jehovah-Tridkenu – Righteousness, rightness; the Lord our righteousness. Deuteronomy 32:4, Psalm 89:14, 129:4, Jeremiah 23:5-6, 33:6-26, Daniel 9:7-8, Acts 3:14, Romans 3:20, 5:16-19, 6:11-13, 18. I Corinthians 1:39, For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21.
What is in a name? A lifetime of actions, words, and responses. These lyrics, written by Hillsong, tell us of the most beautiful name, Jesus.
What a beautiful Name it is, The Name of Jesus Christ my King.
What a beautiful Name it is, Nothing compares to this
What a beautiful Name it is, The Name of Jesus.
Love is the reason of the beautiful Name of Jesus. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13.