The Importance Of A Name According To The Bible

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As a Christian, there is no doubt that there is the importance of a name. I mean literally, God was naming and renaming people based on what He called them to be.  Once when I went to Church my pastor explained the importance of names in the Bible to me in a way that made so much sense.

He said that if your name means something then every time someone calls your name they are literally calling your destiny into existence. Before I go into the importance of names in the Bible I want to tell you an actual TRUE story about how I chose my son’s name. Now, this is a fair warning that you may think it is weird, you may think that it is too spiritual, or you may think I am crazy but either way I have to tell you this story.

The importance of a name ~ Case in point: My son’s name

When I was pregnant with my son I really wanted to give him a name that was Biblical but I could not decide on what it was going to be. One of my family members came up with the name Gabriel. In all honestly, I really did not like the name.  AT ALL.  Not until one night, I had a dream. I cannot tell you exactly what the dream was about but when I woke up I heard God tell me that my son’s name was going to be Gabriel.

And the meaning of my son’s name is “God is my strength.” I  know this may seem a little odd that God would care so much about what I named my child BUT hear me out.  I would like to think that God was speaking to me, giving me my son’s name, as a way to speak his destiny into existence. To be strong and to be a man of God. If you don’t believe me let me give you a little history lesson on the importance of names.  And you can check out the video that I did with my son, to see a little of how he is living up to his name.

The importance of a name ~ Abraham and Sarah

When God changed a person’s name and gave him a new name, it was usually to establish a new identity. God changed Abram’s name, meaning “high father,” to “Abraham,” meaning “father of a multitude” (Genesis 17:5). At the same time, God changed Abraham’s wife’s name from “Sarai,” meaning “my princess,” to “Sarah,” meaning “mother of nations” (Genesis 17:15). This name change took place when God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. God also reaffirmed His promise to give Abraham a son, specifically through Sarah, and told him to name his son Isaac, meaning “laughter.” (Source).

Abraham is indeed the father of many nations to this day. Not only is he mentioned in Christianity but also in Islam and in the Jewish faith. And this stands TO THIS DAY. When you read the Bible after Abraham had Issac, his descendants indeed went on to be the decadents of MANY NATIONS. Like literally it was insane. As in you need to go in the Bible and read all the nations one by one that takes up pages and chapters on end.

And as a sidebar, I have a video on Abraham and Sarah that you can watch below.  And don’t forget to subscribe to my channel by clicking here. 

The importance of a name ~ What’s my point:

My point is that when God renamed Abraham and Sarah not only did they prove to be the father and mother of many nations through their decadents over the course of a few hundred years but literally a few thousands of years. Meaning that when God spoke a name into existence they both had no choice but to live up to that name.

The importance of a name ~ Jacob

Jacob’s birth name, Jacob, means “supplanter, deceiver”; it was given to him because, when Jacob was born as the second of a set of twins, “his hand [was] grasping [his twin’s] heel” (Genesis 25:26). True to his name, Jacob grew up as a conniver, deceiver, and cheat, and he eventually supplanted his brother’s position as heir to the birthright.

After Jacob’s struggle with the Lord at Peniel, the Lord gave Jacob a new name: Israel. And God gave the reason: “Because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28). Later, God appears to Jacob/Israel again in Bethel, reaffirms the name change, and gives him the same covenant that Abraham had received (Genesis 35:9–12). (source).

The importance of a name ~ What’s my point

The importance of a name In the Bible, it says that Jacob was given the same covenant that was given to Abraham which as we know from above is the father of many nations.  When you think of the Jewish people and they are called the Israelites and Jacob was renamed Israel meaning that the people steamed from Jacob.

Once God renamed Israel, the Bible begins to refer to God’s people as the Israelites from there on out. Meaning that Jacob’s name had to be transformed from his old meaning to the new one. Jacob could not be a “deceiver” and named after God chosen people. Imagine if they were called the Jacobs, it would be like calling the Jews the deceivers.  Instead, Jacob was given a new name, befitting his new purpose.

The importance of a name ~ Simon Peter

In the New Testament, Jesus changed Simon’s name, meaning “God has heard,” to “Peter,” meaning “rock” when He first called him as a disciple (John 1:42). It was Peter who declared that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus replied to him as “Simon son of Jonah,” saying that he was blessed because God revealed Jesus’ identity as Messiah to him. He then referred to him as “Peter” and said that Peter’s declaration was the basis, or “rock,” on which He would build His church (Matthew 16:17–18). Peter is also often seen as the leader of the apostles (source).

The importance of a name ~ What’s my point

After Jesus renamed him Peter it was like Peter became a new person. He came boldly and not afraid to stand up for what he believed in.  But Simon was the man that was afraid and the man that denied Christ three times.

The importance of a name ~ Case In Point Me

The meaning of my name means wisdom. I first found this out when I was in middle school and perhaps it was a self-fulfilling prophecy or maybe like the above individuals I grew into my name. Perhaps it was like my pastor said that every time someone calls your name it is like calling out your destiny and calling you into it.

And so my journey for being wise began at the age of 14. I mean legit, if you read the letters to my younger self (click here), then you will see that I was a very INTENSE and smart 14 years old. But once I realized that my name meant wisdom I then sought out more wisdom. Specifically, at that age, I remember this specific verse.

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and God will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.” James 1:5

Maybe you can chalk it up to my name but I always have a thirst for wisdom. And after I read the verse I asked for wisdom because it was something that I just wanted. I remember afterward I thought I would be super wise right away. But God did answer my prayers like that.

The wisdom that I have now God has He bestowed on me as I went through life, through education, relationships, and other experiences. I find it prophetic that my name means wisdom, and from a very young age, I had an overwhelming desire to be wise and in a way, I have always been fairly wise for my age. I’d like to think that is like the Bible verse says.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” Jeremiah 1:5

I would like to believe that God ordained me to be called by my name. Just like I would like to believe that God ordained my son to be called by his name and I believe the same for you. I would like to believe that God has a destiny for me in which it requires me to be wise.  I would like to believe that I am like all those people in the Bible who God named and renamed because He had a purpose for them. Also, check out my video down below on wisdom because just as the Bible said it is calling to you out in the streets.

And I hope that whoever is reading this that you believe the same thing for yourself, for your name, and the name that you give your children. There is an importance of names, God says so.  There is power in words (Click here to read my blog for more). And every time someone calls my name they are calling out Wisdom or my son’s name they are saying God is my strength.

The importance of a name ~ Living Up To Your Name

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1

So no matter what your name is, no matter if it is a name that is common or one that you cannot find the meaning to, it does not matter. God named You, He formed you in your mother’s womb and He calls you by name.  So think of your name as being special and if your name means nothing, then make your name mean something.  Be the first “insert your name here” to do something great.  So that whenever people think of that name they will think of you.

For example, Solomon was known throughout the land for being wise. I have no idea what Solomon’s name meant or if it meant anything at all. But what I do know is that his wisdom lives through time.  Whenever we think of Solomon we think of a wise man.  So no matter what your name means live up to it if it is good.  If it is bad, then do not be afraid to create a new meaning for your name, and if your name means nothing then make it mean something.  Create your own destiny.

In the words of Trevor Noah and his book Born a Crime which you can buy here by clicking this affiliate link. He says the following: Names are central to Noah’s life; he explains that in the Xhosa culture, names have specific meanings. His mother’s name Nombuyiselo, for example, means “She Who Gives Back.” What does Trevor mean? Nothing; his mother specifically chose a name that had no meaning so that her son would have no fate and would be free to do whatever he wanted. (source). 

And now we all know Trevor Noah for being himself.  Yes, my name has the meaning of being wise. But even if your name is Boom Shakalaka Boom, then be the best of that name that you can be and give your own name meaning. You have the power to speak life and death into your destiny (see my blog here) and it is the same with a name.  Imagine every time I call out my son’s name I am saying “God is my strength” speaking this into his destiny.

And every time someone calls out my name they are calling me wisdom, which is once again speaking wisdom into my destiny. What a wonderful thing to speak over someone just by simply calling them by their name. Do you see the importance of names now?  If God thought so much as to change people’s name depending on what they will become or sometimes even choosing a name for them from birth; then I think God knew that when someone speaks your name and it has meaning, the meaning is being spoken into existence over you.

If you know someone who may need to read this post then go ahead and share this post with this. PLUS I have an amazing product that will help you with your spiritual journey. It is my Fix It Jesus! Everything You Need To Know About Spiritual Fasting From Beginning To End and it is only 99 cents.  Click here to read more about the book or to buy.