20 names of God and their meanings
The names and titles people ask about most. The first column gives each name as it is usually written in English; the last shows how the King James Version renders it.
| Name | Meaning | Where it appears (KJV) |
|---|---|---|
| Elohim | God; a plural form used with singular verbs for the one true God | “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, KJV) |
| El | God, the Mighty One; the basic Hebrew word for God | “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God” (Matthew 27:46, KJV) |
| El Shaddai | God Almighty; the exact sense of Shaddai is uncertain | “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1, KJV) |
| El Elyon | God Most High | “the priest of the most high God” (Genesis 14:18, KJV) |
| El Roi | The God who sees | “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13, KJV) |
| El Olam | The everlasting God | “the LORD, the everlasting God” (Genesis 21:33, KJV) |
| Adonai | Lord, Master | “Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me” (Genesis 15:2, KJV) |
| YHWH (the LORD) | God's personal name, tied to the verb to be: he is | “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14, KJV) |
| Jehovah | An older English form of YHWH | “by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them” (Exodus 6:3, KJV) |
| Jehovah Jireh | The LORD will provide (literally, the LORD will see to it) | “Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh” (Genesis 22:14, KJV) |
| Jehovah Rapha | The LORD who heals | “I am the LORD that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26, KJV) |
| Jehovah Nissi | The LORD is my banner | “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi” (Exodus 17:15, KJV) |
| Jehovah Shalom | The LORD is peace | “Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom” (Judges 6:24, KJV) |
| Jehovah Tsidkenu | The LORD our righteousness | “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6, KJV) |
| Jehovah Shammah | The LORD is there | “the name of the city from that day shall be, The LORD is there” (Ezekiel 48:35, KJV) |
| The LORD of hosts | YHWH Sabaoth: the LORD of armies, in heaven and on earth | “The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge” (Psalm 46:7, KJV) |
| The Holy One of Israel | God set apart in holiness, yet bound to his people | “great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee” (Isaiah 12:6, KJV) |
| The Ancient of days | The eternal Judge on his throne | “the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow” (Daniel 7:9, KJV) |
| Jealous | God who will not share his people's worship with idols | “the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God” (Exodus 34:14, KJV) |
| Abba, Father | Father; Abba is the Aramaic word a child used for a loving father | “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee” (Mark 14:36, KJV) |
Meanings follow standard Hebrew lexicons (Brown-Driver-Briggs and Strong's) and the Jewish Encyclopedia. Several of the Jehovah names were first the names of a place or an altar; see below.
YHWH: the name God gave Moses
At the burning bush Moses asked what name he should give the people of Israel. God answered:
“And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”
The name YHWH comes from the Hebrew verb to be. It means something like he is, or he will be: the God who simply exists, depends on no one and is always present with his people. In the next verse God calls it “my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations” (Exodus 3:15, KJV).
The original pronunciation was lost once the name stopped being spoken aloud, though scholars think it was probably Yahweh. The form Jehovah came from reading the letters YHWH with the vowels of Adonai. Christian writers were using it by about 1270, and the KJV prints it four times on its own (Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4) and in three place names: Jehovahjireh, Jehovahnissi and Jehovahshalom.
Jesus spoke the same words of himself: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58, KJV). His hearers picked up stones to throw at him (John 8:59). For what this says about who Jesus is, see Is Jesus God?
Jehovah Jireh, Jehovah Rapha and the other Jehovah names
Several well-loved names of God join the name Jehovah (YHWH) to a word that describes what he did. Some began as names of places or altars: Abraham named a mountain, Moses and Gideon named altars, and Ezekiel names a city. Each sums up something God had just shown himself to be.
Jehovah Jireh: the LORD will provide. On the way up Mount Moriah, Isaac asked where the lamb for the offering was, and Abraham answered, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8, KJV). God stopped Abraham's hand and provided a ram in Isaac's place (Genesis 22:13). Abraham named the place Jehovahjireh, from a Hebrew verb meaning to see: the LORD sees ahead, and so he provides. Many Christians read the story as a picture of God giving his own Son, “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, KJV).
Jehovah Rapha: the LORD who heals. Three days after crossing the Red Sea, Israel found only bitter water at Marah. God showed Moses a tree that made the water sweet, and then said, “I am the LORD that healeth thee” (Exodus 15:26, KJV). The Hebrew there reads YHWH Rophe'ka, the LORD your healer; Jehovah Rapha is the popular form of the name. If you are praying for someone who is ill, see these prayers for healing.
Jehovah Nissi: the LORD is my banner. After Israel defeated Amalek while Moses held up his hands, “Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovahnissi” (Exodus 17:15, KJV). A banner was the standard an army rallied to, and the victory belonged to God.
Jehovah Shalom: the LORD is peace. Gideon was terrified after seeing the angel of the LORD, until God told him, “Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die” (Judges 6:23, KJV). He built an altar there and called it Jehovahshalom. For anxious days, see these prayers for peace.
Jehovah Tsidkenu: the LORD our righteousness. Jeremiah promised a righteous Branch from David's line whose name would be “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jeremiah 23:6, KJV), and later gave the same name to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 33:16). Christians see it fulfilled in Jesus, who “of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness” (1 Corinthians 1:30, KJV).
Jehovah Shammah: the LORD is there. The last words of Ezekiel name the restored city: “The LORD is there” (Ezekiel 48:35, KJV). After the exile and the ruined temple, the book ends with God living among his people, a hope the Bible's last chapters take up again: “the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them” (Revelation 21:3, KJV).
Names of Jesus and what they mean
The New Testament gives Jesus many names and titles, and each says something about who he is and what he came to do. Christians believe he is God the Son, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit; see the Trinity explained.
| Name | Meaning | Where it appears (KJV) |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus | The LORD saves (the Greek form of Joshua, Yeshua) | “thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21, KJV) |
| Christ (Messiah) | The Anointed One | “We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ” (John 1:41, KJV) |
| Immanuel | God with us | “they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matthew 1:23, KJV) |
| The Word | God making himself known, who became flesh (John 1:14) | “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1, KJV) |
| I AM | The eternal one (compare Exodus 3:14) | “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58, KJV) |
| The Good Shepherd | He knows his sheep and gives his life for them | “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, KJV) |
| The Lamb of God | The sacrifice that takes away sin | “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29, KJV) |
| The Bread of life | He satisfies the hunger of the soul | “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, KJV) |
| The Light of the world | He leads us out of darkness | “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12, KJV) |
| The Way, the Truth, and the Life | The way to the Father | “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6, KJV) |
| Wonderful, Counsellor, The Prince of Peace | Isaiah's names for the promised child | “his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6, KJV) |
| Alpha and Omega | The beginning and the end | “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13, KJV) |
| The Lion of the tribe of Juda | The conquering King from David's line | “the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David” (Revelation 5:5, KJV) |
| King of kings, and Lord of lords | The ruler over every ruler | “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16, KJV) |
The Holy Spirit is named too. Jesus calls him “another Comforter” and “the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17, KJV), and Paul says that when we do not know how to pray, “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:26, KJV).
Praying with the names of God
When you are worried about what you need
Pray to Jehovah Jireh, the LORD who sees ahead and provides. Tell him plainly what you need, as Abraham trusted him on the mountain (Genesis 22:8, 14).
When you feel unseen
Pray to El Roi, the God who sees. Hagar gave him that name after he found her alone in the wilderness (Genesis 16:7-13).
When you or someone you love is ill
Pray to Jehovah Rapha, the LORD who heals, and keep praying alongside the care of doctors and nurses.
When you are afraid
Pray to Jehovah Shalom. The God who told a frightened Gideon “Peace be unto thee; fear not” (Judges 6:23, KJV) is with you.
When you do not know what to say
Simply say, Abba, Father. Paul says the Spirit teaches God’s children to pray this way (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:6).
Use his name with reverence
God’s names are given to be called on, not used lightly. One of the Ten Commandments says, “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain” (Exodus 20:7, KJV).
Frequently asked
What is God's name in the Bible?
God's personal name in the Old Testament is YHWH, which he revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:13-15). It comes from the Hebrew verb to be: God is the one who is. Scholars think it was pronounced Yahweh; older English Bibles wrote it Jehovah, and the King James Version usually prints it LORD, in capitals. Alongside his name, the Bible calls God by many titles, such as Elohim (God), Adonai (Lord) and El Shaddai (God Almighty). Jesus taught his followers to pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV).
What does Jehovah Jireh mean?
Jehovah Jireh means the LORD will provide, or more literally the LORD will see to it. Abraham gave the name to the mountain where God provided a ram in place of his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14). On the way up, Abraham had told Isaac, “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:8, KJV). Many Christians read the story as a picture of God giving his own Son.
What does El Shaddai mean?
El Shaddai is usually translated God Almighty; the KJV has “I am the Almighty God” (Genesis 17:1, KJV). The exact origin of the word Shaddai is uncertain, and scholars have proposed several, but its use is clear: it is the name God used with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when he made promises only he could keep (Exodus 6:3).
What does Elohim mean?
Elohim is the ordinary Hebrew word for God, used in the very first verse of the Bible. It is plural in form, but when it refers to the God of Israel it takes singular verbs, which grammarians call a plural of majesty. The same word can also mean gods, angels or judges, depending on the context.
What does Adonai mean?
Adonai means Lord, or my Lord: a title of honor for a master. Jewish readers said Adonai aloud in place of God's personal name, which is why most English Bibles print that name as LORD. In the Old Testament of the KJV, Lord in ordinary letters usually stands for Adonai.
How many names of God are there in the Bible?
There is no official count. The Bible gives God one personal name, YHWH, and dozens of titles and descriptions, depending on how you count phrases such as the Rock or the Ancient of days. This page lists twenty of the most important, plus fourteen names of Jesus.
What are the names of Jesus?
The New Testament gives Jesus many names and titles, including Jesus (the LORD saves), Christ or Messiah (the Anointed One), Immanuel (God with us), the Word, the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, the Bread of life, the Light of the world, Alpha and Omega, and King of kings. The table on this page gives a verse for each.
A name you can run to
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10, KJV). In the Bible, people did not collect God's names as facts. They called on them in trouble: Hagar alone in the wilderness, Abraham on the mountain, Gideon in his fear. Each found that God was who his name said he was.
You can do the same. Choose the name that fits your day, and pray it. And remember that Jesus gave his followers the simplest name of all: “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9, KJV).
In Faithero you can tap a verse such as Exodus 3:14 to have it explained in plain words, or ask the Bible Guide what a name of God means. It names the verses it draws on so you can read them yourself, and like any answer it is worth checking against Scripture.
Why does the KJV print LORD in capitals?
Open a King James Bible and you will see the word Lord printed two ways. Where the Hebrew has God's personal name, the four letters YHWH, the KJV prints LORD in capitals (small capitals in many printed Bibles). Where the Hebrew has Adonai, which means Lord or Master, it prints Lord. Where the two stand side by side, it prints Lord GOD, as in “Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me” (Genesis 15:2, KJV), so the reader does not meet Lord LORD. Modern translations such as the ESV follow the same custom.
The custom comes from Jewish reverence for the name. Jewish readers did not say YHWH aloud; they read Adonai in its place, and the scribes who added vowel marks to the Hebrew text wrote the vowels of Adonai with the letters of the name as a reminder. Translators followed that practice, and so the name came into English as LORD. Psalm 8:1 shows both words together: “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1, KJV). The first is God's name; the second is a title.
God's personal name appears more than 6,000 times in the Hebrew Bible, more often than any other name for him. So when you see LORD in capitals, you are reading his name.