A young woman in horn-rimmed glasses and pinned-up curls sat at a table sharing an after-work drink with a friend.  She chatted leisurely about her work day, puffing on a cigarette between sips when someone at the door caught her eye.  A strikingly beautiful woman walked into the bar—not just a woman, a lady. This lady was pure elegance.  She wore fashionable clothes and high heels that accentuated her stature.  She walked with a purpose, long hair swinging behind her, and as she did, she turned heads. 

The woman wearing glasses was taken by the confidence wafting in the wake of the lady in heels.  She asked, “Who is that?!”  Her friend replied, “That's Nicole.”

The woman in glasses thought, if I have a daughter one day, I want her to have that kind of confidence.  I’ll name her Nicole.

That woman was my mother and when she bore a daughter she remembered the promise she’d made to herself and named me Nicole.

Names Matter

Everyone has a story for how they were named. Our names can connect us with our heritage or bless us with a hoped-for characteristic. Your name wasn’t chosen randomly, at least I hope not. But even if it was, God is sovereign and in his will, your name matters.

In the Bible, names can reveal God’s character or state a promise.  Consider the instructions given to Mary and Joseph by the angel Gabriel.

“You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31-33 NIV)

Mary learned she would have a son and she should name him Jesus.  He would be the Son of God and a king forever.  She would be the mother of the Son of Yahweh and the promised eternal King.  Whew!

"She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).” (Matthew 1:21-23 NIV)

Joseph learned Mary would have son and he should name him Jesus because he would save his people from sin.  Jesus means “salvation/Savior.”  His name would also be Immanuel which means “God with us.”  Joseph would be the adopted father of the promised Savior who would never leave his people.  Whew!

Adam gave a name to every animal. God named his son, the Messiah.  (He named other people too, including Adam and Eve, Ishmael, Abraham and Sarah, Isaac, Israel, and John the Baptist.) The wisdom of Proverbs 22:1 (NIV), “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” Your parents chose your name, surely with much thought given to the task. Why? Because names matter.

What About God’s Name?

There are many names for God in the Bible and each one represents a different facet of his character.  Reading them brings hope because within the names of God, we discover who he is.  We find his grace, his mercy, his justice, his love, and his promise.

A few of my favorites include:

• Immanuel - God with us

• Yahweh - the Lord saves

• Wonderful Counselor - trustworthy and wise listener and guide

• Mighty God - “El Gibbor” means our God is a powerful warrior

• Everlasting Father - our forever father

• Prince of Peace - Christ’s work on the cross brings us peace with God the Father

Jesus is God’s son. He is also part of the trinity.  Therefore, in the names of Jesus, we discover more about God.  Philippians 2:9-10 (NIV) says, “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God gave Jesus the name above all names.  Which name is above all names?

The name first given to Mary is the name that captures the character of God most completely.  God loved his creation so much that he sent his son to save them.  Jesus—“Savior”—his very flesh made a way for God’s children to be brought back into a Garden of Eden-like relationship with him. That was Jesus’ all-important task, his mission.  “Jesus,” therefore, is the name above names.

When my son was little, I taught him a hymn that captured many of the names of God because, as we know, music is a great memory tool.  Just listen to these words:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

We spent time identifying names of God within the lyrics and discussing what they mean. On the surface, with a small child, those were surface conversations. But those conversations and the lyrics laid a foundation of truth that the Lord could build upon in my son’s heart. They shaped the image of God that my son was forming in his mind.

Worship music today is just as valuable.  The songs we sing on Sunday reflect how relevant the names of God are to our lives, despite their ancient origins. Two of my favorites are What a Beautiful Name and Names.

What does your name mean?

I love that my name means “Victorious One” or “Overcomer.” I have taken it as a promise from God that He will enable me to overcome my trials.  In his power, I will be victorious.  I see God’s grace in how my name was chosen.  Mom may have named me after a lady in a bar, but I believe it was God’s grace that she noticed that lady in the first place.  God willed for my name to encourage me and bring him glory.  In the same way, Jesus was given names that tell of God’s love and prophesy to high future and final victory.  His name glorifies God and gives us hope.

Do you know what your name means? Have you seen it as a shaping force in your character? If you don’t know the meaning of your name, look it up.  This site is a good resource.

How important is your name?

Your name is so important, God will not allow it to be forgotten.

See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:16 NIV)

Years ago, I considered getting a tattoo on my hand. I don’t have any tattoos so I questioned a knowledgeable person about it. He told me most tattoo artists won’t put a first tattoo on a hand. It’s too visible. The artist knows that the first time a person gets a tattoo they might regret it or they may not want people to see it. So, they will only put tattoos on hands if a person has already gotten a tattoo and loved it enough to get another one.

You are of such value that God tattoos your name on his hands, a part of his body that he and anyone near him will see over and over, every day.  He is not ashamed to know you.  He declares his love for you for all to see.

C.H. Spurgeon adds an important detail. “The name is there, but that is not all: “I have engraved you.” Consider the depth of this! “I have engraved your person, your image, your circumstances, your sins, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works; I have engraved you, everything about you, all that concerns you; I have put all of this together here.”

In the comments section below, please share what your name means and how it has shaped you.  I love learning how names perfectly suit each person.

Coming soon…

This summer, in my Bible Study Methods series, I will share a few ways to study the names of God.  Stay tuned.

I love sending my subscribers special goodies and encouragement straight to their inbox. One of those goodies is a list of 12 Verses to Help You Endure. I’d love to send it to you.