The Actual Meaning of “Nephi” and 3 Other Book of Mormon Names

Keywords

Book of Mormon names, Semitic linguistics, biblical name symbolism

Abstract

Readers of the Book of Mormon encounter hundreds of unique names not found elsewhere. Critics dismiss these names as gibberish or the creative invention of Joseph Smith. However, those willing to look deeper find that not only do many of the names fit within patterns of ancient Semitic languages but they can also have great personal meaning for each of us.

In ancient Israelite story-telling the meaning of personal names was used to enhance the memorability of a story. Consider the name of Noah in Genesis 6-9. His name in Hebrew, nh, means “rest,” which represents a major theme in Noah’s story: The world rested from wickedness after the flood. The dove sought rest as it searched for land. The ark finally rested on a mountain top. Noah’s name written backwards, hn¸ means “grace,” pointing to a sub-theme of the Noah story, highlighted in Genesis 6:8 where we read that “Noah [nh] found grace [hn] in the sight of God.” By learning the meanings within Noah’s name, ancient listeners could remember that they, like Noah, could find rest through the grace of God.

Original Publication Citation

The Actual Meaning of “Nephi” and 3 Other Book of Mormon Names, Taylor Halverson and Brad Wilcox, LDS Living, January 2, 2017.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2017

Publisher

LDS Living

Language

English

College

Marriott School of Business

Department

Marketing

University Standing at Time of Publication

Associate Professor

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS