It has never been the custom for ordinary Christians to receive new names to reflect their

calling. Popes and Monks receive new names when they are appointed to their new lives,

but ordinary believers do not generally do so. Similarly, in the ancient world, it is the

most prominent individuals who have the greatest tendency to receive new names for

religious reasons. In the Hebrew scriptures we have Eve (Gen. 3:20), Abram-Abraham

(Gen.17:5), Sarai-Sarah (Gen.17:15), Jacob-Israel (Gen.35:10), Hoshea-Joshua

(Num.13:16), and Solomon-Jedidiah (2 Sam.12:25). Kings, particularly in Egypt, often

took new religious names, presumably to express a high level of religious commitment.

New names were not given randomly, but were earned. In the first century, Philo,

commenting on the OT changes of names, wrote:

"Such changes of name are signs of moral values, the signs small, sensible, obvious, the

values great, intelligible, hidden. and these values are found in noble verities, in unerring

and pure notions, and in soul-betterments." (Philo "On the Change of Names")

The Midrash Tanchumah says that every person has three names: The first name is that

which is given by one's parents. The second name is that which one is called by others.

The third is the name that one makes for himself.

John Chrysostom wrote:

‘Those in whom virtue was going to shine from their earliest youth received their names

from that time, while the name was given afterwards to those who were destined to be

famous later’. Homilies on John, homily 19 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series I, Vol. 14).

J.M.Ford writes, "To the Hebrew and to the ancient world at large the name of an object

or person was no mere label but an essential part of its personality or essence"(1). Thus

a new name was often given when an individual received a new appointment or calling.

In the New Testament, as elsewhere, a new name is earned by an act or expression of

commitment, and often accompanies a promotion:

"To everyone who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give a white

stone, and on the white stone is written a new name..." (Rev. 2:17)

"He humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every

name..." (Phil.2:8-9).

"Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.' And Jesus

answered him, '...And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church".

(Matt. 16:16-1).

Similarly, in Acts 4:36-37 the giving of the name "Barnabas" is mentioned in connection

with his donation of money to the apostles.

David Daube argues that conversion to Judaism involved a complete recreation of the

individual.(2) The convert was a new person. New Testament Christianity, being an

off-shoot of Judaism was no different. Christian calling in the New Testament was a

life-changing event. The convert became a 'new creation' and/or was 'born again'. They

often sacrificed much for their faith. These web pages argue that many of those

individuals received new names, as we should expect.

Daube goes on to write, "As the church became de-Judaized, conversion, once a

tornado, changed into a breeze. Above all, it was tamed so as to turn around the inner life

only but not life in its totality." The church's drift from its Jewish roots therefore explains

why the phenomenon of re-naming became rare from the second century onwards.

The re-naming of proselytes to Judaism

From inscriptions we know of 19 proselytes to Judaism in the ancient world. About half of

these received new names, mostly Hebrew.

1. Veturia Pauc(u)la, now called Sara (CIJ 523) (JIWE II no. 577) 3rd of 4th century,

Rome.

2. Felicitas proselita NVENN Perigrina (CIJ 462) (JIWE II no. 62) 3rd of 4th century,

Rome.

3. Yeshua Giora (Giora means "proselyte" in Aramaic) (Mas. I 420, 7)

4. Samuel (Reynolds and Tannenbaum, Jews and God-fearers at Aphrodisias)

5. Joses (Reynolds and Tannenbaum, Jews and God-fearers at Aphrodisias)

6. Joseph (Reynolds and Tannenbaum, Jews and God-fearers at Aphrodisias)

7. Judas (CIJ II 1385) Near Jerusalem

8. Judas (Dom. Flev. 13) Near Jerusalem Gli scavi del Dominnus Flevit (Monte Oliveto -

Gerusalemme) (though he could be proselyte to Christianity)

9. Maria, proselyte. Jerusalem inscription. Frey 49.

10. Ariston-"Judah the proselyte". Of Apamea. Tal Ilan, "New Ossuary Inscriptions from

Jerusalem," SCI 11 (1991/2): 149-159 (150).

11. Shalam (Woman) (Dom. Flev. 31) Near Jerusalem?

12.Sara, (Luderitz, Corpus, 12 (pp. 26-27)) 18 years old. From Cyrenaica.

Given this high frequency of re-naming among converts to Judaism, we should expect to

see a similarly high frequency among the most committed converts to first century

Christianity, which was a branch of Judaism. These web pages argue that this was

indeed the case. One difference, however is that, whereas in diaspora Judaism the new

names of proselytes were usauly Hebrew, in Paul's churches they were Greek. This

seems to be in keeping with Paul's religious perspective.

(1) J.M.Ford, Revelation. Doubleday 1975 p398.

Back to index