As a rule, new names were given by someone who had authority over the recipient of the

name. The relationship of Paul to Timothy was that of a father to his son (1 Cor 4:17),

and this relationship of benevolent authority is consistent with the suggestion that Paul

gave him his name. Our suspicion that Timothy was so named is therefore enhanced by

the observation that Paul took an interest in the meaning of names (Phlm. 10-11, Rom.

16.12), and by the evidence that he gave new names to others (Sosthenes, Stephanas,

and probably Alexander and Aristarchus).

‘Timothy’ means ‘honored by God’ or, more likely, ‘honoring God’, which is appropriate

for one whom Paul describes as ‘God’s fellow worker’ or ‘God’s servant’ (1 Thess. 3:2),

and is commended by Paul and others (Phil. 2:19-22 and Acts 16:2) and is described as

"faithful in the Lord" (1 Cor. 4:17). "Honoring God" is the name that Paul would choose

for Timothy. There is no other name in the entire New Testament that is more

appropriate for this disciple.

In the mid first century Philo of Alexandria wrote that:

the “proselyte” is one who circumcises not his foreskin but his pleasures and desires and the other passions of the soul. .... But what is “the soul of the proselyte,” if not alienation from the polytheistic belief and familiarity with the honoring (TIMHS) of the one God and Father of all.

(Questions and answers on Exodus 2.2)

Thus, for Philo a proselyte found his new identity not through physical circumcision but through honoring God. Similarly for Paul a gentile who honored God was to be accepted without circumcision. It is therefore fitting that Paul should give Titus, whose uncircumcised state was a matter of controversy, the name “Timothy”.

The name "Theophorus" was taken by Ignatius and provides a strong parallel to the

name "Timothy". Both are formed from the word "Theos" (God). "Theophorus" means

"bearer of God" and the name relates to the carrying of images of gods in religious

processions to honor the deity. A bearer of God is therefore one who honors God, so

"Theophorus" and "Timotheos" are almost synonyms.

The name "Timothy" was, of course, Greek, which was the language of the gentile

church. All the proposed new names outside of Palestine are Greek.

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