# Ever know anybody with the given name "God"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251 "2010-05-21T13:48:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/1 "2010-05-21T13:48:34Z")
I saw the new thread about Muhammed and I know all about Jesus as a common first name in some countries further south. For that matter, just how common are first names like: Odin Buddha Zoroaster Cthulhu Satan Beelzebub Mephistopheles Lucifer etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/2 "2010-05-21T13:52:47Z")
Krishna and Rama are pretty common first names in India. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/3 "2010-05-21T13:58:00Z")
Please allow me to introduce myself … ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/4 "2010-05-21T14:03:39Z")
In Fredric Brown’s novel **the Screaming Mimi** , the protagonist has a buddy named “God”, but it’s short for “Godfrey”. Which brings up another issue – names of Gods show up frequently as parts of names, usually in the form of “gift from [God]”. That, I believe, is the meaning behind “Godfrey”. It’s also behind: **Godiva Deodato Theodore** and a great many others. It’s common in other languages, with their gods, as in **Apollodorus**. and the names of many of the Pharaohs were essentially “Child of [God]” : _Ramses_ = “child of Ra”, _Thuthmose_ = “child of Thoth”. Many people think that the name of the prophet “Moses” (who was born and raised in Egypt, after all), is in this tradition, but it’s had the Egyptian god’s name cut off, and consists only of the “child of…” part\* The Babylonian king _Nebuchadnezzar_ means “Nabu, protect my eldest son (or the border)”, _Nabu_ being the god’s name. There are plenty more of these. I don’t doubt that a lot of them, like Brown’s “God”, got abbreviated or worn down to the god’s name part only. \*I know Freud suggested this in his book _Moses and Monotheism_, but i don’t know if it’s original with hi m. It is, of course, at odds with the meaning given in the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/5 "2010-05-21T14:11:06Z")
Oh, and regarding the names in the OP – many of these aren’t really the names of gods (or devils). _Mephistopheles_ is the name given the spirit in the Doctor Faustus legend, and to my knowledge doesn’t predate the story. I’m not sure it’s supposed to be the Devil as we know him, at least originally. _Satan_ means “adversary”, and is the character in the book of Job. He’s been identified as the Devil for a long time as a result. _Lucifer_, as is constantly pointed out in commentaries, means “Light Bringer”, and originally referred to the Morning Star, Venus. As a result of a New Testament reference to a translation of an Old Testament verse, it acquired an association with the Devil. They could’ve been used as names, early on, without any thought that people were bestowing the names of gods directly on their kids. Nowadays I think you’d only name a kid that to get a rise out of someone. So I’ll bet it’s been done. As for _Cthulhu_, if you wanna name your kid after a fictional creation, that’s your business. But I note that people have enough trouble spelling _Fredric_ correctly – Hastur only knows what they’d do with “Cthulhu”. Or how they pronounce it. And your kid would hate you and end up changing it anyway. Just ask Dweezil and Moon Unit Zappa. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/6 "2010-05-21T14:13:33Z")
There’s a basketball player named [God Shammgod](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Shammgod). ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/7 "2010-05-21T14:14:19Z")
There’s always [God Shammgod](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Shammgod). ETA: Dammit! Well ninja’d, DC. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/8 "2010-05-21T14:20:05Z")
I named one of my daughters Kali after the Hindu Goddess. The name of the character Moses likely comes from the Egyptian Pharaoh [Ahmose I](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahmose_I) (Who drove out the Hyksos, chased them back to Canaan and destroyed them) reconfigured as an Israelite hero rather than an Egyptian one. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/9 "2010-05-21T14:29:29Z")
Slight hijack: > [@](#): > > The name of the character Moses likely comes from the Egyptian Pharaoh Ahmose I > (Who drove out the Hyksos, chased them back to Canaan and destroyed them) reconfigured as an Israelite hero rather than an Egyptian one. I’ve never heard or read this suggestion before. Freud doesn’t make it, nor anyone else I’ve read (and the wikipedia article you link to doesn’t, either). Who has claimed this? (You can PM it to me). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/10 "2010-05-21T14:31:51Z")
Rock & Roll singer Grace Slick, while pregnant, told a reporter that she planned to name her baby “god” (“with a small ‘g’, just so he doesn’t get an ego.”) It was apparently meant as a joke, but the reporter thought she really meant it. I think she named her daughter “China” or something a little less controversial. I did know some kids - twins - whose parents named them “Thor” & “Odin.” They were two obnoxious little shits, but definitely not the stalwart warriors you’d want fighting alonside you when Ragnarok came around. I have a friend named “Athena.” I think it was fairly common in ‘ye olden days’ to name kids after mythological sources - Minerva, Diana, Artemis, Ulysses, Apollo. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/11 "2010-05-21T14:56:51Z")
Found as a first name: Godfrey, Godmarshe, Godwin, Godolfino, Godolfredo, Godson Odin Og These are all past patients in our system. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/12 "2010-05-21T14:58:23Z")
An ex of mine worked at a Direct TV calling center and she got a call from a guy named God God (yes, first and last name). She thought it was a joke at first but she hooked him up with hi def television. I’m not making this up. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/13 "2010-05-21T15:03:54Z")
> [@](#): > > She thought it was a joke at first but she hooked him up with hi def television. [Shatner] Why does God need a Hi-Def TV?[/Shatner] ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/14 "2010-05-21T15:04:56Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > Slight hijack: > > I’ve never heard or read this suggestion before. Freud doesn’t make it, nor anyone else I’ve read (and the wikipedia article you link to doesn’t, either). Who has claimed this? (You can PM it to me). Th two most prominent proponents That I know of) for the Hyksos/Ahmose events as the historical template for the Exodus myth are Donald Redford and Israel Finkelstein. The Ahmose connection is not a hard theory, just a likely candidate. He was probably conflated (as Freud suggested) with other Israelite heroes as well, though – probably stemming from pre-Israelite tribal associations with a mountain or volcano cult. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/15 "2010-05-21T15:12:56Z")
Hindus and Buddhists are often named after gods or other divine beings– Buddha Buddhadev (literally, “Buddha, the God”) - common among Hindus as well Shiva Vishnu Dev - “god” Devi - “goddess” Durga Brahma Krishna Rama Sarasvati Lakshmi Ganesh Karttik The list goes on. Every name of a god can be used as a person’s name in Hinduism. Furthermore, every name that isn’t the “proper” name of a god has been assigned as an “alternative” name to one or another god. So, essentially, almost all Hindus share their names with gods. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/16 "2010-05-21T15:31:44Z")
I know twin girls named Alpha and Omega. Does that count? Oh, and I also know a Neptune. And of course I’ve met a couple of Odins. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/17 "2010-05-21T15:36:46Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > I did know some kids - twins - whose parents named them “Thor” & “Odin.” Thor (and derivations thereof) is a not an uncommon name in the Nordic languages. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/18 "2010-05-21T15:41:39Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I know twin girls named Alpha and Omega. Does that count? Those are letters. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/19 "2010-05-21T15:51:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Thor (and derivations thereof) is a not an uncommon name in the Nordic languages. Like _Tor Johnson_? I understand that _Thor_ from the comic strip _B.C._ is named after one of Johnny Hart’s Binghamton G.E. co-workers ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251/20 "2010-05-21T15:52:17Z")
One of the Irish words for God is “Dia” Which shows up often in female names, although usually spelled “Dea” and sometimes is short for “Deidre” which means “broken hearted” or “raging woman.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-know-anybody-with-the-given-name-god/540251.md?page=2)