# Jesus' surname

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-surname/156306>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 20, 2003, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-surname/156306 "2003-02-20T11:19:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\
**Post date:** [February 22, 2003, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-surname/156306/21 "2003-02-22T02:31:41Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by CalMeacham_  
> **I’ve seen it transliterated as Yeshu ha Notzri" Some thing this means "Jesus of Nazareth"**

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Alessan \*  
> \*\*_Notzri_, BTW, is Hebrew for “Christian”. \*\*

Well, transliterally, _Notrzi_ is Hebrew for _Nazorean_. I’m assuming you mean that modern Jews calls Christians _Nazoreans_ rather than _Christians_.

In Hebrew, the word for Christians would be based on whatever the word is for “follower of the Anointed One,” which is the transliteral meaning of Christian. (I’m guessing it would be something like _Mesachim_, no?)

## Shalom.

♫You say, “Y’Shua,” I say, “Jesus.” You say, “Notzri,” I say “Nazorean.” Y’Shua, Jesus, Notzri, Nazorean… let’s call the whole thing off.♫

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**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-surname/156306/22 "2003-02-23T16:41:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by moriah \*  
> \*\*Well, transliterally, _Notrzi_ is Hebrew for _Nazorean_. I’m assuming you mean that modern Jews calls Christians _Nazoreans_ rather than _Christians_.
> 
> In Hebrew, the word for Christians would be based on whatever the word is for “follower of the Anointed One,” which is the transliteral meaning of Christian. (I’m guessing it would be something like _Mesachim_, no?)[/FONT] \*\*

Close, but not quite. _Notzri_ is a word in Hebrew indicating that one comes from _Notzeres_ (Nazareth). This is a common Hebrew usage (one who comes from _Mitzriyim_ (Egypt) is a _Mitzri_; one who comes from _Amon_ is an _Amonni_). Colloquially, however, the term _Notzri_ has come into usage in Jewish religious literature to indicate Christians in general.

Zev Steinhardt

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**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\
**Post date:** [February 23, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesus-surname/156306/23 "2003-02-23T18:39:49Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*from kniz’s first link: \*  
> \*\*Although this name is not at all difficult for English speakers to pronounce, the King James translators of the Bible chose to take his name from the Greek New Testament, in which book he was called “Iasous”. This name, for reasons which are not entirely clear, became “Jesus” in England. \*\*

The reasons aren’t entirely clear? Huh? Isn’t “Jesus” derived from Latin? “Jesus” is the Latin rendition of the Greek “Iesous”.

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