# Jesus's name

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 27, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921 "2003-02-27T17:22:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![llynglas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b38774/32.png) [@llynglas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/llynglas)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921/1 "2003-02-27T17:22:52Z")

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I don’t want to discuss the validity (or otherwise) of Christianity. But I do have a question about the possibly historical figure of Jesus.

Do we know his birth name? From what I can tell the name “Jesus” is a Greek name. I suspect a Jew born around the year 1CE would have a Hebrew name. If he does have a Hebrew name, do Jewish people still use it, or has it’s appropriation into Christianity marred it in some way?

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921/2 "2003-02-27T17:29:57Z")

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[Cecil’s answer](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_035a.html).

Welcome to the SDMB.

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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 27, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921/3 "2003-02-27T17:31:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by llynglas \*  
> \*\*  
> Do we know his birth name? From what I can tell the name “Jesus” is a Greek name. I suspect a Jew born around the year 1CE would have a Hebrew name. If he does have a Hebrew name, do Jewish people still use it, or has it’s appropriation into Christianity marred it in some way? \*\*

There are a number of opinions as to what Jesus’ birth name was. The most popular one is _Y’hoshua_ (Joshua). It is still a common name among Jews today (although because of the original Joshua, not Jesus).

Zev Steinhardt

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**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\
**Post date:** [February 27, 2003, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jesuss-name/157921/4 "2003-02-27T17:40:02Z")

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This question was also adressed on the Board [here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=164382&highlight=jesus+last+name)