# Why does God need a name? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 6, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484 "2009-05-06T00:40:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/1 "2009-05-06T00:40:55Z")
What is a name? An identifier differentiating one from another. Why would God need a name when He is the only one there is? Sure, pagans over the millenia have imagined pantheons, filling the rosters with specific-purpose deities, but what did the Eternal Being go by amongst His angels before he revealed Himself to Moses as I AM WHO AM ? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/2 "2009-05-06T01:27:39Z")
As a semi-related question, is there any connection between the ancient Hebrew-Semitic term “el” for god or gods, and the Spanish article? Is God’s name “The”? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/3 "2009-05-06T01:46:22Z")
The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/4 "2009-05-06T01:54:10Z")
Beat me to it, **EP**. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/5 "2009-05-06T02:05:15Z")
God doesn’t need a name. We do. Can you imagine a prayer or meditation like Oh something that may or may not even exist , but just in case you do, hear my prayer! I remember going into an Indian restaurant and they had religious posters and pictures one which read, the 1000 names of God, with the list, or something to that effect. We spent part of the meal coming up with names. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/6 "2009-05-06T02:14:34Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > God doesn’t need a name. We do. Oh yeah? So why can’t we take it in name, to the point that some of my favorite posters won’t type even His generic English, though capitalized, title, not even His “name,” without dropping its vowels? Besides the part where, in ancient Hebrew, vowels were implied but not written? 😉 He has always had a name (though it changed). So did His son, Who was “the Word made flesh.” Words are big magic in some cultures, and the name of God was the biggest magic of all. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/7 "2009-05-06T02:30:09Z")
It makes cashing those welfare checks easier. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/8 "2009-05-06T02:30:24Z")
God does not need A name. He needs 9,000,000,000 names. Otherwise, how will he know when to turn all the stars off? ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/9 "2009-05-06T02:49:11Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > God does not need A name. He needs 9,000,000,000 names. Otherwise, how will he know when to turn all the stars off? So, was that the first program written when some college kid didn’t have to account for his computer time and had a free terminal to print out the results? No, it’d probably still be running, though a modern dual-core processor could probaly do it in hours, if not minutes or seconds. Unless it was running Vista. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/10 "2009-05-06T03:36:51Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > God doesn’t need a name. We do. > > Can you imagine a prayer or meditation like > Oh something that may or may not even exist , but just in case you do, hear my prayer! > > I remember going into an Indian restaurant and they had religious posters and pictures one which read, the 1000 names of God, with the list, or something to that effect. > > We spent part of the meal coming up with names. I think it goes something like this: [QUOTE=Roger Zelazny] Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that I be forgiven for anything I may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which I may be eligible after the destruction of my body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen." [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/11 "2009-05-06T15:43:05Z")
God not only doesn’t \*need \*a name, God doesn’t \*have \*a name. “God” is not a name; it is a category. A category of one, if you are a monotheist. It’s like if I were a dentist, and the only dentist in the universe, you could just call me “dentist” and that would be that. Actually, that last sentence sounds like something Jack Handy might say! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/12 "2009-05-06T15:47:10Z")
I thought His name was Harold. You know, Harold be thy name. ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/13 "2009-05-06T15:54:29Z")
> [@Enola\_Straight](#): > > What is a name? > > An identifier differentiating one from another. > > Why would God need a name when He is the only one there is? Firstly, Jehovah is clearly not the only god _conceptually_ so a name is convenient to make it clear that we’re talking about the real god and not one of the fake ones (:rolleyes:). Secondly, even if Jehovah were the only god concept in existence, you’d still need a name to differentiate between god and other non-god entities. In that case though, the word “god” would probably do double-duty as both “all-powerful supernatural being” and “the one god that actually exists”. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/14 "2009-05-06T16:14:34Z")
He doesn’t. What he needs is a _starship_!!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/15 "2009-05-06T16:53:53Z")
> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#): > > It’s like if I were a dentist, and the only dentist in the universe, you could just call me “dentist” and that would be that. So “God” isn’t his name, it’s merely his job description. > [@Leaffan](#): > > I thought His name was Harold. > > You know, Harold be thy name. Beat me to it. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/16 "2009-05-08T11:19:15Z")
If God wasn’t called God (Whether you believe in him/her/it or not )how the hell could you post this thread ? Why does need a name? ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/17 "2009-05-08T11:58:39Z")
God shows in the scriptures that names are very important to Him. We really don’t know the name of God till Jesus, but we do get aspect names plus a name that we really can’t even use or pronounce. At this time God is a mystery to us. When we begin to know Jesus we can call to God by name, it is the relationship God wants with us, that personal. And not only can we call Him by name, but He gives us His name - so when we pray we are not praying in our own name, but exactly as if Jesus was praying your prayer Himself (which He is through the believer). ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/18 "2009-05-08T12:23:48Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I thought His name was Harold. > You know, Harold be thy name. And,…he has a pet bear named Gladly who is cross eyed. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jinty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jinty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jinty)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/19 "2009-05-08T12:39:42Z")
Well first of all he was called El ([El (deity) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_(god))), back when he had a wife called Asherah ([Asherah - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asherah)). And lo they begat seventy little godlets, including Yahweh ([Yahweh - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahweh)) and Baal ([Baal - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baal)). Each of the gods and godlets had a three-letter name, described in the Shemhamphorasch ([Shem HaMephorash - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shemhamphorash)) aka the Divided Name. Then one day a king called Hezekiah ([Hezekiah - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hezekiah)) rose in Jerusalem and instituted some kick-ass religious reforms. He merged El and Yahweh, disbanded Asherah (heck, she was a chick! can’t have chicks in charge!), discredited Baal and downgraded the other godlets to “angels”. Sort of like a modern leader merging & disbanding government departments and dispensing promotions to his chums. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484/20 "2009-05-08T12:43:38Z")
If God had a name, What would it be? And would you call it to His face, If you were faced with Him In all His glory? What would you ask If you had just one question? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-god-need-a-name/495484.md?page=2)