The Many Names of the One God
In Jewish tradition, God is known by many names, each revealing a different aspect of the divine nature. From the ineffable Tetragrammaton to the accessible names used in prayer, these sacred designations express the infinite complexity of the One God.
Primary Divine Names
יהוה YHWH (The Tetragrammaton)
The most sacred name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush. The four-letter name is so holy it is not pronounced, traditionally read as "Adonai" (Lord).
Meaning: "I Am That I Am" - eternal, self-existent being
Attribute: Mercy, compassion, loving-kindness
Usage: Written but not spoken; replaced with "Adonai" or "HaShem"
אלהים Elohim
The generic name for God, used in creation narrative (Genesis 1). Grammatically plural but treated as singular, indicating majesty and power.
Meaning: "God" or "gods" (plural of majesty)
Attribute: Justice, power, sovereignty
Usage: Common in Torah, emphasizes divine power
אדני Adonai (Lord)
The substitute pronunciation for YHWH, meaning "my Lord" or "my Master." Used in prayer and public reading.
Meaning: "My Lord," "Master"
Attribute: Lordship, mastery, personal relationship
Usage: Substitute for YHWH in prayer
אל El (Mighty One)
The most ancient Semitic name for God, emphasizing divine power and might.
Meaning: "Mighty One," "Power"
Compounds: El Shaddai, El Elyon, El Olam
Usage: Often appears in compound names
אל שדי El Shaddai (God Almighty)
The name by which God revealed Himself to the patriarchs, associated with blessings and fruitfulness.
Meaning: "God Almighty" or "God of the Mountain"
Attribute: Sustainer, provider, all-sufficient
אהיה Ehyeh (I Am)
The name God used at the burning bush, "I Am That I Am" or "I Will Be What I Will Be."
Meaning: "I Am," "I Will Be"
Attribute: Eternal presence, becoming, existence itself
Kabbalistic: Associated with Keter (Crown)
Compound Divine Names
YHWH Tzeva'ot (Lord of Hosts)
God as commander of heavenly armies, emphasizing divine sovereignty over celestial forces.
El Elyon (God Most High)
The supreme God above all, used by Melchizedek when blessing Abraham.
El Olam (Everlasting God)
The eternal God without beginning or end, emphasizing timelessness.
El Roi (God Who Sees)
The God who sees all, used by Hagar in the wilderness.
YHWH Shalom (The Lord is Peace)
Name given by Gideon to the altar he built after encountering an angel.
Common Appellations
HaShem (The Name)
The most common substitute for YHWH in everyday speech, literally meaning "The Name."
Usage: Respectful reference avoiding pronunciation of sacred names
HaKadosh Baruch Hu (The Holy One, Blessed Be He)
Rabbinic title emphasizing God's holiness and blessing.
Usage: Talmudic and rabbinic literature
Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father, Our King)
Dual relationship to God as loving father and sovereign ruler.
Usage: High Holy Days prayers
Ribono Shel Olam (Master of the Universe)
Emphasizes God's complete sovereignty over all creation.
Usage: Prayer and meditation
HaMakom (The Place)
God as the place of the world, rather than the world being in a place.
Meaning: God encompasses all reality
Shekhinah (Divine Presence)
The indwelling presence of God, often personified as feminine aspect of divinity.
Kabbalistic: Associated with Malkhut
Kabbalistic Divine Names
Ein Sof (The Infinite)
The unknowable, infinite essence of God beyond all names and attributes.
The 72 Names of God
The Shemhamphorasch - 72 three-letter combinations derived from Exodus 14:19-21, used for meditation and mystical practice.
Related Across the Mythos
99 Names of Allah
Islamic Divine Names