Book of Mormon Names Have Ancient Meanings Nobody Talks About

Are the names in the Book of Mormon ancient or invented? Names like Alma, Nephi, Abish, and Paanchi have been dismissed by critics as fictional — but what does the scholarship actually say?

In this episode of Informed Saints, we sit down with Professor Matthew L. Bowen at BYU–Hawaii to explore the fascinating world of Book of Mormon onomastics (the study of names). Prof. Bowen reveals how names like Alma are attested as ancient male Semitic names, how Nephi derives from the Egyptian word "nefer" meaning "good" or "fair," and how the Book of Mormon authors appear to deliberately play on the meanings of these names throughout the text.

===Informed Saints Credits===

Produced by The Ancient America Foundation

Producer: Spencer Clark

Hosts: Stephen Smoot, Neal Rappleye, Jasmin Rappleye

Further Readings:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1986/10/i-have-a-question/is-the-writing-in-the-book-of-mormon-characteristic-of-the-hebrew-language?lang=eng

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/insights/vol30/iss4/3/

https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/personal-name-alma-ebla

https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1192&context=jbms

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/more-evidence-for-alma-as-a-semitic-name

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/alma-young-man-hidden-prophet

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/he-did-go-about-secretly-additional-thoughts-on-the-literary-use-of-almas-name

https://interpreterfoundation.org/conferences/2026-small-plates-of-nephi-conference

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/revisiting-sariah-at-elephantine

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/father-is-a-man-the-remarkable-mention-of-the-name-abish-in-alma-1916-and-its-narrative-context

https://www.learner.org/series/art-through-time-a-global-view/dreams-and-visions/lintel-25-of-yaxchilan-structure-23/

https://smarthistory.org/yaxchilan-lintels/

https://rsc.byu.edu/vol-19-no-1-2018/abish-theophanies-first-lamanite-restoration

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/swearing-by-their-everlasting-maker-some-notes-on-paanchi-and-giddianhi

https://scripturecentral.org/knowhy/why-did-pahoran-paanchi-and-pacumeni-have-such-similar-sounding-names

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/nephis-good-inclusio

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/he-is-a-good-man-the-fulfillment-of-helaman-56-7-in-helaman-87-and-1118-19

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/o-ye-fair-ones-revisited

https://scripturecentral.org/archive/periodicals/journal-article/becoming-sons-and-daughters-gods-right-hand-king-benjamins-rhetorical-wordplay-his-own

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/and-there-wrestled-a-man-with-him-genesis-3224-enoss-adaptations-of-the-onomastic-wordplay-of-genesis

https://interpreterfoundation.org/journal/they-were-moved-with-compassion-alma-274-5313-toponymic-wordplay-on-zarahemla-and-jershon

https://scripturecentral.org/knowhy/why-was-jershon-called-a-land-of-inheritance

Prof. Bowen is the author of "Name as Key-Word" and "Ancient Names in the Book of Mormon" (Interpreter Foundation) and a contributor to the Routledge volume "Perspectives on Latter-day Saint Names and Naming."

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===Content Disclaimer===

The views expressed represent ours alone and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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