The Name

Shakespeare once wrote: “What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;” (Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”)

It may be true that a rose could be called anything and still retain it’s beauty and value, however there is a name that contains power in itself and is so sacred that speaking it without authority to do so is a sin. (D&C 63:61-63)

To the ancients, the name was of great importance. Many biblical names meant something to the person who bestowed it. The name of God used most often in the Hebrew Bible is YHWH. The latin translation of the Hebrew word YHWH is Jehovah, which is thought to be an archaic tense of the verb “to be.” It literally means “I am that I am.” (Exo 3:14) source

In modern Jewish culture, it is forbidden to pronounce the name, so they use “Hashem” meaning “the name” rather than use the name itself. They use other names as well.

“El” (singular) or “Elohim” (plural) is also a common name of God in the Hebrew Bible. Since Jesus used a version of “El” when addressing his Father while in distress during the crucifixion, I will assume that “El” is the name of the Father.

The name [of God] dwells in the temple. The temple was built so that God’s name, and hopefully his presence, would be there. (1 Chron 6:5-8) The exact Hebrew translation of 1 Chron 6:7 says, “…to build a house for the name of YHWH Elohim of Israel.” I assume that both Jehovah and the Father would honor the temple with their presence. If you assume that Jehovah and Elohim are the same being, then you shouldn’t have a problem with my assumption other than my use of the word “both.”

The name, like I said before, has power intrinsically in itself. It takes away reproach. (Isa 4:1) The name is a protection to and identity for the people. (Jer 14:7-9) For the name’s sake, God acts. I don’t want you to think that I believe the “name” is magical. What I am saying is that the power in the act of atonement of Jesus Christ was so great that just calling on His name brings down angels and His name or His power is our salvation.

You might be familiar with Biblical story of the standoff between Elijah and the priests of Baal. (1 Kings 18:21-39) Both called on their God by his name but only Elijah’s god responded. This shows us that there is actual power, not a mystical force, in the name. This also refutes the argument that everyone is worshipping the same God — they just have different names for him. If they used the right name, there might be some unity in whose power they called upon. King Benjamin said, “And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.” (Mos 5:10)

Isaiah promised that eventually all people would know the name of God. (Isa 52:6-8) When he ends verse 7 with “Zion, thy God reigneth” — the Hebrew word used is Elohim. When he says, the watchmen are singing because they see the Lord bringing Zion, he uses the word YHWH. This is an important distinction because when Jehovah finishes his work, he will present the people of or city of Zion to his Father.

Jesus said multiple times that he came “in my Father’s name.” (John 5:43, John 10:25) In the great Intercessory Prayer, in which his words to the Father are recorded, he says, “I have declared unto them thy name.” (John 17:26) We know the Father, we have just forgotten due to a veil that redacts our memories of our pre-earth life during this life. Ezra T Benson said, “Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us.” - source: Ezra T Benson

The English name Jesus is derived from the Latin Iesus, a transliteration of the Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsoûs). The Greek form is a rendering of the Hebrew ישוע (Yeshua), a variant of the earlier name יהושע (Yehoshua), or in English, "Joshua",meaning “Yah saves”. Jesus being the literal “Savior” and Christ translated from the Hebrew “Messiah” fits the meaning of the name.

Jesus was content to go by the name Jesus and seemed to have no desire to be known as El or Elohim. In fact, it was at the conclusion of a long discussion with Jewish leaders about who Jesus represented when he used the name “I Am.” Those with whom he spoke understood his reference and it angered them to the point of accusing him of blasphemy and eventually it was used as grounds for his execution. (John 8:58) It is generally understood today that the name “I Am” which he used is a reference to the name used in Exodus 3:14 referred to above. And yet, Jesus commanded us to ask the Father for what we need in his name. (John 15:16)

There is an interesting discussion after Jesus’ death between Peter and the Jewish leaders about the name in Acts 4:7-12. He says there is “none other name under heaven…whereby we must be saved.”

This leads to an explanation as to how Jesus could be the "Father" and the "Son" and yet there be two separate beings in the references above. This is explained in the Book of Mormon by King Benjamin. First, he says, “And he shall be called Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and earth, the Creator of all things from the beginning; and his mother shall be called Mary.” (Mos 3:8) He later explains that by the covenant that his people are about to make, they will be changed through faith on the Name. In fact, they will be spiritually born again as his “sons and daughters.” So that means that while they have God the Father as the father of their spirits and their mortal father and mother as parents of their physical body, there is another birth that happens. In this new birth, they have a new “father” who is Christ. In D&C 11:30 it says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, that as many as receive me, to them will I give power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on my name.” By this I understand that Jesus Christ opens the door from his end by bestowing the power to change spiritually on those who “receive him.” That process is further described in Alma 5.

Whether or not you or I understands how we become spiritual sons and daughters of Jesus Christ, the fact remains that we must know the name to be saved. As it clearly states in D&C 18:21-30 of which I will quote a portion, “Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness. And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved; Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day; Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father.” Notice that the name is given to us by the Father. There is a clear separation of roles and identity between Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Father.

Just as a traditional bride takes the name of her husband, followers of Christ take His name. Jesus Christ takes the name of “Bridegroom.” The woman, as the church, is the bride. And just like John saw in vision, “Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,” (Rev 21:9-10) we are led to other imagery depicting us in relation to Jesus Christ and the moment of triumph when He presents us to the Father.