# Names of God and Their Meanings

The main Hebrew names of God, what each one means and the moment in Scripture where it first appears, plus how to use them in prayer.

Source: Pray.com — https://www.pray.com/articles/names-of-god-and-their-meanings  
Author: PRAY.COM  
Category: Faith & Wisdom  
Published: 2026-11-11  
Last revised: 2026-11-11

---

**The names of God in the Bible are titles God uses to tell people who he is, such as Elohim (the mighty Creator), Yahweh (the personal name usually printed LORD) and El Shaddai (God Almighty).** Each name was given or used at a specific moment, so the names of God and their meaning are best learned along with the stories they come from. This guide covers the main Hebrew names in the Old Testament, the moment each one appears, and the names Jesus and the apostles used.

Dr. Tony Evans explains the first of these names in "Elohim - The All-Powerful God," an episode of his Knowing God series on [Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/) that you can play above. He makes the key point early: "God will vary which Hebrew word he uses to define himself in light of what he wants you to learn about his name." All Scripture below is from the World English Bible (WEB).

## A quick note on how English Bibles print God's names

Most English Bibles, the WEB included, use a small code. Where you see "God," the Hebrew word is usually *Elohim*. When you see "LORD" in capital letters, the Hebrew is God's personal name, the four letters YHWH, often written Yahweh. Plain "Lord" in ordinary letters usually stands for *Adonai*, which means master. Older English used "Jehovah," a form that blends the letters of YHWH with the vowels of Adonai. Once you know the code, many familiar verses open up.

## Elohim: the God who creates

Elohim is the first name for God in the Bible, and it appears in the very first sentence.

> > "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."
> >
> > — Genesis 1:1, WEB

The word is built on *El*, an old word for God, and its ending is plural in form. Evans calls it "God in the majestic plural," and he notes that Elohim is the only name used for God from [Genesis 1:1](/bible/web/genesis-1/#v1) through [Genesis 2:3](/bible/web/genesis-2/#v3). His summary is short: "Elohim is his term of power." Hebrews says the same thing about creation in plain terms, that the universe was framed "by the word of God" ([Hebrews 11:3](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/hebrews-11/#v3), WEB). Evans draws the practical lesson for anyone who can't see a way forward: Elohim "does not need raw material to work with."

He also uses an everyday picture for how this powerful God is present everywhere: "God is like the atmosphere." You can't step out of the air on this planet, and you can't step out of God's reach.

## Yahweh (the LORD): the God who is

Yahweh is the name God gives himself when he speaks to Moses at the burning bush. Moses asks what name he should give the Israelites, and God answers with a sentence.

> > "God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM,' and he said, 'You shall tell the children of Israel this: "I AM has sent me to you."'"
> >
> > — Exodus 3:14, WEB

The name YHWH is closely tied to the Hebrew verb "to be." It points to a God who simply is, who depends on nothing and who keeps his promises. It is also personal, the name used when God makes covenants with his people. Jewish readers came to avoid saying it aloud out of reverence, which is part of why English Bibles print LORD. Jesus picked up the same words when he said, "before Abraham came into existence, I AM" ([John 8:58](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/john-8/#v58), WEB).

## Adonai: the Lord and master

Adonai means "my Lord" or "master." It is the name of someone who has the right to direct your life. David puts both names side by side in Psalm 8.

> > "LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!"
> >
> > — Psalm 8:1, WEB

In Hebrew that line reads "Yahweh, our Adonai." The God who made everything is also the one we answer to, and calling him Adonai is a way of handing him the keys.

## El Elyon: the God who is most high

The name El Elyon first appears when the priest-king Melchizedek blesses Abram after a battle.

> > "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth."
> >
> > — Genesis 14:19, WEB

It means that no power, ruler or rival sits above God. The Psalms use it often when the writer feels surrounded by enemies.

## El Roi: the God who sees

It is often noted as the only name for God in the Old Testament that comes from a woman. Hagar, an Egyptian servant who had run away into the desert, meets the angel of the LORD by a spring.

> > "She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 'You are a God who sees,' for she said, 'Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?'"
> >
> > — Genesis 16:13, WEB

Hagar was pregnant, alone and mistreated, and she was about as overlooked as a person could be in that culture. God saw her anyway. El Roi is a good name to remember on days when it feels like nobody notices you.

## El Shaddai: the all-powerful God

God introduces himself as El Shaddai to Abram at ninety-nine years old, when the promise of a son still looked impossible.

> > "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.'"
> >
> > — Genesis 17:1, WEB

The exact root of *Shaddai* is debated, and scholars have linked it to mountains and to strength. Its use is clear, though: it shows up when God's people face something only God can do.

## The "Yahweh" compound names

Several names join Yahweh to a word that describes what God did at a particular moment. Each one began as a name for a place or an altar, given by someone who had just met God in a hard situation.

- **Yahweh Yireh, the LORD will provide.** Abraham names the mountain where God provided a ram in place of Isaac: "The LORD Will Provide" ( [Genesis 22:14](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/genesis-22/#v14) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Rapha, the LORD who heals.** After the bitter water at Marah, God tells Israel, "I am the LORD who heals you" ( [Exodus 15:26](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/exodus-15/#v26) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Nissi, the LORD our banner.** After a battle with Amalek, "Moses built an altar, and called its name 'The LORD our Banner'" ( [Exodus 17:15](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/exodus-17/#v15) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Shalom, the LORD is peace.** Gideon, terrified after meeting the angel, "built an altar there to the LORD, and called it 'The LORD is Peace'" ( [Judges 6:24](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/judges-6/#v24) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Rohi, the LORD my shepherd.** David writes, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall lack nothing" ( [Psalm 23:1](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/psalms-23/#v1) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Tsidkenu, the LORD our righteousness.** Jeremiah gives this name to a coming king from David's line: "The LORD our righteousness" ( [Jeremiah 23:6](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/jeremiah-23/#v6) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Shammah, the LORD is there.** Ezekiel's book ends with a city whose name is "The LORD is there" ( [Ezekiel 48:35](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/ezekiel-48/#v35) , WEB).
- **Yahweh Sabaoth, the LORD of hosts.** The WEB translates it "the LORD of Armies," first used in [1 Samuel 1:3](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/1-samuel-1/#v3) . [Psalm 46:7](/bible/web/psalms-46/#v7) puts it next to a promise: "The LORD of Armies is with us."

Notice the pattern. People rarely named God this way in a calm season. They did it right after a crisis, when they had learned something new about him.

## Names of God in the New Testament

The New Testament carries these names forward and adds a few that only make sense after Jesus. Jesus taught his followers to start prayer with a family word: "Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy" ([Matthew 6:9](https://www.pray.com/bible/web/matthew-6/#v9), WEB). Paul goes a step further and says believers can use the Aramaic word a child would use.

> > "For you didn't receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, 'Abba! Father!'"
> >
> > — Romans 8:15, WEB

Matthew also gives Jesus the name Immanuel, "God with us," from [Isaiah 7:14](/bible/web/isaiah-7/#v14). Jesus himself is called Lord, *kyrios* in Greek, the same word the Greek translation of the Old Testament used for Yahweh, which was a bold claim about who he is. For more, see [The 9 Names of Jesus](https://www.pray.com/articles/the-9-names-of-jesus) and [Alpha and Omega Bible Verses](https://www.pray.com/articles/alpha-and-omega-bible-verses).

## How to use the names of God in prayer

Knowing a name changes how you talk to someone. If you are anxious about money this month, praying to the LORD who provides puts the right promise in front of you. On a day of conflict, Yahweh Shalom fits, and when you feel invisible, El Roi does. Later in the message, Evans describes a God "who can turn a mess into a miracle," and that is the point of learning the names: each one is a reason to trust him in a specific situation.

Try this for one week. Pick one name each morning, read the verse where it first appears, and use the name in a short prayer that day. For more about God's character, read [Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/)'s [15 Attributes of God and Their Meaning](https://www.pray.com/articles/15-attributes-of-god-and-their-meaning).

## A prayer using the names of God

*Elohim, you made the heavens and the earth, and nothing I face is too hard for you. LORD, you are who you say you are, and you keep your promises. You are El Roi, the God who sees me when I feel overlooked, and Yahweh Shalom, my peace when my mind will not rest. Father, teach me to know you by name and to trust you more each day. In Jesus' name, Amen.*

## More to read and hear on [Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/)

- [“Elohim - The All-Powerful God” | Knowing God with Tony Evans](https://www.pray.com/series/knowing-god/5d0ab9e4-b346-4d55-a4d6-12abe6211f23/)
- [Knowing God series on ](https://www.pray.com/series/knowing-god/) [Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/)
- [15 Attributes of God and Their Meaning](https://www.pray.com/articles/15-attributes-of-god-and-their-meaning)
- [Defining Shalom in the Bible](https://www.pray.com/articles/defining-shalom-in-the-bible)

*AI-assisted from **[Pray.com](https://www.pray.com/)** episode transcripts, then reviewed and approved by Ryan Beck.*