Understanding Honorifics in the Talmudic Era

Rabbi, Rav, Abba, Imma, Mar, and names lacking honorific

Part of a series on Talmudic names. Based on my paper “From Abba to Zebedee: A Comprehensive Survey of Naming Conventions in Hebrew and Jewish Aramaic in Late Antiquity” (Academia.edu, requires registration), section ‘Prefix - Honorific’, see there for full info and citations.

The term ‘honorific’ refers to a title or respectful designation placed before a name. In the context of the Talmud, it's often used as a prefix or title appended to a personal name. Typical honorifics in the Mishnah and Talmud are Rabbi and Rav.¹

One interesting honorific encountered in the Talmud is ‘Abba’.  Shmuel Klein posited that 'Abba' could also be an abbreviated form of the name 'Abraham'. However, in fact, it is quite clearly an honorific, rather than a personal name. For instance, a citation from the Talmud states that servants are not referred to as 'Abba' or 'Ima'. (The name 'Aha' is another common personal name in the Talmud, which could potentially serve as an honorific as well.)

The term Abba is typically combined with a given name, for instance, 'Abba Benjamin', 'Abba Guryon', 'Abba Khalifa Kroya', 'Abba Khalafta', and many others. In other instances, 'Abba' is paired with other honorifics, topographical terms, occupations, or even physical traits. Noteworthy examples include 'Abba Mar B’rei D’rav Pappa' (Abba plus other honorific), 'Abba Bira’a' (Abba plus toponym), 'Abba Umna' (Abba plus occupation), or 'Abba Arikha' (Abba plus physical trait). There are instances where 'Abba' is utilized as a standalone given name, such as 'Raba' or 'Abba Abuha D’rabbi Abba Mari'. 

Imma

The term Imma also functions as an honorific, paralleling the male equivalent Abba. This is proposed in the Yad Eliyahu commentary, referencing R’ Ya’akov Emden. This is evident in the name of Imma Shalom, the daughter of the nasi–R’ Shimon b. Gamaliel, making her a part of Jewish aristocracy. As an aside, the name Shalom was extremely common for women, nearly as much as Miriam or Martha (an Aramaic name related to the word Mar, see next), according to Tal Ilan.

Mar

The term Mar appears more frequently among later Amoraim, functioning both as an honorific (particularly for Reish Galuta [=Exilarch]) and a given name. When used as an honorific, several instances are documented. These include references to Mar Zutra,² Huna Mar, and Mar Yochana among others. The name "Mar" also appears as a given name in cases like Mar Bar Rav Ashi.

Names lacking honorific

Not all names come with an honorific, the reasons for which can vary. Some of these are clear, others less so. The Talmud itself already discusses this issue. Until after the generation of Hillel and Shammai, the title Rabbi was not formalized. Once it was, the absence of an honorific in a name came to be seen as problematic. A common traditional explanation is that the scholar did not receive semicha, as was considered to be the case for Ben Azai and Ben Zoma.

The title ‘Mar’ is thought to be used when an individual is not a rabbinic figure but rather a lay leader, as was often the case for the Reish Galuta in Babylonia (see earlier).

Other reasons for the lack of an honorific include the individual not being a rabbi, or the individual being controversial, as appears to be the case for the contentious figure Geniba.

Certain figures also lack the "Rabbi" honorific, and it's unclear why. This includes figures like Shmuel, Ulla, and Ilfa, among others. Some suggest that their youth is the reason they were not addressed as Rabbi. This would explain Ilfa well, as he is one of the ‘sharp-minded students of Pumbedita’.

Some names carry no honorific because they were not respected by the mainstream rabbinic movement, like Geniba. In other instances, the name itself serves as, or contains, an honorific, as is the case for names like Abaye (related to Abba), Amemar, Marimar (has Mar as part of the name), Rav, Rava, Raba, Ravin, and Ravina. For some others, it's unclear why no honorific is given.

1. See list at Hebrew Wikipedia here: תארים רבניים

2. A name that was quite popular, and seems to have been carried by at least eight different personalities. See the Hebrew Wikipedia disambiguation page on this name.