Pt1 What's in a Talmudic Name? Unpacking the World of Personal Names in Talmudic Literature

This is the first part of a three-part series, based on the research in my comprehensive survey, "From Abba to Zebedee: A Comprehensive Survey of Naming Conventions in the Mishnah, Talmud, and Late Antique Midrash".¹ The outline for the series is below.

Introduction

The Talmud, that vast corpus of Jewish writing, is teeming with names. From Abba to Zebedee, thousands of individuals populate its pages. But what's in a (Talmudic) name?

As I've explored in my comprehensive survey, "From Abba to Zebedee: A Comprehensive Survey of Naming Conventions in the Mishnah, Talmud, and Late Antique Midrash," these names are far more than mere identifiers.

They offer a window into the cultural, social, and even perceived deterministic understanding of the era.

Names in Rabbinic literature can reflect origin, character, and sometimes, as the rabbis themselves believed, even influence one's destiny.

Outline

Introduction

Part 1: The Foundations – Meaning, Variation, and the Single Name

1. Unveiling the World of Talmudic Names

   1. A Brief History of Onomastic Scholarship in Rabbinic Literature

2. The Power of a Name: Aptronyms, Etymologies, and Wordplay

   1. Aptronyms: When the Name Fits the Person (or Vice Versa)

   2. Etymological Explanations Provided by the Talmud (p. 8)

   3. Word Play (Paronomasia) on Names (p. 9)

3. The Core: Given Names and Their Variations (pp. 11-17)

   1. The Primacy of the Single Given Name (p. 11)

   2. Variants, Hypocorisms, and Shortenings (pp. 12-13)

   3. Contraction of Honorific with Given Name (p. 14)

   4. Mononyms: The Power of a Single Word (p. 15)

   5. "No Surname" – When a Single Name Suffices (or Puzzles) (pp. 16-17)

4. Conclusion to Part 1

Part 2: Building Identity – Surnames, Titles, and Naming the Anonymous

1. Introduction to Part 2

2. Surnames and Their Origins: More Than Just a Last Name

   1. Patronymic and Other Familial Relations: The "Son Of" (and More)

   2. Toponymic Surnames: A Sense of Place (pp. 42-58)

   3. Occupational Surnames: Known by Their Trade (pp. 59-62)

   4. Surnames from Personal Status, Personality, or Physical Traits (pp. 66-67)

   5. Double Names (Hebrew + Greek) and Other Unique Identifiers (pp. 18-19, 68)

3. Titles and Honorifics: Markers of Status and Respect (pp. 29-35, 64)

   1. Prefix Honorifics (p. 29)

   2. "Abba" as an Honorific and Name Component (pp. 30-31)

   3. Other Familial/Respectful Honorifics (pp. 32-33)

   4. The Significance of "No Honorific" (pp. 34-36)

   5. Suffix Honorifics/Descriptors (p. 64)

4. Naming the Nameless: Conventions for Anonymous People (pp. 20-21, 27-28)

5. Descriptors for Anonymous Individuals and Groups (pp. 20-21)

6. Placeholder Names (p. 27)

7. Demonyms for Anonymous Individuals/Groups (p. 28)

8. Conclusion to Part 2

Part 3: Patterns and Peculiarities – Analyzing Talmudic Names Across Groups

1. Introduction to Part 3

2. An Analytical Look at Given Names: Frequency and Etymology

3. Frequency of Given Names and Fathers' Names

4. Male Jewish Names by Etymology

   1. Hebrew Origin (pp. 75-77)

   2. Aramaic Origin (with possible etymology) (pp. 78-82)

   3. Greek and Latin Origin (pp. 86-90)

   4. Persian Origin (p. 90-91)

5. Naming Conventions for Specific Groups

   1. Jewish Commoners (Non-Rabbis) (pp. 20-21, 92-96)

   2. Jewish Women (pp. 97-98)

   3. Non-Jews (pp. 99-102)

   4. Angels and Demons (p. 103)

   5. Family/House/Clan Names (Revisited for Specific Groups)

6. The Talmud's Own Onomastic Awareness

7. Talmud’s Identification of Anonymous Descriptors (p. 26)

8. Etiological Explanations for Surnames (Revisited) (p. 37)

Overall Conclusion

Part 1: The Foundations – Meaning, Variation, and the Single Name

Unveiling the World of Talmudic Names

The Talmud, that monumental edifice of Jewish law, thought, and narrative, is populated by a vast cast of characters. From the well-known Abba to the less-familiar Zebedee, my research estimates, referencing works like Toldot Tanaim VeAmoraim (תולדות תנאים ואמוראים - TTA) and others, that "somewhere in the range of 5,000 individual rabbis [are] named in the literature" (p. 5 of my survey).

This massive number presents a significant challenge to the student of Rabbinic literature. Beyond the sheer volume, as I note, we grapple with "the difficult manuscript situation (still no critical editions for many basic works); the complicated history of transmission; [and] the fact that rabbinic literature is not primarily interested in history, but in didactic teachings" (p. 5).

Yet, despite these challenges, the study of names, or 'onomastics,' as it's known, offers a unique and invaluable window into the cultural, social, linguistic, and even theological world of the Sages.

Names in Talmudic literature are far more than mere labels; they can reflect origin, perceived character, familial connections, status, and sometimes, as the rabbis themselves believed, even influence an individual's destiny.

In this first part of our multi-part exploration, drawing heavily from my comprehensive survey, we will lay the essential groundwork.

We will examine the significance attributed to names by the Sages, explore how they engaged with names through etymological interpretations and wordplay, and analyze the fundamental nature of the given name – the core identifier – and its common variations as found in the Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrashic literature of Late Antiquity.²

A Brief History of Onomastic Scholarship in Talmudic Literature

The study of the Sages and their identities is not new. As I outline in my survey (pp. 5-6), traditional scholarship, primarily focused on biographies, can be broadly categorized into two major categories:

Chronological Transmission:

The earliest lists of Sages appear in the context of the transmission of Torah. "The first list of this sort is [Mishnah tractate] Avot," which traces the chain of tradition from Moses to R' Yehuda HaNasi.³

"Next to each name is recorded what each Sage 'used to say'" (p. 5).

Later, works like Iggeret Rav Sherira Gaon, the anonymous Seder Tanna’im VeAmora’im (סדר תנאים ואמוראים), and Avraham ibn Daud's Sefer HaKabbalah continued this approach, aiming to provide a history of the transmission of Oral Law.⁴

Biographical Dictionaries:

The other traditional approach involves "biographical dictionaries in non-chronological order (usually in alphabetical order)" (p. 5).

The first major work on rabbinic biography, as I note (p. 6), was R’ Yehuda b. Kalonymus’s Yichusei Tannaim VeAmoraim (יחוסי תנאים ואמוראים - YTA). "Unfortunately, this work was unknown until the 19th century and therefore had no scholarly impact [until that time]."

Independently, Avraham Zacut's Yochasin (ספר יוחסין - SY) also "essentially created hundreds of bios of Tannaim and Amoraim from scratch, based on the Mishnah and Talmudim. Both [YTA and SY] are monumental works" (p. 6).

Serious critical scholarship began in the early 19th century, notably with Isaac Hirsch Weiss's Dor Dor Ve’Dorshav (דור דור ודורשיו). This spurred R’ Yitzhak Isaac HaLevy's Dorot Harishonim (דורות הראשונים), which in turn "prompted the monumental biographical dictionary by Heiman, Toldot Tanaim VeAmoraim (=TTA; mentioned earlier), which is still the definitive work, despite its many flaws" (p. 6).

My survey frequently references TTA as a foundational, if imperfect, resource for prosopographical data.

The advent of computers and digitalization has, as I mention, "paved the way for utilizing these resources to make significant progress" (p. 6). Computerized projects like Otzar HaDemuyot,⁵ and open-access, crowd-sourced encyclopedias like Hebrew Wikipedia⁶ and HaMichlol (המכלול), are now invaluable tools for onomastic research.

My own work aims to build upon this long tradition, focusing more broadly on the general conventions of naming, a less-trodden path compared to individual biographies.

The Power of a Name: Aptronyms, Etymologies, and Wordplay

One of the most striking aspects of how names are treated in Talmudic literature is the profound significance attributed to them.

This goes beyond simple identification into the realm of perceived inherent meaning and even influence.

Aptronyms: When the Name Fits the Person (or Vice Versa)

The idea that a person's name is aptly or peculiarly suited to their character or destiny – what’s called an "aptronym" or "nominative determinism" – finds clear resonance in Rabbinic thought.

As I state in my survey (p. 7):

"The Talmud itself states explicitly that some rabbis believed that שמא גרים (sh'ma garim) – the name causes [=influences]."

Rabbi Meir, in particular, was renowned for his attention to the implications of names. The Yerushalmi (Rosh Hashanah 3:9, cited on p. 7) vividly illustrates this:

חד בר נש הוה שמיה כידור

אמר לון רבי מאיר:

הובא לכון מיניה.

בר נש ביש הוא.

כי דור תהפוכות המה

A certain man’s name was Kidor.

Rabbi Meir said to them [=his fellow travellers]:

“Beware of him,

for he is an evil man,

[as his name alludes to the verse] ‘For [כי - ‘ki’] they are a generation [דור – dor] of perversities.’”

The Babylonian Talmud (Yoma 83b, cited on p. 7) confirms this characteristic of Rabbi Meir:

"ר' מאיר הוה דייק בשמא

ר' יהודה ור' יוסי לא הוו דייקו בשמא

R’ Meir would scrutinize names;

R’ Yehudah and R’ Yossi would not scrutinize names.

Both Bereshit Rabbah (42:5, on the names in Genesis 14:2) and Rut Rabbah (2:5, on the name Elimelech) record that:

רבי מאיר היה דורש שמות

Rabbi Meir would expound names

In both instances:

רבי יהושע בן קרחה היה דורש שמות

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Karcha would expound names (p. 7)

This practice of derashat shemot (expounding names) was not limited to contemporaries but was also (in fact, primarily) applied to Biblical figures.

For example, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is recorded in Bavli Sotah (9b, cited on p. 7) as commenting on the inherent aptness of the Biblical name Delilah:

"תניא,

רבי אומר:

אילמלא לא נקרא שמה ״דלילה״ —

ראויה היתה שתקרא דלילה,

ש

1. דילדלה את כחו,

2. דילדלה את לבו,

3. דילדלה את מעשיו."

It was taught in a Baraita,

Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says:

Had her name not been Delilah,

she would have been fit to be called Delilah,

for

1. she weakened [dildelah] his strength,

2. she weakened his heart,

3. she weakened his deeds.

This belief in the congruence between a name and its bearer underscores a worldview where names were not arbitrary sounds but carried essential meaning.

Etymological Explanations Provided by the Talmud (p. 8)

The Talmud's fascination with names extends to providing etymological explanations, particularly for Biblical figures and places.

As I note (p. 8), "interest within Jewish literature in etymology of names can be traced to the Bible, particularly the Book of Genesis." The Talmud continues and expands this tradition.

While my survey focuses more on the formats of names, it points out (p. 8, footnote 12) that the Talmud frequently "explores the etymology of many Biblical names, especially when connecting obscure figures to known figures, or otherwise harmonizing different names."

Examples include elaborate discussions on the multiple names attributed to figures like:

• Moses (listing ten names in Megillah 13a, derived from Chronicles)

• Sinai (five names, Shabbat 89a-b)

• Solomon

Similarly, place names like Tiberias, Chamat, Rakat, and Kinneret (Megillah 5b-6a) are given etymological interpretations.

While direct etymologies for the names of Talmudic Sages themselves are less common within the Talmud (often appearing more as wordplay, as we'll see), the practice of etymological inquiry was deeply ingrained (albeit from a folk/intuitive perspective; very different from modern scientific etymology).

Word Play (Paronomasia) on Names (p. 9)

The Sages frequently engaged in wordplay, or paronomasia, using names as a springboard for teachings, witty observations, or even rebukes.

These wordplays on the Hebrew and Aramaic languages explore the apparent and intuitive sound-alikes in names.

A concise and positive example from the Bavli, Gittin (7a, cited on p. 9), involves the Amora Rav Chisda:

חסדא שמך

וחסדאין מילך

Your name is Chisda [from חסד – kindness/grace]

and your words are graceful/kindly

A more pointed example of wordplay, serving as a critique, is found in Bavli, Gittin (41a, cited on p. 9), concerning a Sage who was known as "Ammi Shapir-Na’eh" (Ami the Beautiful/Good):

אמר רב נחמן בר יצחק:

משום דאמי שפיר נאה הוא,

אומר שמעתא דלא שפירן?!

Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak said:

Because he is Ammi Shapir-Na’eh,

does he say teachings that are not beautiful/fitting?!

Perhaps one of the most elaborate instances of paronomasia on names involves the disciples of Jesus, as recorded in the uncensored text of Sanhedrin (43a, cited on p. 9).

Each disciple's name becomes the basis for a scriptural battle of wits regarding their fate:

ת"ר

חמשה תלמידים היו לו לישו

1. מתאי

2. נקאי

3. נצר

4. ובוני

5. ותודה

אתיוהו למתי.

אמר להו:

מתי יהרג?!

הכתיב (תהלים מב, ג)

'מתי אבוא

ואראה פני אלהים'.

אמרו לו:

אין, מתי יהרג,

דכתיב (שם מא, ו)

'מתי ימות

ואבד שמו'

The Sages taught:

Jesus the Nazarene had five disciples:

1. Mattai,

2. Nakai,

3. Netzer,

4. Buni,

5. and Toda.

They brought Mattai [to stand trial]

Mattai said to them [=the judges]:

Shall Mattai be executed?!

But isn’t it written:

“When [מתי – matai] shall I come

and appear before God?” (Psalms 42:3).

[Mattai claimed that this verse alludes to the fact he is righteous.]

They [=the judges] said to him:

Yes, Mattai shall be executed,

as it is written:

“When [מתי – matai] shall he die,

and his name perish?” (Psalms 41:6).)

Here, "Mattai" is clearly the disciple Matthew. The Talmudic narrative continues this pattern of scriptural wordplay for each of the named disciples.

My survey (p. 9, footnote 15) also points to other names that become subjects of such onomastic puns in the Talmud, such as המנונא (Hamnuna) and לכלוכית (Lachluchit).

This tradition of (seemingly somewhat playful) engagement with the sounds and meanings of names is a hallmark of Rabbinic discourse.

The Core: Given Names and Their Variations (pp. 11-17)

At the very heart of personal identification in the Talmudic period was the given name.

This was the primary, and often sole, formal designator for an individual.

The Primacy of the Single Given Name (p. 11)

A fundamental point I emphasize in my survey (p. 11) is that "individuals during that period possessed only one given name."

This is a significant distinction from later medieval Jewish practices, when double names began, and also from contemporaneous Roman naming conventions, which typically involved multiple names (praenomen, nomen, cognomen).

As I note, "The practice of having two names emerged during the medieval period, initially gaining popularity among the aristocracy."

Bottom line, in the world of the Mishnah, Talmud, and early Midrash, each individual has a single, primary anthroponym.

Variants, Hypocorisms, and Shortenings (pp. 12-13)

Despite the norm of a single given name, a striking feature of Talmudic onomastics is the prevalence of variants for many names.

As I outline (p. 12), these variations can arise from multiple sources:

• Variants could be fully legitimate, existing at the time. (More specific possibilities in the next bullet points.)

• Diminutives/Hypocorisms: Affectionate shortenings or pet names (hypocorisms) were undoubtedly common in everyday speech and sometimes found their way into the textual record. A hypocorism, as defined by Wikipedia (cited on p. 12), "may be a diminutive form of a person's name... or it may be unrelated."

• Shortenings: Simple abbreviations or shortenings of longer names were also a natural linguistic process.

• Technical reasons due to transmission: errors, whether in oral or manuscript transmission, could easily lead to alterations in spelling or pronunciation.

The Talmud itself demonstrates an awareness of name variants. For example, in a discussion in Bava Batra (166b, referenced on p. 12) regarding the validity of names in legal documents, the Sages consider how much variation is permissible:

תנו רבנן:

ילמד התחתון מן העליון –

באות אחת;

אבל לא בשתי אותיות –

כגון:

• ״חנן״ מ״חנני״

• ו״ענן״ מ״ענני״

A baraita taught:

The lower [name variant] may be learned from the upper [original name]

if there is a difference of one letter;

but not if there are two letters,

such as:

• "Chanan" from "Chanani"

• or "Anan" from "Anani."

My survey (pp. 12-13) provides an extensive list of such variants, hypocorisms, and shortenings. Quoting liberally from this list:

אביי (Abayei) = אבא (Abba)

(Likely a diminutive or affectionate form of the common Aramaic honorific ‘Abba’.)

אוריין (Uryan/Oryan) = גוריון (Gurion)

(As I note from Abba Gurion – Wikipedia,

"בתלמוד הירושלמי ובאסתר רבה שמו מופיע כ-'אבא אוריין איש צדיין', תוך החלפת האות ג' באות א', כפי המצוי במבטא של אנשי ירושלים" –

The Yerushalmi and Esther Rabbah record his name as Abba Uryan Ish Tzadyan, exchanging the Gimmel for an Aleph, as is common in the Jerusalem dialect.)

אסי (Asi) = איסי (Isi) (?) = אסא (Asa) (?)

(Asi may be a variant of the Biblical name Asa, or ultimately stem from Hebrew Yosef, Yehoshua, or other similar names. See next.)

איסי (Isi) = יוסף (Yosef)

(E.g., Pesachim 113b states:

תנא,

1. הוא יוסף איש הוצל,

2. הוא יוסף הבבלי,

3. הוא איסי בן גור אריה,

4. הוא איסי בן יהודה,

5. הוא איסי בן גמליאל,

6. הוא איסי בן מהללאל.

ומה שמו?

איסי בן עקביה שמו

It was taught:

1. He is Yosef Ish Hutzel [=of Hutzal],

2. he is Yosef HaBavli [=the Babylonian],

3. he is Isi ben Gur-Aryeh (literally: “lion cub”),

4. he is Isi ben Yehuda,

5. he is Isi ben Gamliel,

6. he is Isi ben Mahalalel.

And what is his [actual] name?

Isi ben Akavia is his name.)

בא (Ba) = אבא (Abba)

(A common shortening.)

בון (Bun) = אבון (Avun) , אבין (Avin)

גימל (Gimal) = גמליאל (Gamliel)

(A clear shortening; Toldot Tanaim VeAmoraim states for Abba Elazar ben Gimal: "וגימל הוא קיצור השם גמליאל" – Gimal is a shortening of the name Gamliel.)

דוסא (Dosa) = דוסתאי (Dostai)

(Jastrow suggests Dosa is likely an abbreviation of Dostai)⁷

דימי (Dimi) = אבדומה (Avduma/Avdimi)⁸

(As I quote from TTA for Rav Dimi:

"נקרא בא"י [בארץ ישראל] רב אבדומה נחותא, ובבבל תמיד בשם כי סליק רב דימי" –

In Eretz Yisrael he was called Rav Avduma Nechuta, and in Babylonia always by the name Rav Dimi when he went up [to Israel].

הונא (Huna) = חונא (Chuna)

(A common phonetic interchange; also orthographically similar.)

ווא (Va) = אבא (Abba)

(Another variant of the Aramaic honorific Abba; see earlier re Abaye.)

זבדא (Zevada) / זבדי (Zevadi) / זבידא (Zevida) = זבדיה (Zevadiah)

(These are all common Aramaic shortenings or variants of the Hebrew Zevadiah [=Zebedee].)

חגא (Chaga) = חגי (Chagai)

(Katz, "Intro," p. 25)

חנן (Chanan) = חנין (Chanin)

(Katz, "Intro," p. 25)

חנניה (Chananiah) = חנינה (Chanina)

(A very common variant pairing.)

טבי (Tavi) = טוביה (Tuvia)

(Jastrow notes Tavi as a variant of Tuvia.)

יודן (Yudan) = יהודה (Yehuda)

(A common Aramaic equivalent/variant.)

יוסי (Yossi) = יוסף (Yosef)

(An extremely common diminutive.)

ינאי (Yannai) = יונתן (Yonatan) / יוחנן (Yochanan)

(Jastrow suggests Yannai is an abbreviation of Yochanan; this is certainly the case for the first historic ‘Yannai’: the Hasmonean king John Hyrcanus.)

לעזר (Lazar) = אלעזר (Elazar)

(A simple shortening, common in Talmud Yerushalmi.)

מניומי (Manyumi) = מנימין (Manyamin) (?) = בנימין (Binyamin) (?)

(These appear to be Aramaic variants or diminutives of Binyamin.)

מתי (Mattai) / מתיי (Mattyai) = מתתיהו (Mattityahu)

(As discussed earlier regarding the disciple Matthew.

My survey, p. 13, cites Wikipedia on "Matthew (given name)" explaining the transliteration path from Hebrew Matityahu to Greek Matthaios to English Matthew.)

נחום (Nachum) = מנחם (Menachem)

(These are related Hebrew names, sometimes used interchangeably or as variants in transmission.)

נחוניא (Nechunya) = חוניא (Chunya)

(Katz, "Intro," p. 25)

These examples demonstrate the fluidity and adaptability of names in both spoken and written contexts.

Contraction of Honorific with Given Name (p. 14)

A particularly common and important category of name variation involves the contraction of an honorific prefix with the given name.

This blending often results in a new-sounding name where the original components might not be immediately obvious.

My survey (p. 14) lists several prominent examples:

אבימי (Avimi) = אבא אמי (Abba Ami) (?)

(This is a speculative contraction. Alternatively, Avimi stems from Avdimi, of Greek origin, see earlier)

אמימר (Amemar) = אבא מרימר (Abba Mar Yeimar) (?)

(Another likely contraction of a respected title with a name.)

מרימר (Marimar) = מר יימר (Mar Yeimar)

(A clearer contraction.)

רבא (Rava) = רב אבא (Rav Abba)

(This is the traditionally accepted understanding for the famous Amora Rava. Alternatively, ‘Rava’ simply means “great one”, similar to the also-common ‘Rabbah’. )

רבין (Rabin) = רב אבין (Rav Avin)

(Traditionally understood to be a contraction. Alternatively, simply means “great one”, similar to previous.)

רבינא (Ravina) = רב אבינא (Rav Avina)

(Similarly, a frequent and well-known contraction.)

רבנאי (Ravnai) = רב בנאי (Rav Banai) / ינאי (Yannai) (?)

(TTA suggests Ravnai is a shortening of Rav Banai or Rav Yannai. Alternatively, simply means “great one”, similar to previous.)

רמי (Rami) = רב אמי (Rav Ami)

(Traditionally understood to be a contraction. Found, e.g., in Rami bar Chama.)

רחבה (Rachava) = רב אהבה (Rav Ahava) (?)

(A possible contraction.)

רפרם (Rafram) = רב פרם (Rav Fram) / אפרם (Ephraim) (?)

(As I note from Sefer Yuchasin, the leading 'R' in Rafram is suggested to be a shortening of "Rav," leaving "Peram" as the base name.

I also propose a connection to the Syriac name "Ephrem," especially given that Rafram bar Pappa was a contemporary of the Syriac Ephrem the Syrian.)

Understanding these contractions is crucial for correctly identifying individuals and for appreciating the linguistic processes at play in the formation of rabbinic names.

Mononyms: The Power of a Single Word (p. 15)

Many highly influential figures in Talmudic literature are primarily, or exclusively, known by a mononym – a name composed of only one word.

In some instances, this was likely their actual given name.

In others, the mononym might be a title that became their primary identifier (like Rav), a common shortening, or even, as I suggest for some names listed under pseudonyms (p. 15, footnote 54, e.g., איו (Ayo), גניבא (Geniva)), an epithet or assumed name.

My survey (p. 15) lists numerous well-known mononymous Sages:

• אביי (Abayei)

• אדמון (Admon) (One of the early Sages mentioned in the Mishnah regarding civil law.)

• אונקלוס (Onkelos) (The famous translator of the Torah into Aramaic.)

• אילפא (Ilfa)

• אמימר (Amemar) (Though possibly a contraction, as noted above.)

• הלל (Hillel)

• חזקיה (Chizkiyah) (Often refers to the Amora, son of R' Chiyya, but also the Tanna.)

• מרימר (Marimar) (Also possibly a contraction, see earlier.)

• סומכוס (Sumchos) (A prominent Tanna.)

• עולא (Ulla) (A well-known Amora who traveled between Israel and Babylonia.)

• פלימו (Palemo - a Greek name)

• קרנא (Karna) (A leading Babylonian judge, or dayyan. The Talmud plays on his name)

• רב (Rav) (The honorific functions as the primary identifier for Abba Aricha.)

• רבא (Rava)

• רבין (Rabin)

• רבינא (Ravina. Possibly a contraction, see earlier)

• שמאי (Shammai)

• שמואל (Shmuel) (Often refers to the great Babylonian Amora, contemporary of Rav.)

The use of mononyms often signifies a Sage of such stature or distinctiveness that a single name sufficed for unambiguous identification within the scholarly tradition.

"No Surname" – When a Single Name Suffices (or Puzzles) (pp. 16-17)

While patronymics and other "surnames" (descriptive identifiers) are very common, as we will explore in detail in Part 2, a significant number of Sages are frequently cited in the Talmud without any additional identifier beyond their given name and rabbinic title. This occurs even when the given name itself is relatively common.

As I note (p. 16), "Often, this occurs when someone has a rare given name, since it’s not needed to identify the person."

However, it also happens with more common names. In some cases, "the Talmud itself will point out who stam Rabbi X is" (an unspecified Rabbi X is assumed to be a particular well-known individual of that name unless otherwise specified).

My survey (pp. 16-17) provides an extensive list of Sages often cited with "no surname."

I've marked names I consider "common" where the lack of a patronymic is therefore somewhat more puzzling. Examples include:

• רב אהרן (Rav Aharon)

• רבי בנאה (R' Bana'ah)

• רב ברונא (Rav Bruna)

• רב גידל (Rav Giddel)

• רב דימי (Rav Dimi) (Often followed by "bar X," but also frequently stands alone.)

• רב המנונא (Rav Hamnuna)

• רבי זריקן (R' Zerikan)

• רב חמא (Rav Chama)

• רב חנין (Rav Chanin) / רב חנן (Rav Chanan)

• רבי אלכסנדרי (R' Alexandri) (A Greek-derived name)

• רב יהודה (Rav Yehuda) (Though sometimes qualified as "bar Yechezkel," he also appears simply as "Rav Yehuda.")

• רבי יוחנן (R' Yochanan) (While "ben Napacha" is traditionally understood to be his full descriptor, the simple "R' Yochanan" is extremely common and almost always refers to him.)

• רבי יונה (R' Yona)

• רב יימר (Rav Yeimar)

• רבי ינאי (R' Yannai)

• רבי יצחק (R' Yitzchak) (Often "Nappacha" or with a patronymic, but also stands alone.)

• רבי ירמיה (R' Yirmiyah)

• רב כהנא (Rav Kahana) (A very common name, appears in multiple generations.)

• רבי מנא (R' Mana) / רבי מני (R' Mani)

• רב מרי (Rav Mari)

• רב מתנא (Rav Matna)

• רב ספרא (Rav Safra) (Though "Safra" is occupational, he is referred to simply as "Rav Safra", in the format of a personal name, not as a surname.)

• רב פנחס (Rav Pinchas)

• רב פפי (Rav Papi)

• רב ששת (Rav Sheshet)

• רבי תנחום (R' Tanchum) / רבי תנחומא (R' Tanchuma)

It's important to note, as I clarify (p. 16, footnote 61), that this list generally excludes instances where an honorific is already contracted with the name (like Rava, Ravina, Marimar), as those forms inherently function as a kind of unique identifier.

The reasons for the absence of a surname in these cases can vary: the individual's fame, the distinctiveness of their given name, or simply the context of the specific Talmudic passage.

Conclusion to Part 1

We have now laid the essential foundations for understanding the intricate world of personal names in Talmudic literature.

We've seen that names were far from arbitrary, often perceived as carrying inherent meaning or even a deterministic quality, leading to etymological explorations and playful paronomasia by the rabbis themselves.

At the core of identity was the single given name, a norm that contrasts with later practices.

Yet, this single name was subject to a fascinating array of variations – through transmission, shortenings, hypocorisms, and notably, through contractions with honorifics, creating new, condensed identifiers.

We've also observed that many prominent figures were known by simple mononyms, or by their given names alone, their stature or the distinctiveness of their name rendering further specification unnecessary.

This exploration of the given name and its immediate modifications sets the stage for Part 2.

There, we will build upon this understanding, examining the wide variety of identification woven through the addition of "surnames" – descriptors derived from an individual's family, place of origin, and occupation.

We will also analyze the crucial role of titles and honorifics in marking status and respect, and look at how the Talmud navigates instances where individuals are, for various reasons, not explicitly named.

1. Refer there for full citations and significantly expanded and detailed discussion, on all of the points discussed here.

For all my research on this topic, see my Academia page, section “Talmudic Names”.

2. For our purposes, the date range covered is approximately from 30 CE to 500 CE.

3. See Hebrew Wikipedia, “מסכת אבות“, section “פרקי המסכת“, my translation:

The order of the sages appearing in the first chapter is arranged according to the order of generations, from the Men of the Great Assembly (אנשי כנסת הגדולה), through the period of the Zugot (זוגות - “Pairs”), up to the beginning of the Nesi'im (נשיאים - Patriarchs).

From the second chapter onward, the words of the Tannaim were written, generally according to the order in which they lived.

"Moses received the Torah from Sinai" (eighteen mishnayot) -

The chapter emphasizes the chain of transmission of the Oral Torah - each Tanna or pair of Tannaim "received from them," meaning they were students of the Tannaim who preceded them, and it connects the later sages to Moses through a long tradition passed down from generation to generation […]

Among the recipients are not found the Judges (שופטים), priests (כהנים), or kings.

In contrast, in Avot d'Rabbi Natan, the chain of transmission of the Oral Torah is described differently: from Moses to Joshua, to the Elders (זקנים), to the Judges, and from them to the prophets (while distinguishing between the other prophets and Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) and onward.

"Rabbi says" (sixteen mishnayot) -

The chapter consists mostly of sayings by Hillel (early 1st-century CE), his student Yochanan ben Zakkai, and [the latter’s] five students.

Several mishnayot even deal directly with the spiritual qualities of the five students of Yochanan ben Zakkai and the relationship between two of them, Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and Elazar ben Arach, compared to the other Jewish sages.

4. For more on these, see my “Notes Regarding A Critical Lexicon of Names in the Talmud - A Survey of Previous Efforts; Patterns Within Individual Sages”.

5. אוצר הדמויות בספרות חז"ל, see here.

6. See especially these “template boxes”, which link to hundreds of relevant Hebrew Wikipedia entries:

• תבנית: תנאים – ויקיפדיה

• תבנית: אמוראי ארץ ישראל – ויקיפדיה

• תבנית: אמוראי בבל – ויקיפדיה

7. The latter name (Dostai) is a theophoric name of Greek origin, see Jastrow that it comes from Dosi-theos (Δοσί-θεος), which means "given by God, God-given," composed of the Greek elements:

• δόσις (dosis) - "giving" or "gift"

• θεός (theos) - "God"

It’s equivalent to the theophoric Hebrew names Jonathan, Netanel and Elnatan, and the other Greek name Theodosius (the latter has the exact same components as Dositheos, simply flipped).

8. This latter name (Avduma/Avdimi) is of Greek origin, see Jastrow:

אבדימוס

pr[oper] n[ame] m[asculine]

(Εὔδημος)

Ebdimos, Eudemus

The name is composed of two Greek elements:

• εὖ (eu) - "good," "well," "noble"

• δῆμος (demos) - "people," "population," "district"