The Patronymic Puzzle: Revisiting Talmudic Names
Ben Bag Bag, Ben He He, and Beyond: Talmudic patronymics ("ben/bar X") which are not father’s names
Part of a series on Talmudic names. This article is based on my research in “Ben Bag Bag, Ben He He, and Beyond: Patronymics in Hebrew and Aramaic in Late Antiquity Which Are Not Father’s Names” (Academia.edu, requires registration). See there for full notes, and an extensive, annotated compilation of over 140 such surnames. For a comprehensive overview and bibliography on the topic of Talmudic names, refer to my study: “From Abba to Zebedee: A Comprehensive Survey of Naming Conventions in Hebrew and Jewish Aramaic in Late Antiquity” (Academia.edu, requires registration)
Introduction
Wikipedia, entry “Patronymic”:
A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor.
Patronymics are still in use, including mandatory use, in many countries worldwide, although their use has largely been replaced by or transformed into patronymic surnames. Examples of such transformations include common English surnames such as Johnson (son of John) […]
In Arabic, the word ibn […] is the equivalent of the "-son" suffix discussed above. In addition, bint means "daughter of". Thus, for example, Ali ibn ʿAmr means "Ali son of ʿAmr" […]
In Aramaic, the prefix bar- means "son" and is used as a prefix meaning "son of". In the Bible, Peter is called Bar-Jonah […] and Nathanael is possibly called Bartholomew because he is the son of Tolmai (or son of Ptolemy, with "P" being reduced). The titles can also be figurative, for example […] a man named Joseph is called Barnabas meaning "son of consolation". The feminine equivalent, b'rat-, is found in the Talmud and Targumim […]
In the Hebrew patronymic system, commonly used by Jews, the first name is followed by either ben- or bat- ("son of" and "daughter of", respectively), and then the father's name, mother's name, or both.
Many surnames in the Talmud following the patronymic format ("ben/bar X") likely do not represent paternal lineage as traditionally believed, but rather serve as nicknames, family monikers, or identifiers of distant ancestors. Earlier scholars already pointed this out. It was the Hungarian-Israeli scholar Shmuel Klein who first systematically catalogued these exceptions in his groundbreaking 1928 article. Similarly, Tal Ilan in the introduction to vol. 4 in her magisterial series on ancient Jewish names delves into this issue, enumerating a list of so-called fictitious names.
So, what exactly are these names? Many seem to denote family titles or distant ancestors. Some other potential interpretations of the patronymic structure include family name, lineage, personal status, physical attribute, profession, or even father's profession.
Most intriguingly, the majority of such patronyms are Tannaitic in origin (typically starting with ben and occasionally with bar), rather than Amoraic (usually starting with bar).
These patronymics are often paired with exceedingly common personal names like Shimon, Yosef, Yohanan, Yonatan, Yehoshua, Elazar, Eliezer, Yehuda, Hanina, and Hanania. This disparity between a commonplace given name and an unusual patronymic bolsters the hypothesis that the latter might not denote the father's name.
As an interesting aside, many streets in the modern neighborhood of Katamon in Jerusalem are named after Tannaim and called “Ben X”, with no given name, because only the patronyms are unique. Some street names there:
בן זכאי ; בן בבא ; בן גמלא ; בן טבאי
Interestingly, certain Tannaitic figures are primarily known by their patronymic, their personal names remaining conspicuously absent. Examples include: ben Azzai, ben Zoma, and bar Kappara.
In contrast to these findings, later interpretations often incorrectly presume a patronym to be the father’s name. For instance, some sources mistakenly assume certain patronyms to be personal names, such as the Bavli's assumption that Prata ( פרטא) is a personal name. Similarly, there are examples of patronymics, which aren't actual names, that have evolved into personal names in modern times. This is illustrated by names such as Yokhai, and Nitai, which intriguingly originated from a manuscript misinterpretation of the name Mattai (=Matthew).
Furthermore, it's fruitful to compare Jewish naming conventions to those in medieval Muslim lands, as described by the Jewish Encyclopedia, regarding patronymics. When using ibn or aben before the “father's” proper name, these are not in fact the fact, rather, these are commonly linked to the supposed founder of the family. For example, numerous historical figures are primarily known by the ibn X format, with personal names typically omitted. This trend can be observed in figures such as: Ibn Rushd, Ibn Battuta, Ibn Khaldun, Ibn al-Haytham, and Ibn Sina.
As we unravel the complexity of these patronymics, we begin to see the rich tapestry of history, culture, and lineage they represent.