Names as Reflections of Character and Destiny

וַתַּהַר לֵאָה וַתֵּלֶד בֵּן (בראשית כט, לב), אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא אַרְבַּע מִדּוֹת נֶאֶמְרוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת, יֵשׁ שֶׁשְּׁמוֹתָם נָאִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם נָאִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא שְׁמוֹתֵיהֶן נָאִים וּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶן נָאִים אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים, רְאוּבֵן, רְאוּ בֵן בֵּין הַבָּנִים. שִׁמְעוֹן, שׁוֹמֵעַ בְּקוֹל אָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמָיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא אֵין שְׁמוֹתָם שֶׁל שְׁבָטִים עָכוּר לָהֶם, אֶלָּא חָפוּת לָהֶם.

מְנָא לַן דִּשְׁמָא גָּרֵים? אָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, דְּאָמַר קְרָא: ״לְכוּ חֲזוּ מִפְעֲלוֹת ה׳ אֲשֶׁר שָׂם שַׁמּוֹת בָּאָרֶץ״, אַל תִּקְרֵי ״שַׁמּוֹת״ אֶלָּא ״שֵׁמוֹת״.

Regarding the basic assumption that these homiletic interpretations of names are allusions to one’s future, the Gemara asks: From where do we derive that the name affects one’s life? Rabbi Eliezer said that the verse says: “Go, see the works of the Lord, who has made desolations [shamot] upon the earth” (Psalms 46:9). Do not read the word as shamot, rather as shemot, names. The names given to people are, therefore, “the works of the Lord upon the earth.”

וְתוּ: רַבִּי מֵאִיר וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲווֹ קָא אָזְלִי בְּאוֹרְחָא, רַבִּי מֵאִיר הֲוָה דָּיֵיק בִּשְׁמָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי לָא הֲווֹ דָּיְיקִי בִּשְׁמָא. כִּי מְטוֹ לְהָהוּא דּוּכְתָּא, בְּעוֹ אוּשְׁפִּיזָא. יְהַבוּ לְהוּ. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: מָה שְׁמָךְ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״כִּידוֹר״. אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אָדָם רָשָׁע הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי דוֹר תַּהְפּוּכוֹת הֵמָּה״. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אַשְׁלִימוּ לֵיהּ כִּיסַיְיהוּ. רַבִּי מֵאִיר לָא אַשְׁלֵים לֵיהּ כִּיסֵיהּ, אֲזַל אוֹתְבֵיהּ בֵּי קִיבְרֵיהּ דַּאֲבוּהּ. לִמְחַר אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הַב לַן כִּיסַן. אֲמַר לְהוּ: לֹא הָיוּ דְבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם. אֲמַר לְהוּ רַבִּי מֵאִיר: אַמַּאי לָא דָּיְיקִיתוּ בִּשְׁמָא? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי לָא אֲמַרְתְּ לַן מָר? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אֵימַר דַּאֲמַרִי אֲנָא חֲשָׁשָׁא, אַחְזוֹקֵי מִי אֲמַרִי?

§ And furthermore, it is told: Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei were walking on the road together. Rabbi Meir would analyze names and discern one’s nature from his name, while Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei were not apt to analyze names. When they came to a certain place, they looked for lodging and were given it. They said to the innkeeper: What is your name? He said to them: My name is Kidor. Rabbi Meir said to himself: Perhaps one can learn from this that he is a wicked person, as it is stated: “For they are a generation [ki dor] of upheavals” (Deuteronomy 32:20). Since it was Friday afternoon, Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Yosei entrusted their purses to him. Rabbi Meir did not entrust his purse to him but went and placed it at the grave of the innkeeper’s father. The next day, the rabbis said to the innkeeper: Give us our purses. He said to them: These matters never occurred; you never gave me any purses. Rabbi Meir said to them: Why didn’t you analyze his name to learn that he is a wicked man? They said to him: Why didn’t the Master tell us? He said to them: I said one should be suspicious, but have I said a person should be established as wicked? Could I say to you with certainty that he is wicked based on his name alone?