Salome

Salome was one of the women who followed Jesus and witnessed His crucifixion and resurrection. She is identified in Mark's Gospel as the mother of the apostles James and John, the sons of Zebedee. She was among the women who came to the tomb on Easter morning to anoint Jesus' body with spices.

Etymology & Roots

Salome is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Shlomit or Shlomah (שָׁלוֹם), derived from the root shālom, meaning "peace," "wholeness," or "well-being." The root is one of the most theologically loaded in the Hebrew Bible, conveying not merely the absence of conflict but completeness and divine flourishing. Cognate names include Solomon (Shlomo), Shelomith, and Absalom (ʾAbshālôm). The Hellenized form Salome (Σαλώμη) appears in the New Testament and in Josephus, and was a popular name among Hasmonean and Herodian women, most notoriously borne by the daughter of Herodias who requested John the Baptist's head, though that Salome is unnamed in the Gospels.

Biblical Bearers

Salome appears in Mark 15:40 among the women who witnessed the crucifixion from a distance, alongside Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James. Mark 16:1 lists her among those who brought spices to the tomb on Easter morning. By comparing Matthew 27:56, which mentions "the mother of Zebedee's sons" in the same list, most scholars identify Salome as the mother of the apostles James and John. She was therefore present at pivotal moments of the passion and resurrection narratives. Earlier in Matthew 20:20–21, the mother of Zebedee's sons made an ambitious request for her sons to sit at Jesus' right and left in his kingdom.

Theological Significance

The name "peace" carries gentle irony when held against Salome's defining moments. As the mother of James and John, whom Jesus nicknamed "sons of thunder" (Mark 3:17), she sought prominence for her children (Matthew 20:20–21), misunderstanding the nature of the kingdom. Yet by the crucifixion she stood watching in faithful sorrow (Mark 15:40), and by Easter morning she came bearing spices of love and honor (Mark 16:1). Her journey from ambitious request to silent witness to resurrection-seeker traces the path all disciples must walk: from striving for position to simply remaining near Christ. In the end, her name "peace" is realized not through power but through faithful presence.

Discover the meanings and origins of 409 biblical names.