Surname
Not a Family Name
Modern readers naturally associate 'surname' with a family name or last name, but this concept was entirely unknown in the ancient world of the Bible. The Hebrews had no system of hereditary family names. Instead, a biblical surname was an additional name, honorary title, or descriptive epithet given to a person, often marking a new identity, a divine commission, or a notable characteristic. Understanding this distinction unlocks several important passages in both testaments.
Surnames in the Old Testament
In Isaiah 44:5, the prophet envisions a time when foreigners will be so drawn to the prosperity and blessing of Israel that they will eagerly take Israel's name upon themselves: 'One will say, I am the LORD's, another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, The LORD's, and surname himself by the name of Israel.' Here the 'surname' is an identity claim, a declaration of belonging to God's people. The foreigner adopts the name of Israel as an honorary title, seeking to be enrolled among the covenant community.
In Isaiah 45:4, God addresses Cyrus the Persian king directly: 'For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me.' God gives Cyrus an honorary designation, essentially commissioning him as an instrument of divine purpose despite Cyrus's ignorance of the true God. The surname here functions as a divine appointment, a title bestowed by God that carries with it a specific mission.
The related Hebrew word appears in Job 32:21-22, where young Elihu declares he will not give flattering titles to anyone. The same root that means 'to surname' in Isaiah means 'to give honorary or flattering titles' in Job, showing the connection between surnameing and the bestowal of dignity or status.
Jesus as Name-Giver
The most theologically significant act of surnameing in Scripture occurs when Jesus gives new names to His disciples. When Simon came to Jesus, the Lord declared, 'You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas' (John 1:42), the Aramaic equivalent of Peter, meaning 'rock.' Mark's Gospel notes that Jesus 'surnamed' Simon as Peter (Mark 3:16) and gave James and John the surname Boanerges, meaning 'Sons of Thunder' (Mark 3:17).
These new names were not replacements for the disciples' original names but additional identities that marked their calling and character. Simon remained Simon, but he was also Peter, the rock upon which Christ would build His church (Matthew 16:18). The surname did not erase the old identity but added a new dimension to it, pointing to who the person was becoming under God's transforming work.
Surnames in the Book of Acts
The practice of using additional names for identification is common in the book of Acts. Joseph Barsabbas 'who was surnamed Justus' was one of the candidates to replace Judas (Acts 1:23). John 'whose surname was Mark' accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey (Acts 12:12, 25; 15:37). Judas 'surnamed Barsabbas' was sent with Silas to deliver the Jerusalem Council's decision (Acts 15:22). Simon who was 'surnamed Peter' appears frequently (Acts 10:5, 32; 11:13).
In these cases, the surname served a practical function of distinguishing between individuals who shared common names. In a culture where names like Simon, Judas, and John were extremely popular, additional names prevented confusion. But even these practical surnames often carried meaning: 'Justus' meant 'righteous,' 'Barsabbas' meant 'son of the Sabbath,' and 'Mark' may have derived from the Roman name Marcus.
The Theology of Naming
The biblical practice of surnameing connects to the broader theology of naming in Scripture. In the ancient world, naming conveyed authority over the one named and revealed something essential about their identity or destiny. God renamed Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5) and Jacob to Israel (Genesis 32:28). These were not mere label changes but transformative acts that declared a new reality.
When God surnames Cyrus or Jesus surnames Simon, the act declares divine authority and purpose. The new name creates a new identity and a new calling. This pattern finds its ultimate expression in Revelation, where Christ promises to give each overcomer 'a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it' (Revelation 2:17). The final surname is the one God gives in eternity, the ultimate expression of intimate, personal identity known only between God and the individual.
Biblical Context
Surnames appear in Isaiah 44:5 and 45:4 (honorary titles and divine commissioning), Job 32:21 (flattering titles), Mark 3:16-17 (Jesus naming Peter and Boanerges), and throughout Acts for identification (Acts 1:23; 10:5, 32; 11:13; 12:12, 25; 15:22, 37). The broader naming theology includes Genesis 17:5 (Abraham), Genesis 32:28 (Israel), and Revelation 2:17 (the new name).
Theological Significance
Biblical surnameing reveals that God exercises sovereign authority through the act of naming. When God surnames someone, He is declaring their purpose and identity. Jesus' act of surnameing His disciples shows His divine authority and His power to transform identity. The practice demonstrates that in God's economy, a person's ultimate identity is not self-determined but God-given. The promise of a new name in Revelation points to the eschatological completion of this theme, when each believer receives their true identity from God.
Historical Background
The custom of giving honorary and symbolic titles was widespread in the ancient world. Egyptian pharaohs received throne names distinct from their birth names. Babylonian and Persian kings adopted royal epithets. In Hellenistic culture, additional names (cognomina) were common in Roman naming conventions, which may explain why figures in Acts frequently bear both Semitic and Greek or Latin names. The absence of hereditary family names in ancient Israel meant that individuals were identified by patronymics (son of), place of origin, occupation, or descriptive epithets, all of which functioned as what English speakers would later call surnames.