God uniquely reveals Himself to every person, and over the course of salvation history, He has given us many beautiful ways to refer to Him.
In His goodness, God reveals many things about Himself through different names. Perhaps the most famous is the sacred name YHWH, so precious and powerful that its very pronunciation is kept a secret.
But YHWH is not the only name revealed to the faithful in scripture. CatholicVote has compiled a list of seven holy names for God used throughout history. Each of these names reveals something wonderful about Our Father.
Names compiled from “The Seven Hebrew Names of God” by Brian Kelly.
El Shaddai
The most common translation for the name El Shaddai is “God Almighty.” It represents a truth about God that Fr. Matthias Scheeben classified as intrinsic to the nature of God. We hear this English translation spoken in prayer at the end of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, “Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One.”
Elion
Elion is “God of Majesty.” Another name that reveals something about the intrinsic nature of God. Both beautiful and powerful, this name brings to mind how God created the world. He revealed a piece of Himself in this name just like He revealed Himself in the natural world from the oceans to the mountains.
Kadosch
This name simply means “Holy.” It is the refrain heard in Mass and used frequently to describe the good and holy nature of God the Father. This is the last of the names classified under the intrinsic nature of God. It reminds us of the incredibly pure and holy excellence of God.
El
El is the first of the names that Fr. Scheeben classifies as revealing who God is to man. Fittingly, El is translated to “God.” This is a common and well-known name used to describe our Creator. It shows who He is to us and reminds us of the reverence we owe Him.
Elohim
“God, worthy of veneration.” A name telling us how we are to serve God. We are to revere, venerate, and honor him. Aside from YHWH, this is the most common name for God used in the Old Testament. Another common use of this name is in conjunction with Sabaoth. “Elohim Sabaoth” means “God of Armies.” It is used many times in the Old Testament, which makes sense given the many battles fought by God’s people.
Adonai
Adonai is a singular name for God meaning “Lord or Judge.” This beautiful, melodic name for God reminds us that He is just and desires us to come to Him with our conflicts. This is also a name many faithful Jews used to address Jesus in the New Testament, identifying and affirming Him as Lord. Adonai was also used in place of the Tetragrammaton (see below), the actual and most sacred Hebrew word for God.
YHWH
The seventh name included in this list is what is known as the Tetragrammaton. The name was revealed to Moses in the burning bush. This name is so powerful that it is not to be spoken aloud except by very few. There are only a few who even know how it is properly pronounced. It was pronounced aloud as Yahweh until 2008, when the Vatican released a document officially removing the name from the Liturgy. The name means “I am.” It is how God revealed His complete power and omnipresence to the Jewish people through Moses. It is only to be written.
