List of names for the Biblical nameless

This list of names for the Biblically nameless compiles names given in Jewish or Christian mythology for characters who are unnamed in the Bible itself.

Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

Wives of the antediluvian patriarchs

:Source: the apocryphal book of "Jubilees":Appears in the Bible at: Genesis 4-5

The book of "Jubilees" provides names for a host of unnamed Biblical characters, including wives for most of the antediluvian patriarchs. The last of these is Noah's wife, to whom it gives the name of "Emzara". Other Jewish traditional sources contain many different names for Noah's wife.

The book of "Jubilees" says that Awan was Adam and Eve's first daughter. Their second daughter "Azura" married Seth.

For many of the early wives in the series, "Jubilees" notes that the patriarchs married their sisters.

The "Cave of Treasures" and the earlier "Kitab al-Magall" (part of Clementine literature) name entirely different women as the wives of the patriarchs, with considerable variations among the extant copies.

The Muslim historian Ibn Ishaq (c. 750), as cited in al-Tabari (c. 915), provides names for these wives that are generally similar to those in "Jubilees"; however he makes them Cainites rather than Sethites, despite clearly stating elsewhere that none of Noah's ancestors were descended from Cain.

Cain and Abel's sisters

:Name: "Calmana":source: Golden Legend [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/goldenlegend/GoldenLegend-Volume1.htm#Adam Medieval Sourcebook: The Golden
] ] which also tells stories about many of the saints:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

:Name: "Delbora":source: Golden Legend which also tells stories about many of the saints:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

Noah's wife

:Name: "Naamah":Source: Middrash Genesis Rabah 23:4:Appears in the Bible at: Genesis 4:22; Gen. 7:7

Daughter of Lamech and Zillah and sister of Tubal-cain (Gen. iv. 22). According to Abba ben Kahana, Naamah was Noah's wife and was called "Naamah" (pleasant) because her conduct was pleasing to God. But the majority of the rabbis reject this statement, declaring that Naamah was an idolatrous woman who sang "pleasant" songs to idols.

See also Wives aboard the Ark for a list of traditional names given to the wives of Noah and his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

= Nimrod's wife =

:Name: "Semiramis":Source: "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop A large body of legend has attached itself to Nimrod, whose brief mention in "Genesis" merely makes him "a mighty hunter before the LORD". These legends usually make Nimrod to be a sinister figure, and they reach their peak in Hislop's "The Two Babylons", which make Nimrod and Semiramis to be the original authors of every false and pagan religion.

Mother of Abraham

:Name: "Amthlai daughter of Khrubu":Source: Babylonian Talmud Tractate Baba Bathra Chapter 5 [http://sacred-texts.com/jud/t07/t0709.htm The Babylonian Talmud, Rodkinson tr., Book 7.: Tract Baba Bathra, Part I: Chapter V ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

Lot's daughter

:Name: "Paltith":Source: Book of Jasher 19:24
[http://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/19.htm Book of Jasher, Chapter 19 ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

Lot's wife

:Name: "Ado":Source: Book of Jasher 19:24
:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

Laban's wife

:Name: "Adinah":Source: Book of Jasher 28:28
[ [http://sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/28.htm Book of Jasher, Chapter 28 ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: Book of Genesis

Potiphar's wife

:Name: "Zuleika":Source: The "Sefer Hayyashar", a book of Jewish lore published in Venice in 1625. [http://www.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Shokel/960102_Joseph.html] :Appears in the Bible at: Genesis 39:12

Potiphar's wife tempted Joseph in Egypt.

Pharaoh's daughter

:Name: Bathya:Source: Jewish tradition:Appears in the Bible at: Exodus 2

Pharaoh's daughter, who drew Moses out of the water, is known as Bathya in Jewish tradition.

imeon's wife

:Name: Bunah:Source: Book of Jasher Chapter 34 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/34.htm Book of Jasher, Chapter 34 ] ] Legends of the Jews Volume 1 Chapter 6 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/loj/loj108.htm Chapter VI: Jacob ] ] :Appears in the bible at: Genesis

Pharaoh's magicians

:Names: "Jannes and Jambres":Source: 2 Timothy 3:8 [ [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203:8&version=31 BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup: 2 Timothy 3:8 ] ] , Book of Jasher chapter 79 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/apo/jasher/79.htm Book of Jasher, Chapter 79 ] ] Antiquities of the Jews Book 2 [http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-2.htm] Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ Chapter 109 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/agjc/agjc109.htm Chapter 106 ] ] Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VIII [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/008/0081258.htm Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol VIII: Apocrypha of the New Testament.: Chapter 5 ] ] Easton's Bible Dictionary [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/ebd/ebd196.htm Easton's Bible Dictionary ] ] "The Book of the Bee" Chapter 30 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/bb/bb30.htm Chapter XXX - The History of Moses' Rod ] ] Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. XIII [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/ecf/113/1130119.htm Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. XIII: The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.: 2 Timothy 3:1-7 ] ] Legends of the Jews Volume 2 Chapter 4 [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/loj/loj206.htm Chapter IV: Moses in Egypt ] ] , Chronicles of Jerahmeel, Papyrus Chester Beatty XVI: "The Apocryphon of Jannes and Jambres":Appears in the Bible at: Exodus 7

The names of Jannes and Jambres, or Jannes and Mambres, were well known through the ancient world as magicians. In this instance, nameless characters from the Hebrew Bible are given names in the New Testament. Their names also appear in numerous Jewish texts.

The Cushitic wife of Moses

:Name: Tharbis:Source: Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, Book II, Chapter 10 [http://sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-2.htm] :Appears in the Bible at: Numbers 12

Job's wife

:Names: "Sitis", "Dinah":Source: The apocryphal "Testament of Job" [ [http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=332&letter=J JewishEncyclopedia.com - JOB, TESTAMENT OF: ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: Book of Job

Apocryphal Jewish folklore says that Sitis, or Sitidos, was Job's first wife, who died during his trials. After his temptation was over, the same sources say that Job remarried Dinah, Jacob's daughter who appears in Genesis.

amson's mother

:Name: "Z'llpunith":Source: Babylonian Talmud Tractate Baba Bathra Chapter 5:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Judges

amson's sister

:Name: "N'shiin":Source: Babylonian Talmud Tractate Baba Bathra Chapter 5:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Judges

Samson's son

:Name: "AKAMḤÊL":Source: Kebra Nagast [ [http://www.sacred-texts.com/chr/kn/kn081.htm 81. How the son of SAMSON slew the son of the King of the PHILISTINES ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: Book of Judges

Jephthah's daughter

:Name: "Seila":Source: "Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum":Appears in the Bible at: Judges 11

The "Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum" falsely ascribes itself to the Jewish author Philo. It in fact did not surface until the sixteenth century; see "Works of Philo".

The Witch of Endor

:Name: "Zephaniah":Source: A Rabbinical midrash [ [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=366&letter=E&search=witch%20of%20endor#1 JewishEncyclopedia.com - ENDOR, THE WITCH OF ] ]

:Name: "Sedecla":Source: "Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum":Appears in the Bible at: 1 Samuel 28

According to a midrash on 1 Samuel 28, Zephaniah was the mother of Abner, Saul's cousin, and a military commander in Saul's army. (See 1 Samuel 14)

David's mother

:Name: "Nzb'th daughter of Edal":Source: Babylonian Talmud Tractate Baba Bathra Chapter 5:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Samuel

The Queen of Sheba

:Name: "Makeda":Source: Traditional Ethiopian lore surrounding Emperor Menelik I

:Name: "Bilqis":Source: Islamic traditions

:Appears in the Bible at: 1 Kings 10; 2 Books of Chronicles 9

According to Ethiopian traditions, the Queen of Sheba returned to Ethiopia carrying King Solomon's child. She bore Solomon a son that went on to found a dynasty that ruled Ethiopia until the fall of Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974.

Haman's mother

:Name: "Amthlai daughter of Urbthi":Source: Babylonian Talmud Tractate Baba Bathra Chapter 5:Appears in the Bible at: Book of Esther

New Testament

= The Magi =

:Names: "Balthasar, Melqon, Gaspar":Source: "Armenisches Kindheitsevangelium" [Wilhelm Schneemelcher, Neutestamentarische Apokryphen. In deutscher Übersetzung: 2 Bde., Mohr Siebeck; 1999]

:Names: "Balthasar, Melchior, and Caspar (or Gaspar)":Source: European folklore

:Names: "Hor, Basanater, and Karsudan":Source: The "Book of Adam", an apocryphal Ethiopian text

:Names: "Larvandad, Hormisdas, and Gushnasaph":Source: Syrian Christian folklore

:Appear in the Bible at: Matthew 2

The Gospel is not clear that there were in fact three Magi or when exactly did they visit Jesus; only that there was more than one Magus, and three gifts. Nevertheless, the number of Magi is usually extrapolated from the gifts, and as such the Three Wise Men are a staple of Christian Nativity scenes. While the European names have enjoyed the most publicity, other faith traditions have widely different versions.

According to the "Armenisches Kindheitsevangelium", the three magi were brothers and kings, namely Balthasar, king of India, Melqon, king of Persia, and Gaspar, king of Arabia. The Chinese Christian Church believes that the astronomer Liu Shang was one of the Wisemen.

The Nativity shepherds

:Names: "Asher, Zebulun, Justus, Nicodemus, Joseph, Barshabba, and Jose":Source: The Syrian "Book of the Bee":Appear in the Bible at Luke 2

The "Book of the Bee" was written by Bishop Shelemon in the Aramaic language in the thirteenth century.

Sisters (or Step-Sisters or Female Cousins) of Jesus

:Names: "Maria":Source: "Gospel according to Phillipus" [Wilhelm Schneemelcher, Neutestamentarische Apokryphen. In deutscher Übersetzung: 2 Bde., Mohr Siebeck; 1999, Vol. 1, p. 159]

:Names: "Lysia and Lydia":Source: "History of Joseph the Carpenter" Wilhelm Schneemelcher, Neutestamentarische Apokryphen. In deutscher Übersetzung: 2 Bde., Mohr Siebeck; 1999, Vol. 1, p. 363]

:Names: "Maria or Anna, Salomé":Source: "Epiphanus"

The fact that Jesus had at least two sisters (or stepsisters or female cousins) is mentioned in Mark 3, 32–34 and Matthew 12, 50, though their exact number is not specified in either gospel. In addition, the various versions of Epiphanus differ on whether one of the sisters was named Maria or Anna.

Herodias' daughter

:Name: "":Source: The "Jewish Antiquities" of Josephus [http://sacred-texts.com/jud/josephus/ant-18.htm] :Appears in the Bible at: Matthew 14, Mark 6

Syrophoenician woman

:Name: "Justa":Source: Third century pseudo-Clementine homily:Appears in the Bible at: Matthew 15, Mark 7

According to the same source, her daughter was "Berenice".

Hæmorrhaging woman

:Name: "Bernice":Source: The apocryphal "Acts of Pilate"

:Name: "Veronica":Source: Latin translation of the "Acts of Pilate"

:Appears in the Bible at:

Pontius Pilate's wife

:Name: "Claudia", "Procla", "Procula", "Perpetua" or "Claudia Procles":Source: European folklore; Dolorous Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ (as "Claudia Procles") [ [http://www.jesus-passion.com/THE_PASSION3.htm#CHAPTER%20XXIX Dolorous Passion Of Our Lord Jesus Christ ] ] :Appears in the Bible at: bibleref|Matthew|27:19

During the trial of Jesus the wife of Pontius Pilate sent a message to him saying, "Have nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him."

The proposed names of Procla and Procula may not be names at all, but simply a form of Pilate's official title of Procurator, indicating that she was the Procurator's wife.

Thieves crucified with Jesus

:Names: "Zoathan" and "Chammata":Source: Gospel of Mark (Latin addition to the Greek text) ["Nomine Zoathan et nomine Chammata"; in: Codex Colbertinus, 4051 (Lat. 254), National Library, Paris]

:Names: "Zoatham" and "Camma":Source: Gospel of Matthew (Latin addition to the Greek text) ["Nomine Zoatham et nomine Camma"; in: Codex Colbertinus, 4051 (Lat. 254), National Library, Paris]

:Names: "Joathas" and "Maggatras":Source: Gospel of Luke (Latin addition to the Greek text) ["Joathas et Maggatras"; Codex Rehdigeranus 169, National Library, Berlin (Depot Breslau 5); "facsimile": Library of the University of Basel, A. N. IV.2]

:Names: "Titus" and "Dumachus":Source: "Arabic Gospel of the Infancy of the Saviour"

:Names: "Dismas" and "Gestas" (or, "Gesmas"):Source: "Acts of Pilate"

:Appears in the Bible at: Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23

Dismas is revered as a saint under that name by Roman Catholics.

Soldier who pierced Jesus with a spear

:Name: "Longinus":Source: "Acts of Pilate":Appears in the Bible at: John 19:34

In tradition he is called "Cassius" before his conversion to Christianity. [ [http://www.heiligenlexikon.de/Stadler/Longinus.html "Longinus"] , in: Johann Evangelist Stadler "et al.", "Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon", 1858-1882 (reprint: Hildesheim, 1996)] The "Lance of Longinus", also known as the "Spear of Destiny", is supposedly preserved as a relic, and various miracles are said to be worked through it.

Man who offered Jesus vinegar

:Name: "Stephaton":Source: "Codex Egberti", tenth century:Appears in the Bible at: bibleref|Matthew|27:48

Guard(s) at Jesus' tomb

:Name: "Petronius":Source: Apocryphal "Gospel of Peter"

:Names: "Issachar, Gad, Matthias, Barnabas, Simon":Source: "The Book of the Bee"

:Appears in the Bible at: bibleref|Matthew|27:62–66

There is some confusion as to whether there was one guard, or more than one. It was written that Pilate gave the Pharisees permission to make the tomb as secure as possible. He also told them to "take a guard". Literally we understand it as one guard. However, contextually during the time of Roman rule, a guard refers to a guard or detail of soldiers. It is very similar to how we quantify soldiers nowadays as a platoon or a regiment or brigade.

Cleopas's companion on the road to Emmaus

:Names: "Nathanael", "Nicodemus", "Simon", or "Luke":Source: European folklore:Appears in the Bible at: Luke 24:18

Some have surmised that it was indeed the author of the Gospel of Luke who is this nameless Biblical character.

ee also

*Non-canonical books referenced in the Bible

Notes

For further reference

* "Names for the Nameless", in "The Oxford Companion to the Bible", Bruce M. Metzger and Michael D. Coogan, editors. ISBN 0-19-504645-5