Book of Mormon/Names

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Criticism

Critics claim some Book of Mormon names are used improperly or in an inappropriate context. Examples include:

• using "Alma" as a man's name, rather than a woman's name

Source(s) of the Criticism

• "That Man Alma," Utah Evangel 33:3 (April 1986): 2.
• Walter Martin, The Maze of Mormonism (Santa Ana, California: Vision House, 1978), 327.
• Robert McKay, "A Mormon Name," Utah Evangel 31:8 (August 1984): 4.
• John L. Smith, editorial comment on Robert McKay, "A Mormon Name," Utah Evangel 31:8 (August 1984): 4.

Response

Alma

Despite claims into the 1980s by anti-Mormon critics, the name "Alma" has been known since the 1960s as a male Hebrew name. It occurs in contexts from 2200 B.C. to the second century B.C.^[1]

Jaredite Names

The Jaredite names Kib, Shule, Akish, Com, Kish, Shiblon, Hill Shim, Wilderness of Akish, and Land of Heth all have at least close analogues (and some exact matches) in Mesoamerican ^[2]

Of the name Kish, Warren notes:

On the Tablet of the Cross at Palenque are found engravings that trace the genealogy of Kan Balam, the son of King Pacal, who is buried in the great tomb there. Among the names of Kan Balam’s royal ancestors is found what may be the full name of King Kish_U-Kish Kan, an ancient king of the Olmec culture...U-Kish Kan was born on Wednesday, 8 March 993 B.C. In San Lorenzo Tenochtitlan in southern Mexico an engraved stone known as Monument 47 depicts a king who has a serpent around his waist and who holds the head of the serpent in his hands. The serpent has feathers on its head. This monument is Olmec in style and dates to the beginning of the first millennium B.C. The monument’s head is missing, but because of the dating and imagery of the monument, it could be a representation of Kan Balam’s ancestor, U-Kish Kan, who took the throne on Wednesday, 25 March 967 B.C. Kish, an Olmec and a Maya name, is prominent throughout the Jaredite history of the book of Ether. The component Kish is also evident in the compound names of two other Jaredite kings, Riplakish and Akish.^[3]

Conclusion

A summary of the argument against the criticism.

Endnotes

1. [note]  Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR Conference. FAIR link
2. [note] Bruce w. Warren, "Surviving Jaredite Names in Mesoamerica," 'Meridian Magazine (26 May 2005)off-site; citing Blaine M. Yorgason, Bruce W. Warren, and Harold Brown. New Evidences of Christ in Ancient America (Book of Mormon Research Foundation. Provo: 1999), Chaper 2, “Jaredite Connections with Mesoamerica,” 17–19
3. [note] Bruce w. Warren, "'Kish'—A personal Name" 'Meridian Magazine (17 February 2005)off-site; citing Blaine M. Yorgason, Bruce W. Warren, and Harold Brown. New Evidences of Christ in Ancient America (Book of Mormon Research Foundation. Provo: 1999), 19–22.

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

Book of Mormon/Names

FAIR web site

• FAIR Topical Guide:

External links

General treatments

• John A. Tvedtnes, "What's in a Name? A Look at the Book of Mormon Onomasticon (Review of I Know Thee by Name: Hebrew Roots of Lehi-ite Non-Biblical Names in the Book of Mormon)," FARMS Review of Books 8/2 (1996): 34–42. off-site
• Gordon C. Thomasson, "'What's in a Name? Book of Mormon Language, Names, and [Metonymic] Naming'," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 3/1 (1994). [1–27] link
• Stephen D. Ricks and John A. Tvedtnes, "The Hebrew Origin of Some Book of Mormon Place Names," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 6/2 (1997). [255–259] link
• Paul Y. Hoskisson, "What's in a Name?," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 7/1 (1998). [78–] link

Alma

• Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR Conference. FAIR link
• Terrence L. Szink, "New Light: Further Evidence of a Semitic Alma," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/1 (1999). [70–70] link
• "John A. Tvedtnes, John Gee, Matthew Roper", "Book of Mormon Names Attested in Ancient Hebrew Inscriptions," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [40–51] link

Aha

• Anonymous, "'Out of the Dust: Did the 'Last Jaredite,' Coriantumr, Leave Descendants?'," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 8/2 (1999). link

Jershon

• Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR

Conference. FAIR link

Lehi and Sariah

• John Gee, "A Note on the Name Nephi," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 1/1 (1992). [189–191] link
• Anonymous, "Seeking Agreement on the Meaning of Book of Mormon Names," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [28–29] link
• Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Lehi and Sariah," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [30–31] link
• Jeffrey R. Chadwick, "The Names Lehi and Sariah—Language and Meaning," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [32–34] link
• Dana M. Pike, "Response to Paul Hoskisson's 'Lehi and Sariah'," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [35–36] link
• John A. Tvedtnes, "Lehi and Sariah Comments," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [37–37] link
• Paul Y. Hoskisson, "Response to the Comments," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/1 (2000). [38–39] link

Nahom

• Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR Conference. FAIR link
• See also Nahom in geography section.

Nephi

• John Gee, "A Note on the Name Nephi," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 1/1 (1992). [189–191] link
• Paul Y. Hoskisson, "What's in a Name?," Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 9/2 (2000). [70–71] link

Sheum

• Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR Conference. FAIR link

Shilum

• Matthew Roper, Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon2001 FAIR Conference. FAIR link

Printed material

• Printed resources whose text is not available online

Matthew Roper, "Right on Target: Boomerang Hits and the Book of Mormon" FAIR link