I need help getting/finding/making up a name for God, a kind of disguise for Him, for my story about the Yardenians. Can you help me out? I'm clueless, and I can't think up a single name. I want it to be masculine and powerful, but a bit whimsical, and romantic at the same time... is that even possible? I have no idea! Could you enlighten me?
Thanks,
Promised

Hi Promised,

I had the same problem! Then I started writing down all the things God is like, God is love, happiness, joy, peace, powerful, almighty, protecting, eternal, ect. Then I spelled each word backwards and I thought, for my story, that Eternal (Lanrete) worked best. You could try that. ^^

Take "Adonai" and flip it backwards and you get "Ianoda"

In my story I just use The Creator...I know it's not very original, but that way the readers can be sure that I'm actually talking about the guy that made our universe and not some other God I made up for my world. Also, the fewer proper names in your story the easier it is for the reader to remember each one. But I think a name would work good, too, depending on your story.

eruheran

Wow, thanks so much guys! I love the Adonai one, and the Eternal one. I'll try both ways... I'll see what I come up with!

My favorite name for God, ever, is Maleldil, from C.S. Lewis Out of the Silent Planet. I like that so much I want to use it for my own allegories.

I know there's more, (besides Aslan, duh) but my mind just went blank. If I remember, I'll tell you.

(I like the eternal one too. Lanrete has quite a ring to it.)

I wanted something original. My brother and I knew that our saga's summary talked about 'forges hidden within the stars', so we thought maybe something based off of Nebula. We tried Nebulon and several others that I can't remember now, but I ended up taking two words from a language from my story called 'Pelnese': Nebun + Thos. Nebun = Light. Thos = Great. The result: Nebuthos, or 'Great Light'. God is known by that name by a race of peoples who recognized God's existence and His creation of the Universe; they call Him by that name because he dwells in the Heavens.

Oh, cool! I never thought of using another language to make one up... I know some Latin and Greek... I might be able to come up with something that way!?

Patralma is a name for God that I made using Spanish words. Padre - father, Alma - soul. So it means roughly Soul Father or Father of Souls. Further alteration would render it Patralmis. Just a thought.
In Christ,
Jordan

Thanks Jordan! I'm still searching.. I don't want to take your names, but I'm taking suggestions!

I've played around with a lot of ideas.

At this point I think I'm just going to use the One, which is not very original, but I am going to play it up so that it makes sense. (Also, if I ever have dedicated readers, I will use the title 'the One' throughout all my fantasy books regardless of world because God is Lord of all worlds and it would be pretty cool to show that.)

L.B. Graham's name 'Allfather' was pretty good, IMO. I like the English ones; I've seen a ton of madeup names and I got tired of them.

And I really loved Lewis' Maleldil too. That was such a perfect name, and yet I don't know why.

Would you happen to remember what it breaks down to linguistically? I remember 'eldil' meant 'angel' or 'spirit' but I don't know what the prefix 'mal' means...? Or did it never say?

It's been a couple years since I've had my hands on the last two books, and a year since I read Out of the Silent Planet.

I am pretty boring, in my story I call God Theos which is God in Greek. I wanted to have a specific name rather than just calling him "God" but I also wanted to make it obvious Who I'm talking about. Illuvatar is what Tolkien used, that works pretty well too, but it would be cheating to use his name for God.

I don't remember it meaning anything specific, but you're right about the Eldil. They were like angels, right? I never got to read the second two books. My dad only owns the first one and the library has none...

Ted Dekker has Elyon which is cool too. I don't know how they come up with these.

Eldil were like the angels in Out of the Silent Planet. And about the Space Trilogy, the books get progressively worse as you read. The first one's the best, the second's OK, but the third one is awful.

Isn't Elyon used somewhere in the Bible, or doesn't it mean something?

eruheran

I know that's what the eldil were, I just wondered if that was the linguistic basis for them in Old Solar. (I believe that is what Lewis called his language.)

Katie, do read the other books. I really liked That Hideous Strength (even though it was earth-bound). Perelandra was quite interesting too. I just can't get them from any local libraries around here and my uncle only has the first book. Someday...

I can't remember if it said at all what Maleldil meant. Seems it might've...but then again... ::shrug:: I can't remember what the word Oyarsa means either. Latin, I think?

Now you're making me want to read those books again now that I am older and can understand them better than I did at first.

Promised, I don't actually use any of the names I've suggested so you wouldn't be taking them.

Oh. *pained smiley* Oyarsa was defined, but I sure can't remember...

I've been coming up with a bunch of names, but it's hard sometimes...

I believe Elyon is a name of God in the Hebrew Bible... at least, that's what I think it is.

In regards to the Space Trilogy, I actually like That Hideous Strength the best of all three. As far as I know Elyon is not in the Bible, but El is a common prefix in Hebrew names of God eg. elohim, el shaddai.

Elyon is a Hebrew word that means 'God Most High'. It is used often in the Psalms--nearly every time the phrase 'Most High' is used in reference to God, the Hebrew word in that place was Elyon.

Here's a song from a Psalm that we sing occasionally in my home-fellowship:

You who dwell in the secret place of Elyon,
You who dwell in the secret place of Elyon,
Who take refuge in the shelter of Shaddai,
Who take refuge in the shelter of Shaddai,
Who say, you are my God.
Who say, you are my fortress...

ELYON!!! I was thinking about using that name, but couldn't remember where I had heard it! Now I know!!! Thank you so much!

I knew El Shaddai... It's actually a hebrew word, right? So you won't find it in most translation which is why I might not know it. But now that you mention it, Michael Card's song goes:

El Shaddai, El Shaddai, El Elyona Adonai

And I spent a lot of time wondering what on earth Elyona meant until I forgot it.

Mystery solved. So Ted Dekker didn't make that up. So we can all reuse it to our hearts content. It's a beautiful name.

El Shaddai is Hebrew. I know that song... in fact, I have it in sheet music! Lol.

Ted Dekker! I love him! I think that is where I first heard it used too. I thought it was so pretty, but, strong at the same time! You people are such a great help!

I call Him Elu or Adon alternatively. Adon came from Adonai, and Elu, well, just seemed to work. It does have "el" in it like many of His Hebrew names. I tend to think names for God should be simple, since He is so great and eternal that no human name could describe Him.

Oh, I love those Sarah! I never thought of just taking the first bit of the name!

Sarah,
"adon" is the root of the Hebrew "Adonai" it means "lord"

Yeah, I always use names for God in other languages.

Yeah, that's really cool!

I LOVE Michael Card! That is one of my favorite songs by him.

I've had a hard time deciding this too. (I'm not very good at coming up with names.) Though I finally decided that I wanted the name to be familiar to the reader for easy pronunciation. It was a tossup between Adonai and Elohim... I think I'll do Elohim though.

I decided on Elyon... love it!

I love that song too!

Good discussion guys. Since the name is already chosen though, there is no point in me adding my two bits.

While digging around for something I found myself in the middle of my nanowrimo novel from last year which I've been avoiding and rediscovered the fact that I'd actually written in Christianity (something I once said I'd never do) and my name for God in that was Twydion.

No clue where that came from...

lol

Some of these names are amazing. I have no idea how you guy/girls can be so creative in coming up with them!

Ok, so I'm prolly too late to be of any help, but I thought I'd speak my mind anyway.

I was going to say not to use Elyon, simply because I believe it to be overused, but it's your story and you decide. It is a wonderful, wonderful name and I have nothing against it. But, not only has Dekker written so much 'into' it, there is also a series called The Land of Elyon, same idea. I just hate for something to get overused.

I found a poster at one point that has a list of the names of God, and the meanings. One of them I picked out for my own story: Moshia, meaning 'Savior' There is also Goel, (Though I know yet another series of books that refer to God as Goel)

Yeah, I agree. I should probably do some more research and find something else. I know that Elyon is a widely used name, and I would like to use something different for a change.
I'll have to look into that and find a new name... Thanks! You were a great help!

What are some places where I could search for names for God? I don't really want to just google it... you never know what you'll get, but that might be what I have to do. Thanks again all. I love hearing all of the wonderful names you have used, and come up with.

Try looking through the Old Testament, for names the Israelites called Him...Not sure if that's been mentioned before or not.

I have looked through there before, but I'm wanting something a little more original. Once in Bible for school I did a lesson on the different names for Jesus and God and there were quite a few that I liked, but they didn't quite fit... You know?

Hello everyone,

So I'm working on my first novel this year. The storyline and main characters names are already chosen I didn't seem to have much trouble with that, but I've been having trouble trying to think of a name for my character who is supposed to represent God. In the story line He's the King, so I need a sort of kingly name. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on deciding on names? If so I would be extremely grateful for your advice.

Thank you! Your time is much appreciated!

Bethany Faith

Toviel. It's Hebrew based. It means God is good.

If you're looking for further advice, I always play by the meanings and root languages. My sea people have Hawaiian and African based names while my anthrogryphs have Greek and Latin based names. From there it's just how it sounds to you.

Thanks for the advice! I like to find Hebrew names for a lot of my stories so it's really ironic that you suggested a Hebrew name. I think it sounds very good for the character. Thank you

Bethany Faith

The thread "Naming my Characters" has been merged into this one and both have been moved in the Naming forum. Hope I didn't hopelessly confuse anyone.

When I wrote my story I used one of the names for Jesus in Chinese.

I'm writing a story right now where I just call my Deity (God, of course) The Creator.

At first I heard Eru's "The Creator" and loved it so much that I adopted it as my own, but then I changed "The Creator" to "The Maker" because it fit so well with the way God created Murel. Now I'm considering using more than one, like how the Bible uses Jehovah, Lord, and LORD.