Hebrew Names in the Bible Trivia Quiz

Answer: Avraham

The name "Avraham" is made up of the words "Av" = "father", "hamon am" = "many nations". His original name was Abram (Avram in Hebrew) but was changed when he set off on his journey to the promised land. Genesis Chapter 17.

Answer: Rachel, female sheep

Jacob is called "Yaakov" in Hebrew. This is an approximate transliteration since the "a" in this name has no equivalent in English. It's pronounced "ah" in the back of the throat. Rachel looks the same but the "a" is short as in "hat" and the "ch" is a soft guttural midway between a German "ch" and "h".
Genesis, Chapter 29.

Answer: Shlomo

Zalman and Solly are Yiddish derivatives of the same name. Saul (Sha-ul) ruled before King David. "Shlomo" (alternatively transliterated "Shelomo") is a compound of "shalom" = peace, and "lo" = his. Kings I, Chapter 3.

Answer: the name has a common root with all of these

"Ground" is "adamah" in Hebrew. The word for "red" is "adom" and indeed the earth in Israel in many places has a distinctive reddish hue. "Likeness" is "dmut" and hints at the creation of Adam in God's image. Interestingly this word is also related to "dimion" = "imagination" and hints at man's ability to envisage and create.

Answer: Moshe, drawn out of the water

Moshe was indeed the human redeemer of Israel in Egypt but his name simply means, 'drawn out of the water'. Musa is the same name in Arabic. Exodus Chapter 2, verse 10.

Answer: Yehuda

The letter J does not exist in Hebrew. You can assume that, in pretty much all cases where you see a J in English, the name will be spelled with a Y in Hebrew.
Yehuda's name comes from the Hebrew word Lehodot meaning "to thank". Genesis Chapter 29, verse 35.

Answer: Binyamin

Rachel did indeed call this son "Ben Oni" which roughly means "son of my affliction" since she was dying during childbirth, but Jacob called him Binyamin, which means "son of the right". This needs a little explanation. Jacob was travelling to the south and homeward.

When facing east, the direction south was to his right. In this way Jacob commemorated that his son was born on his journey home. It can also hint at the right hand which is the stronger hand. Genesis Chapter 35 verses 17-20.

Answer: Isaac or Yitzhak (he will laugh)

Yitzhak's name is from the root for laughter because both Sarah and Avraham laughed at the idea that they might have a son at their advanced age. Esav was Yaakov's brother and Ishmael was Isaac's brother. Meanings of Esav and Ishmael are given according to tradition. Yisca is another relative of Avraham's and though Isaac did indeed appear to lose his sight in later years, this is not a meaning of any name. Genesis Chapter 17.

Answer: Israel, he who strives with God

Yaakov's original name was derived from the word 'akev' meaning 'heel' since he was grasping his twin brother Esav's heel during childbirth. Esav called his twin brother a usurper since he was convinced that Yaakov was after the prestige and benefits of being the first born. Genesis Chapter 25.

Answer: hoveh, of the verb "to be"

Yes, the name comes from the Hebrew verb for existence itself. According to the monotheistic tradition, God is not a beING per se but a be-er, that which causes existence to exist and is eternal, being both transcendent and immanent to all beings created. Of course "Ova" is Latin not Hebrew, and "Oy vey" is an exclamation in Yiddish.