Elihu
Meanings & Origins
"He is my God"
Popularity
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“A rare biblical gem meaning my God is He”
Origin & Etymology
Elihu is a Hebrew biblical name from the root words meaning my God is He or He is my God. The name appears in the Old Testament as several distinct figures, most notably as one of Job's three friends who speaks lengthy discourses in the Book of Job (chapters 32-37). Elihu ben Barachel the Buzite is presented as a young man who had waited respectfully for the older men to speak before offering his own perspective on Job's suffering. The name carries the gravitas of biblical antiquity and was particularly popular among Puritan settlers in America.
Popularity Story
Elihu was a favorite name among Puritan and early American communities in the 17th-19th centuries, when biblical names were fashionable and parents sought names reflecting deep faith. It declined through the 20th century but is now being rediscovered by families seeking distinctive Old Testament alternatives to more common names like Elijah or Eli.
Cultural Significance
Elihu Root (1845-1937) was a prominent American statesman who served as Secretary of War and Secretary of State, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912. Elihu Yale, a colonial-era merchant, made donations to a Connecticut college that was subsequently renamed Yale University in his honor in 1718.
Fun Facts
- Yale University is named after Elihu Yale, a colonial merchant who donated to the school in 1718
- Elihu Root won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1912 for his work promoting international arbitration
- Elihu appears in the Book of Job as a young man who offers a passionate defense of God's justice