Names of Jesus
Jesus is his personal name — the Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua, “the Lord saves.” Around it, scripture builds dozens of titles: Christ, Son of Man, Lamb of God, Good Shepherd, Alpha and Omega. Each one captures a different aspect of who the New Testament says he is, and many echo Old Testament prophecy.
This page gathers 100+ names and titles of Jesus with their meanings and the verses where they appear, from Isaiah’s prophecies to the seven “I Am” sayings in John and the vivid titles of Revelation. For the Hebrew names of the Father, see our list of names of God; for people named after the apostles and early church, browse biblical names and saint names.
The name Jesus and his core titles
The names most often used for Jesus in the Gospels, and what they meant to first-century listeners.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus | Greek form of Yeshua/Joshua, “the Lord saves” | Matthew 1:21 |
| Yeshua | Hebrew/Aramaic form of his name | Hebrew form of Joshua |
| Christ | Greek Christos, “anointed one” | Matthew 16:16 |
| Messiah | Hebrew Mashiach, “anointed one” | John 1:41 |
| Immanuel | God with us | Matthew 1:23 |
| Son of God | His unique relationship with the Father | Mark 1:1 |
| Son of Man | His favorite self-title, echoing Daniel | Mark 10:45; Daniel 7:13 |
| Son of David | Heir of the royal line | Matthew 9:27 |
| Son of Mary | His human family | Mark 6:3 |
| Jesus of Nazareth | His hometown in Galilee | John 19:19 |
| Rabbi | Teacher | John 1:38 |
| Rabboni | “My teacher,” an affectionate form | John 20:16 |
| Master | Commander, teacher | Luke 5:5 |
| Lord | Kyrios, sovereign master | Philippians 2:11 |
| The Word (Logos) | God’s self-expression made flesh | John 1:1, 14 |
| Only Begotten Son | Unique, one of a kind | John 3:16 (KJV) |
| Nazarene | From Nazareth | Matthew 2:23 |
| Teacher | Didaskalos, one who instructs | John 13:13 |
Names of Jesus from Old Testament prophecy
Christians read these prophetic titles as pointing to Jesus. Isaiah 9:6 alone supplies four of the best-loved.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Wonderful Counselor | Extraordinary guide and advisor | Isaiah 9:6 |
| Mighty God | Divine strength | Isaiah 9:6 |
| Everlasting Father | Eternal, caring protector | Isaiah 9:6 |
| Prince of Peace | Bringer of lasting peace | Isaiah 9:6 |
| Branch | New growth from David’s line | Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 6:12 |
| Root of Jesse | Descendant of David’s father | Isaiah 11:10 |
| Suffering Servant | One who bears others’ pain | Isaiah 53 |
| Man of Sorrows | Acquainted with grief | Isaiah 53:3 |
| Star out of Jacob | A coming ruler | Numbers 24:17 |
| Sun of Righteousness | Healing light | Malachi 4:2 |
| Shiloh | He to whom it belongs; bringer of rest | Genesis 49:10 |
| Ruler in Israel | Born in Bethlehem | Micah 5:2 |
| Cornerstone | Foundation of God’s house | Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22 |
| Desire of All Nations | One longed for by all | Haggai 2:7 (KJV) |
| Dayspring from on High | The dawn of salvation | Luke 1:78 (KJV) |
| Horn of Salvation | Mighty savior | Luke 1:69 |
| Consolation of Israel | The comfort Israel awaited | Luke 2:25 |
The seven “I Am” sayings in John
In John’s Gospel Jesus describes himself with seven memorable images, each beginning with “I am,” echoing the divine name of Exodus 3:14.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Bread of Life | The one who truly satisfies | John 6:35 |
| Light of the World | Truth that drives out darkness | John 8:12 |
| Door (Gate) | The way into safety | John 10:9 |
| Good Shepherd | Who lays down his life for the sheep | John 10:11 |
| Resurrection and the Life | Victory over death | John 11:25 |
| Way, Truth and Life | The path to the Father | John 14:6 |
| True Vine | Source of life and fruitfulness | John 15:1 |
Titles of Jesus as savior and redeemer
Names connected with the cross, forgiveness and new life, drawn from the Gospels and the letters.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb of God | The sacrifice that takes away sin | John 1:29 |
| Savior | One who rescues | Luke 2:11 |
| Redeemer | One who pays to set free | Job 19:25; Galatians 3:13 |
| Mediator | Go-between for God and humanity | 1 Timothy 2:5 |
| Advocate | One who pleads our case | 1 John 2:1 |
| Great High Priest | Perfect intercessor | Hebrews 4:14 |
| Author and Finisher of Our Faith | Founder and perfecter | Hebrews 12:2 |
| Pioneer of Salvation | One who goes ahead | Hebrews 2:10 |
| Last Adam | Head of a new humanity | 1 Corinthians 15:45 |
| Firstfruits | First to rise from the dead | 1 Corinthians 15:20 |
| Passover Lamb | Fulfillment of the Exodus meal | 1 Corinthians 5:7 |
| Physician | Healer of body and soul | Mark 2:17 |
| Friend of Sinners | One who welcomes outsiders | Matthew 11:19 |
| Bridegroom | Loving husband of the church | Matthew 9:15 |
| Hope of Glory | Christ in you | Colossians 1:27 |
| Our Peace | One who breaks down walls | Ephesians 2:14 |
| Wisdom of God | God’s plan revealed | 1 Corinthians 1:24 |
| Power of God | God’s strength at work | 1 Corinthians 1:24 |
| Righteous One | Perfectly just | Acts 7:52 |
| Author of Life | Source of all life | Acts 3:15 |
| Living Stone | Rejected by people, chosen by God | 1 Peter 2:4 |
| Great Shepherd of the Sheep | Leader and protector | Hebrews 13:20 |
| Overseer of Souls | Guardian of believers | 1 Peter 2:25 |
Names of Jesus as king and lord
Royal titles from across the New Testament, many used in hymns and Christmas carols.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| King of the Jews | The charge nailed to the cross | Matthew 27:37 |
| King of Kings | Ruler over every ruler | Revelation 19:16 |
| Lord of Lords | Highest authority | Revelation 17:14 |
| Head of the Church | Leader of all believers | Ephesians 5:23 |
| Chief Shepherd | Leader of all shepherds | 1 Peter 5:4 |
| Chief Cornerstone | Key foundation stone | Ephesians 2:20 |
| Image of the Invisible God | God made visible | Colossians 1:15 |
| Firstborn over All Creation | Supreme in rank | Colossians 1:15 |
| Lord of the Sabbath | Authority over the day of rest | Mark 2:28 |
| Holy One of God | Set apart by God | Mark 1:24 |
| Judge of the Living and the Dead | Final judge | Acts 10:42 |
| Prophet | One who speaks for God | Matthew 21:11 |
| Apostle | God’s sent one | Hebrews 3:1 |
| Emmanuel | Alternate spelling of Immanuel, “God with us” | Hymn tradition |
Names of Jesus in the Book of Revelation
John’s vision is full of striking titles for the risen Christ.
| Name / title | Meaning | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha and Omega | The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet | Revelation 22:13 |
| Beginning and the End | Eternal | Revelation 21:6 |
| Bright Morning Star | Herald of a new day | Revelation 22:16 |
| Lion of the Tribe of Judah | Royal strength | Revelation 5:5 |
| Root and Offspring of David | Both source and descendant | Revelation 22:16 |
| Faithful and True | Completely trustworthy | Revelation 19:11 |
| Word of God | God’s final word | Revelation 19:13 |
| Amen | The faithful witness | Revelation 3:14 |
| Faithful Witness | One who tells the truth | Revelation 1:5 |
| Firstborn from the Dead | First to rise to eternal life | Revelation 1:5 |
| Living One | Was dead, now alive forever | Revelation 1:18 |
| Ruler of the Kings of the Earth | Above all powers | Revelation 1:5 |
| Lamb Who Was Slain | Sacrifice now reigning | Revelation 5:12 |
The name Jesus in other languages
The same name travels differently across languages. If you’re looking for baby names, note that Jesús is widely used in the Spanish-speaking world; see Spanish boy names.
| Name | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Iēsous | Greek | Language of the New Testament |
| Iesus | Latin | Basis of most European forms |
| Jesús | Spanish | A common given name |
| Gesù | Italian | Pronounced jeh-ZOO |
| Jésus | French | Pronounced zhay-ZOO |
| Isa | Arabic (Qur’an) | Revered as a prophet in Islam |
| Yasu | Arabic (Christian usage) | Used by Arab Christians |
| Iisus | Russian | Church Slavonic form |
| Íosa | Irish | Irish Gaelic form |
| Yesu | Swahili | Used across East Africa |
| Jezus | Polish and Dutch | Pronounced YEH-zoos |
How to study the names of Jesus
- Start with Isaiah 9:6 and the seven “I Am” sayings in John; together they cover most of the best-known titles.
- Look up the Old Testament source whenever the New Testament quotes one, e.g. Son of Man in Daniel 7:13.
- Use the names in worship: many hymns are built around a single title, such as “Jesus, Lamb of God” or “Morning Star.”
- For a baby with a Christ-centered meaning, consider names like Emmanuel, Joshua (the same Hebrew root as Jesus) or Christian; see Christian names.
Frequently asked questions
What was Jesus’s real name?
In Aramaic and Hebrew he was called Yeshua, a form of Joshua meaning “the Lord saves.” “Jesus” comes from the Greek Iēsous via Latin.
Is Christ Jesus’s last name?
No. Christ is a title from the Greek Christos, “anointed one,” equivalent to the Hebrew Messiah. People at the time would have called him Jesus of Nazareth or Jesus son of Joseph.
How many names of Jesus are in the Bible?
There is no fixed number; lists commonly include 100 to 200 names and titles depending on what is counted.
What does Immanuel mean?
Immanuel (or Emmanuel) means “God with us.” It comes from Isaiah 7:14 and is applied to Jesus in Matthew 1:23.
What are the seven “I Am” statements?
Bread of Life, Light of the World, the Door, the Good Shepherd, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the True Vine, all in John’s Gospel.