Baby Name of the Day: Moses

Leading lady Gwyneth Paltrow chose this Old Testament prophet for her baby boy’s name back in 2006, but he remains relatively underused.

Thanks to Sarah for suggesting Moses as our Baby Name of the Day.

Unlike some Biblical figures, Moses needs no introduction.  The image of Oscar-winning Charlton Heston holding aloft the Ten Commandments is cemented in our collective memory.  Even if you’ve never set foot in a church or synagogue, odds are that you have a general sense of the figure’s significance.

First came the death sentence, when the Egyptian pharaoh ordered all Hebrew boys killed as a check against the rapidly growing minority in his kingdom.  Floated downstream in a basket, the river led him into the arms of the Egyptian royal family.  When he grew to adulthood and discovered his true heritage, he became the leader of his people, parting the Red Sea to lead them to safety, receiving the Ten Commandments from God himself.

The Old Testament gives us a meaning for his name – Mošeh, from the root mšh, to draw.  The pharaoh’s daughter explains that she is choosing the name because she drew him out of the Nile River.  But she was probably falling into the same habit so many of us do today – confusing a similar-sounding word for the name’s meaning.  Most suggest that Mošeh is derived from the Egyptian mes – son.

Given Moses’ significance, the first meaning is truly irresistible.  It’s been stretched even further; depending on the source, you’ll find his meaning listed as one who delivers.   (Incidentally, if you’re wondering about Moses’ birth name, it appears that it was Moses.)

But that’s not the only possible reason to use Moses, and indeed, Paltrow and hubby Chris Martin of Coldplay were thinking of something entirely different when they chose a name for Apple’s little brother.  Martin had written a song titled “Moses” for his wife as a wedding present.

Other uses of the name include:

• The sculpture pictured above is one of Michelangelo’s masterworks, commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1505.  And yep, those are horns;
• There are at least two Saints Moses from the early church;
• In Islamic tradition, there’s also a noteworthy Imam called Moses;
• Torah scholar and leading thinker of the Middle Ages Maimonides was born Moses ben Maimon.  There’s also a famous medieval Spanish rabbi, Moses de León.

The name remains in use for centuries, but most of the notable bearers are Jewish, up until relatively recent years when we find:

• Moses Hogan, an African-American composer, best known for his enduring arrangements of traditional spirituals;
• Legendary hoop star Moses Malone, an NBA Hall-of-Famer;
• Speaking of legends, Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor sang the silly “Moses Supposes” in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain.

The most surprising thing isn’t that Moses currently ranks #503.  With all of the Biblical boys in vogue, Moses is a natural for parents to consider.  The surprising thing is that Moses – unlike many of his Old Testament companions – was far more popular in the past.  In 1880, he stood at #119.

Could it be that Moses is one case where a celebrity’s choice is making a name less attractive?