The Bible gives Jesus dozens of names and titles. His given name, Jesus, means the LORD saves, because "he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Christ (Hebrew Messiah) means anointed. Isaiah called Him "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6). Other titles include Emmanuel, Son of Man, the Branch, Saviour of the world, Prince of life, Alpha and Omega and the Word of God.
In the Bible, a name is more than a label. It tells you who someone is and what they came to do. That is why the names of Jesus are worth knowing. Each one shows another side of who He is: King, Priest, Shepherd, Saviour, the eternal God made flesh. Many of the most famous names are Christmas names. An angel told Joseph to call the child Jesus, and Matthew adds that He would be called Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (Matthew 1:23). Isaiah's list in Isaiah 9:6 is read in churches every December. Advent is a wonderful season to learn them. Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), meaning the LORD is salvation. Christ is the Greek word for anointed, the same idea as the Hebrew Messiah. Son of Man was Jesus' favorite way to speak of Himself, used more than eighty times in the four Gospels. The twelve King James verses below gather names from His coming, from His saving work and from His glory. For the names of God the Father in Hebrew, see Hebrew names of God; for Jesus' own I AM sayings, see Bible verses about I AM.
Names of the promised One: Messias, Son of Man, the Branch
1. John 1:41
"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ."
After meeting Jesus, Andrew ran to his brother: We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ. Messias is the KJV spelling of Messiah, and it appears only twice in the Bible (here and John 4:25). Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) both mean anointed one. Kings and priests were anointed with oil. Jesus is the Anointed One every prophet was waiting for. When we say Jesus Christ, we are making a statement of faith, not using a last name.
2. Daniel 7:13
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him."
Daniel saw one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of days. Jesus took this title for Himself more than any other. It sounds humble, and it is: He was truly human. But in Daniel it is also a title of heavenly glory, because the Son of man receives an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 7:14). At His trial Jesus said they would see the Son of man... coming in the clouds of heaven (Mark 14:62), and the high priest understood exactly what He claimed.
3. Isaiah 4:2
"In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel."
In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious. The Branch is a Messiah name in the prophets. Jeremiah spoke of the Branch of righteousness for David (Jeremiah 33:15), and Zechariah of the man whose name is The BRANCH (Zechariah 6:12). The picture is new life growing from a cut-down tree, the royal family of David that seemed finished. At Christmas, God brought a green shoot out of an old stump. Jesus is that Branch: beautiful, glorious and fruitful.
4. John 1:49
"Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel."
Nathanael doubted at first that anything good could come from Nazareth. After one conversation he said, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. That one sentence holds three names. Rabbi means teacher. Son of God speaks of His unique relationship with the Father. King of Israel connects Him to David's throne, the title the wise men used when they asked for the one born King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2).
Names for His saving work
5. John 4:42
"And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world."
The people of a Samaritan town heard Jesus for themselves and said, this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. Samaritans were outsiders to the Jews, and yet they gave Him one of His widest names. He is not a local hero or a national leader only. He came for the whole world. The angels said the same on the first Christmas: unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).
6. Acts 5:31
"Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."
Peter told the council that God had exalted Jesus to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. Prince speaks of authority and leadership. Earlier Peter had called Him the Prince of life (Acts 3:15), and Isaiah called Him The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Put together, these names say that Jesus rules over life itself, makes peace with God possible and opens the way for anyone to turn back and be forgiven.
7. 1 Peter 2:25
"For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. A shepherd leads, feeds and protects. Bishop means overseer, someone who watches over others with care. Jesus called Himself the good shepherd who giveth his life for the sheep (John 10:11), and Peter also calls Him the chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4). If you feel lost, this name is good news. He goes after wanderers and brings them home.
8. Hebrews 4:14
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. In the Old Testament the high priest went into God's presence on behalf of the people. Jesus is our High Priest forever. He offered Himself once, and now He prays for us (Hebrews 7:25). The next verse adds that He can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (Hebrews 4:15), because He lived a fully human life.
Names of His majesty and glory
9. Revelation 1:8
"I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, like saying A to Z. The title means He was before everything and will be after everything. In Revelation the same title is used of God and of Jesus (Revelation 22:13), which is one of the clearest signs that the early church worshipped Jesus as God. The baby in the manger is the eternal One who has no beginning.
10. Revelation 19:13
"And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God."
When Christ returns as conqueror, his name is called The Word of God. John opened his Gospel the same way: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1), and the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (John 1:14). Words reveal what is in someone's mind and heart. Jesus is God's perfect self-expression. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus.
11. 1 Corinthians 15:45
"And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit."
Paul calls Jesus the last Adam. The first Adam was the head of the human family, and through his disobedience sin and death came into the world. Jesus is the head of a new humanity. Where Adam failed, Christ obeyed, and He gives new, resurrection life to all who belong to Him. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive (1 Corinthians 15:22). This name connects Christmas to Easter and to the hope of eternal life.
12. Acts 4:11
"This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner."
Peter quoted Psalm 118 about Jesus: This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. The head of the corner, or cornerstone, is the stone that holds a building together and lines up every other stone. Jesus was rejected by the leaders, but God made Him the foundation of everything. Isaiah called Him a precious corner stone, a sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16). A life built on Him will stand.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, You are Emmanuel, God with us, and the Saviour of the world. Thank You for every name You have revealed. Be my Shepherd when I wander, my High Priest when I am weak, my Prince of Peace when I am anxious and my cornerstone when life is shaking. You are the Alpha and Omega, so I trust You with my beginnings and endings. Let my life honor Your name. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Download the free Names of God printable for your Bible · Learn one name of Jesus a day with the free Advent reading plan · Study one name of Jesus a week in the SOAP Bible Study Journal
Frequently asked questions
How many names of Jesus are in the Bible?
There is no official count, because it depends on whether you count descriptions like the Lamb of God or the Bread of life as names. Most lists include somewhere between fifty and two hundred names and titles. The most common are Jesus, Christ, Lord, Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David and Master. For a printable list of God's names to keep in your Bible, download the free Names of God printable.
What are the names of Jesus in Isaiah 9:6?
Isaiah 9:6 gives five: Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father and The Prince of Peace. Many read the first two together as Wonderful Counsellor. The verse begins, "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given" (Isaiah 9:6), so it is a Christmas promise written about seven hundred years before Jesus was born. See more in Bible verses about Advent.
What does the name Jesus mean?
Jesus is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Yeshua, the same name as Joshua. It means the LORD saves, or the LORD is salvation. The angel explained the choice to Joseph: "thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Notice that the KJV prints the name in capitals in that verse. See Bible verses about salvation.
Is Emmanuel a name of Jesus?
Yes. Isaiah promised a son called Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14), and Matthew applies it to Jesus with the spelling Emmanuel, adding the meaning: God with us (Matthew 1:23). The word appears only three times in the KJV (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 8:8 and Matthew 1:23). It is a perfect Christmas name, because it says God did not stay far away. He came to live among us. Read more in Bible verses about God always being with us.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Hebrew names of God · I AM · Jesus is God · Jesus as King · Love of Jesus · Advent · Christmas · The Trinity
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
