“Know my name”

The phrase “know my name” (or variants thereof) occurs in several passages of the Bible, usually in the sense that God knows a person by name (i.e. personally), or that people will know God’s name (i.e. understand or recognise God). Here are some key references and ideas:

Key Biblical References

• Exodus 33:17 — “I will indeed do what you have asked, for you look favourably on me, and I know you by name.” OpenBible

• Isaiah 43:1 — “I have called you by name, you are mine.” OpenBible

• Psalm 91:14–16 — “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name.” Fighter Verses

• Isaiah 52:6 — “Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who speak.” Bible Hub

• Psalm 139 — Speaks broadly of God’s intimate knowledge of us (“You have searched me and known me…”) which strengthens the idea of being known personally. Wikipedia

When people say “God knows my name,” they mean that God knows me personally — not as a distant creator, but as someone who truly sees, understands, and values me.

It’s a statement of intimacy, love, and identity:

I’m not forgotten. I’m not just one face among billions.
God knows who I am — completely — and still loves me.

Key Bible Verses

  • Isaiah 43:1

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.”
💬 God tells Israel (and by extension, all believers) that He personally knows and claims them as His own.

  • John 10:3 (Jesus the Good Shepherd)

“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”
💬 Jesus describes His followers as sheep who know His voice. God doesn’t just see the flock — He knows each one individually.

  • Psalm 139:1–4

“O Lord, you have searched me and known me…
You know when I sit down and when I rise up.”
💬 God knows every detail of your life — your thoughts, feelings, and struggles.

  • Luke 12:7

“Even the hairs of your head are all numbered.”
💬 God’s knowledge of you is complete, showing deep care and attention.

Spiritual Implications

  • You are seen.
    Even when the world overlooks you, God notices every detail of your life.

  • You are valued.
    Your worth isn’t based on success, reputation, or perfection — it comes from being known and loved by God.

  • You are secure.
    When God calls you by name, it means you belong to Him — and nothing can separate you from that relationship (Romans 8:38–39).

In Everyday Life

When life feels confusing or lonely, “God knows my name” reminds us that:

  • We are not anonymous to Him.

  • Our prayers are heard.

  • Our pain, joy, and purpose all matter to Him.

It’s a message of comfort and identity — you are known, loved, and never forgotten.

Themes & Interpretation

• Personal relationship / intimacy

When God says He “knows you by name,” it signals a personal and intimate relationship, not just distant or generic knowledge.

• Assurance and identity

The promise that God calls someone “by name” affirms identity and belonging (“you are mine”). Isaiah 43:1 is often used in that way.

• Revelation of God’s character

When people “know God’s name,” it often means they come to understand who God is — His character, power, and presence, not just His label.

• Faith & recognition

Knowing God’s name can be tied to faith: when people recognise “It is I who speak,” as in Isaiah 52:6, they acknowledge God’s voice and authority.

Here’s a look at how the phrase “know my name” (or close variants) is used in different Bible translations, in both the Old and New Testaments — and some of the theological meaning that emerges.

Key Examples in Bible Translations

In the Old Testament / Hebrew Scriptures

• Isaiah 52:6

◦ KJV: “Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I.” Bible Gateway+1

◦ NKJV: “Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.’ ” YouVersion | The Bible App | Bible.com

◦ NLT: “But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.” Bible Hub

In these versions, the nuance shifts slightly: the NLT emphasizes revealing the name and the power of the name, whereas the more literal versions stress the future recognition that “I am He who speaks.”

• Psalm 91:14–16

Some translations (e.g., ESV) render it:

“Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.” Fighter Verses+1

Here the phrase indicates an existing relationship: the one who knows God’s name is someone for whom God promises deliverance and protection.

• Exodus 33:17

In many translations, God says to Moses, “for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.” OpenBible

That shows a more personal aspect: God’s intimate knowledge of Moses as an individual, not simply as a generic human.

• Isaiah 43:1

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” (many translations) — again emphasizing calling by name and ownership.

OpenBible

In the New Testament

While the exact phrase “know my name” is less frequent in the New Testament, there are related concepts and usages:

• Revelation 2:17

“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on it, which no one knows except the one who receives it.” Bible Gateway

Here the “new name” is mysterious — “no one knows except the one who receives it” — indicating a personal and intimate identity given by God.

• Revelation 19:12

“He has a name written on him, that no one knows except himself.” Bible Gateway

This is more cryptic, and is often interpreted symbolically (the name of Christ, or divine identity known fully only by God himself).

• John 10:14–15

“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.”

Though it does not explicitly say “know my name,” the mutual knowing here is in the same relational domain. OpenBible

• Philippians / Revelation – Book of Life references

Some Christian writers point out that believers’ names are written in the Book of Life (e.g. in Revelation) and that God “knows our names” through that registry, though the phrase “know my name” is indirect in these contexts. The Servants’ Dining Room

Theological & Interpretive Reflections

From comparing the usages in different translations and contexts, a few themes emerge:

1. Personal relationship & intimacy

“Knowing the name” often signals more than just recognizing a label — it points to a relational bond. God knowing someone by name suggests intimate knowledge, care, and individuality (Exodus 33:17; Psalm 91).

2. Revelation and recognition

Sometimes “know my name” is tied to a future revealing, when people will come to understand God’s character and identity (e.g. Isaiah 52:6).

3. Mystery & identity in Christ

In Revelation, the idea of a “new name” or “a name no one knows but himself” introduces mystery: parts of God’s identity (or Christ’s identity) are beyond human comprehension, yet promise deeper personal knowledge in some sense.

4. Divine sovereignty & calling

When God calls someone by name (e.g. Isaiah 43:1), it asserts sovereignty and purpose — the one called belongs to God.

5. Faith implications

In Psalm 91, the promise tied to “knowing God’s name” comes in the form of deliverance and reassurance. The idea is that faith and relational trust are connected to God’s knowledge of us.

Names of God

“Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” — Exodus 3:13-14

Throughout scripture, God reveals himself to his people through many names. Knowing His names helps us to better understand God’s nature. When we know who God is we can also trust him to act according to his character, in whatever situation we find ourselves in.

Below is a list of names used for God in scripture with corresponding verses. You might find it helpful to meditate each day on one of these names for God and invite him to reveal more of his nature and character to you in your present circumstances.

Adonai: Lord/Master

“See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.” Isaiah 40:10

Elohim: Creator God

“O Lord, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!” Psalm 8:1

El Elyon: Most High God

“They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.” Psalm 78:35

El Olam: The Everlasting God

“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.” Isaiah 26:4

El Shaddai: God Almighty

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty, walk before me faithfully and be blameless.” Genesis 17:1

Immanuel: God with us

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Jehovah Jireh: The Lord our Provider

“So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Gen 22:14.

Jehovah Mekoddishkem: The Lord who Sanctifies you

“Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so you may know that I am the Lord, who makes you holy.” Exd 31:13

Jehovah Nissi: The Lord my Banner/Miracle

“Moses built an altar and called it The Lord is my Banner.” Exd 17:15.

Jehovah-Raah: The Lord my Shepherd

“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.” Psalm 23

Jehovah Rapha: The Lord that Heals

“He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.” Exd 15:26

Jehovah Sabaoth: The Lord of Hosts

“And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.”1 Sam 1:11

Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is Peace

“So Gideon built an altar to the Lord there and called it The Lord Is Peace.” Judges 6:24.

Jehovah Shamma: The Lord is There

“And the name of the city from that time on will be: the Lord is there.” Ezekiel 48:35.

Jehovah Tsidkenu: The Lord our Righteousness

In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.” Jer 23:6

Jesus: The Lord who Saves

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

Qanna: Jealous

“Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Exodus 34:14

Yahweh: Lord/Jehovah

“This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.” Gen 2:4

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Other names similar to Yahweh include Elohim (God), Adonai (Lord/Master), and El Shaddai (God Almighty). Many names are compound, such as Yahweh-Jireh (The Lord Will Provide) and Yahweh-Rapha (The Lord Who Heals), which combine the name Yahweh with a descriptive term. Jehovah is a variation of Yahweh, and Ha-Shem is a term meaning “the name” used in Judaism.

Common biblical names

Elohim: God, Creator

Adonai: Lord, Master

El Shaddai: God Almighty

El Elyon: God Most High

El Olam: The Everlasting God

Compound names

Yahweh-Jireh (or Jehovah Jireh): The Lord Will Provide

Yahweh-Rapha (or Jehovah Rapha): The Lord Who Heals

Yahweh-Nissi (or Jehovah Nissi): The Lord Our Banner

Yahweh-Shalom (or Jehovah Shalom): The Lord Our Peace

Yahweh-Shammah: The Lord Is There

Yahweh-Rohi (or Jehovah Rohi): The Lord My Shepherd

Yahweh-Tsidkenu (or Jehovah Tsidkenu): The Lord Our Righteousness

Yahweh-Sabaoth (or Jehovah Sabaoth): The Lord of Hosts

Other names

Jehovah: A variation of Yahweh used in some translations

Ha-Shem: A Hebrew term meaning “the name,” used to avoid pronouncing the personal name of God

El: A generic word for “god” or “deity”