Akkadian Names in Aramaic

Documents from Ancient Egypt

Bezalel Porten, in consultation with Ran Zadok and Laurie Pearce1

This is an onomastic study that follows on the footsteps of two previous studies—Persian
names in Aramaic texts and Egyptian names in Aramaic texts. It distinguishes between theopho-
rous names, hypocoristica, and profane names and compares the respective structure of the Akka-
dian and Hebrew names (e.g., the absence of three-component names in Hebrew). Tables show the
frequency of fathers/sons with Akkadian names and sons/fathers with Akkadian, Egyptian, Per-
sian, or Hebrew names (e.g., many Egyptians give their sons Akkadian names, but an Akkadian-
named man almost never gives his son an Egyptian name). Who were the persons with Akkadian
names? A table at the end presents an alphabetic list of the names in their Aramaic spelling with
their Akkadian equivalents, meaning, and appearance in Akkadian texts.
Keywords: Aramaic; Akkadian; onomastics; Elephantine

A
ramaic was the lingua franca of the Persian Em- (Porten 2002; 2003). That we should find there some 230
pire, and the language continued to be used in Egyptian names and ca. 130 Persian names is not surpris-
Egypt during the Ptolemaic period. It has yielded ing; the Persians ruled Egypt, and the Jews mingled with
several hundred texts, from Alexandria in the north to the Egyptians on a daily basis. Yet, Elephantine was a
Wadi Tumas in the south. These include letters and con- cosmopolitan community, and, in addition to individual
tracts, lists and accounts, ostraca and jar inscriptions, Bactrians (TAD D2.12:2), Caspians (TAD B2.7:18–19,
funerary inscriptions, and graffiti—texts abounding in 3.4:2, 23–24, 3.5:4, 3.12:4, 24; C3.8IIA:6), Khwarezmians
personal names. Over a period of 13 years, almost all of (TAD B2.2:2, 2.3:23; D3.39 frag b:3), and Medes (TAD
these texts have been newly collated, hand-copied, trans- B3.6:17), there were some 50 persons bearing Akkadian
lated, and collected into four volumes (TAD A–D). A names. Most of these appear already in the 100-year-
keyword-in-context concordance prepared together with old studies of Knut L. Tallqvist (NBN; APN), have been
Jerome Lund, under the auspices of the Comprehensive treated in the 75-year-old study by Johann Jacob Stamm
Aramaic Lexicon Project, lists personal names prosopo- (1939), and have been discussed in the 30- to 40-year-
graphically (Porten and Lund 2002). Over 1,000 names old Aramaic onomastic studies of Pierre Grelot (1972:
emerge from these texts, and we have written detailed 460–502, 506–8) and Walter Kornfeld (1978: 98–112),
studies of the Egyptian and Persian names in those texts though neither listed the Akkadian names separately
from the others. For many years now, I have been work-
1  The primary responsibility for the contents of this article belongs
ing on a new Egyptian Aramaic namebook, with the
to the author, whose views are reflected herein and are not necessarily
those of the consultants.
initial database prepared by Annalisa Azzoni, and cur-
rently in conjunction with Alejandro Botta. In the pres-
ent study, I wish to examine the Akkadian onomasticon
Bezalel Porten: Department of Jewish History, The He- in comparison with the Hebrew/Aramaean one and the
brew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91905 Israel, persons bearing Akkadian names in the context of Ara-
[email protected] maic-speaking/writing Jews and Aramaeans to see who
were the persons bearing Akkadian names. Table 10 lists
Ran Zadok: Iranian and Judaic Studies, Tel Aviv University, all the names in Aramaic text, English and Akkadian
[email protected] transcription, translation, source in TAD, and attestation
Laurie Pearce: Department of Near Eastern Studies, Univer- in Grelot, Kornfeld, Stamm, Tallqvist, or elsewhere. All
sity of California, Berkeley, [email protected] the explanations have been discussed with Ran Zadok.

© 2016 American Schools of Oriental Research. BASOR 375 (2016): 1–12.

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2 BEZALEL PORTEN BASOR 375

Most of these names were theophorous, and we Table 1. Numeric Ranking of Deities in Names
may recognize them as Babylonian because of the deity
(Bānītu, Bēl, Marduk, Nabû, Nanâ, Nergal [Nargī], and Neo-Babylonian Elephantine Akkadian
Sîn). Two other names point to Babylonian deities— Names Names (Ranked)
Šulum-Addu (‫ )שלמדו‬yielding Addu (Adad), and Nūr- Nabû 1. Nabû
Šawaš (‫ )נורשוש‬yielding Šamaš. Bēl 3. Bēl
Nine different deities figure in a total of 26 theopho- Šamaš 4. Šamaš
rous names, listed here in the order of their frequency, Marduk 3. Marduk
from 1 to 12 (in parentheses, below). Adad and Šamaš Sîn 2. Sîn
appear in one name each. Bēl, Marduk, and Nanâ each Ea —
Addu 4. Addu
appear twice; Nergal, Bānītu, and Sîn, thrice. The most
Nergal 3. Nergal
popular is Nabû, which appears in ten different names. Bēlet —
The number in brackets indicates how many persons
bore the name. Not included in the tabulation are names
originating outside Elephantine (Aššur-aḫ-iddin [Esar- of three (or more) components, a subject, a predicate,
haddon], Marduk, Sîn-uballiṭ [Sanballat], and Sîn-aḫḫē- and an object. In both languages, the subject was a deity
erība [Sennacherib]). or divine epithet, whereas the predicate was either a noun
or a verb. We thus speak of nominal or verbal sentence
Adad: Šulum-Addu (1) names. In Hebrew, a name with a verb in the perfect tense
Šamaš: Nur-šawaš (1) would be a name of thanksgiving—for example, ‫נתניהו‬
Bēl: Bēl-bāni/Bēl-ibni, Bēl-šar-uṣur (2) (“YHW gave”)—while in Akkadian, such a name would
Marduk: Marduk(-ā), Marduk-šar-uṣur (2) consist of three components, the object typically coming
Nanâ: Nanâ, Nanâ-ḥam (2) second—for example, Aššur-aḫ-iddin (“Aššur a brother
Nergal (Nargī): Nargī, Nergal-iddin, Nergal-(u)šēzib gave = gave a brother”). We have three more such Akka-
(3) dian names in our collection—Deity Name (DN) estab-
Bānītu: Bānītu, Bānītu-sar-āli (Bānītu-sar), Bānītu- lished the name (Nabû-šum-iškun), created a descendant
ēreš (3) (Nabû-zēr-ibni), and replaced the brothers (Sin-aḫḫē-
Sîn: Sîn-ēreš, Sîn-iddin, Sîn-kēšir [2] (3) erība)—and one with the verb in the participial form—
Nabû: Dan-Nabû, Iddina-Nabû [2], Mušēzib-Nabû, Šarru-nādin-aḫi (“The king is the giver of a brother”). In
Nabû-aḫ-bulliṭ, Nabû-danqu,2 Nabû-kāṣir, Nabû- a Hebrew name, a verb in the imperfect tense signified
kudurri [3], Nabû-nādin, Nabû-šum-iškun [2], a name of petition—for example, ‫“( ישמעאל‬May God
Nabû-tukultī, Nabû-(u)šēzib (Nabû-ša) [3], Nabû- hear”)—whereas in our Akkadian names, such requests
zēr-ibni [2] (12) were expressed by an imperative—for example, Marduk-
šar-uṣur and Bēl-šar-uṣur (“Marduk/Bēl, the king pro-
Reversing the order, from the most to the least frequent tect” = “Marduk/Bēl, protect the king”) or Sîn-aba-uṣur
divine names, we see that two-thirds of the Elephantine (“Sîn, the father protect” = “Sîn, protect the father”). A
divine names (Bēl, Marduk, Nabû, Nergal, Šamaš, and hypocoristic Hebrew equivalent would be ‫“( ישמרי‬May
Sîn) appear among the ten most frequent Neo-Babylo- DN protect” [1 Chr 8:18]). A nominal sentence name did
nian names. In both languages, Nabû is the most popular not ask or thank the deity but described an attribute—
(Table 1). Nabû names would not have sounded strange for example, Nabû-tukultī (“Nabû is my trust”). A paral-
to the Aramaic ear because a dozen Aramaic names have lel Hebrew name at Elephantine would be the popular
Nabû as deity: Aqab-Nabû, Nabû-aqab, Nabû-barek, ‫“( מבטחיה‬YH is trust” [TAD B2.3:2; C3.15:25]). But the
Nabû-dalah, Nabû-dalani, Nabû-natan, Nabû-rai, Nabû- Akkadian name might not have sounded strange to the
ṣadaq, Nabû-šaliv, Nabû-šarah, Nabû-šillem, and Nabû- Aramaic ear since the verb √‫“ תכל‬to trust” was part of
yahab (Porten and Lund 2002: 318, 377–79). daily speech (TAD A2.7:2; D7.16:4). Our corpus includes
Whereas the standard Hebrew theophorous name was ten three-component Akkadian names, four of which go
composed of two components, a subject and a predicate, back to the seventh century (the rulers Esarhaddon and
the regular Akkadian theophorous name was composed Sennacherib, the official Bēl-šar-uṣur, and Sîn-aba-uṣur),
while two were located in Memphis (Marduk-šar-uṣur
2  Recent excavations at Syene have uncovered several Aramaic
and Nabû-bulliṭ) (Table 2).
ostraca with personal names. These are being published in a separate A Hebrew name was abbreviated by dropping the
article. Four are Akkadian names and are here indicated by the sigla divine component. Thus, ‫ נתניהו‬became simply ‫( נתן‬Na-
Syene 2, 3, 4, and 7. than). A three-component Akkadian name became ab-

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2015 AKKADIAN NAMES IN ARAMAIC DOCUMENTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT 3

Table 2. Three-Component Names

Akkadian Name in
Aramaic Script Akkadian Name English Name Translation
‫אסרחאדן‬ Aššur-aḫ-iddin Esarhaddon Aššur - gave - (a) brother
‫בנתסרל‬ Bānītu-issar-āli Banitsaral Banit - (is the) goddess - (of the) city
‫בלסראצר‬ Bēl-šar-uṣur Belsaruṣur Bel, - protect - (the) king!
‫מרדכשראצר‬ Marduk-šar-uṣur Marduksharuṣur Marduk, - protect - (the) king!
‫נבוחבלט‬ Nabû-aḫ-bulliṭ Nabuaḥbulliṭ Nabu - keep alive - (the) brother!
‫נבוסמסכן‬ Nabû-šum-iškun Nabusumiskun Nabu - established - (the) name
‫נבוזראבן‬ Nabû-zēr-ibni Nabuzeribni Nabu - created - (a) descendant
‫סנחאריב‬ Sîn-aḫḫē-erība Sinaḥḥeriba Sin - replaced - (the) brothers
(Sennacherib)
‫שנאבאצר‬ Sîn-aba-uṣur Sinabauṣur Sin - protect - (the) father!
‫שרנדנח‬ Šarru-nādin-aḫi Sharrunadinaḥi (The) king - (is the) giver - (of a) brother

breviated by loss of the direct object, still remaining 15:4]). Varied as the name is, it is not attested in Egypt.
theophorous. In fact, some nine two-component verbal What are attested are four Aramaic names with the root
names are actually hypocoristica, since the third com- ‫“( טב‬good”)—the woman ‫( אחוטב‬Aḥuṭab), prominent in
ponent has fallen away (Table 3). There are five nominal the ostraca; ‫( אביטב בר בנת‬Abiṭab son of Bānītu) on an of-
sentence names that could very well stand alone, but one fering table; and ‫( אבטב בר שמטב‬Abiṭab son of Šumṭab)
is certainly an abbreviation and two others may be as on a grafitto at Abydos (Porten and Lund 2002: 317, 320).
well. Mentioned four times in three of the Hermopolis The most popular Hebrew root in theophorous names
letters, a woman is thrice called by her abbreviated name was ‫“( נתן‬give”). Though the full name Yehonatan [Je-
‫( בנתסר‬Bānītu-sar [“Bānītu is the goddess”]) in two let- honathan] occurs only twice (TAD B4.4:21; 6.4:10), the
ters (TAD A2.2:5, 6:3, 8) but by her full name ‫בנתסרל‬ hypocoristica Natan [Nathan] and Nattun (‫ )נתון‬occur
(Bānītu-saral [“Bānītu is the goddess of the city”]) in the over 30 and 8 times, respectively, while the related Mat-
third letter (TAD A2.3:2). A second name is ‫נבותכלתי‬ tan (‫ )מתן‬occurs in 7 different names (Porten and Lund
(“Nabû is my trust”), but a longer form does exist— 2002: 360, 375, 382–84). Similarly, the most popular root
Nabû-tukultī-enši (“Nabû is the trust of the weak” [APN in our Akkadian sample was the cognate nadānu, appear-
162b; NBN 264b]). Two of the other names are parallel ing in four names (Iddina-Nabû, Aššur-aḫ-iddin [Esar-
to each other, and for the second a longer form exists. haddon], Nergal-iddin, and Sîn-iddin). Yet, the most
The first is Ṣābū-danqū (‫“[ צבודנק‬The troops are fine”] popular Akkadian name was the hypocoristic Mannu-kī
[Syene 3]), and the second is Nabû-danqu (‫“[ נבודנק‬Nabû (‫“[ מנכי‬Who is like (DN)?”]), borne by over a dozen per-
is good/fine”] [Syene 2]), for which we have Ša-Nabû- sons, both in Elephantine and at Saqqarah. These were
damqa (“[The one] of Nabû is good” [Stamm 1939: 236]). not only officials, such as a judge, but also scribes and
The fifth name is Dan-Nabû (“Nabû is strong”).3 Both witnesses. The name appears five times as the praenomen
of these last two names have Northwest Semitic paral- of an Egyptian name, once of a Persian name, and only
lels. A Hebrew theophorous equivalent of Dan-Nabû once of an Akkadian name. There are both Hebrew and
would be the nominal sentence name of the king ‫חזקיהו‬ Aramaic equivalents—Hebrew ‫( מיכה‬four times) and
(Ḥizqiyahu [“YHW is strength” (2 Kgs 16:20)]), with a Aramaic ‫(מכי‬three times), both meaning “Who is like
hypocoristic ‫( חזקי‬1 Chr 8:17). Yet, the former name oc- (DN)?” Even more popular, and occurring as often as
curs in Akkadian inscriptions as a verbal sentence name Mannu-kī (11 times), was the theophorous ‫“( מיכיה‬Who
of thanksgiving Ḫazqiiau (APN 88a; see Fales 1977: 51, is like YH?”). Twice there occurs the Aramaic ‫מכבנת‬
no. 80), and in the biblical text itself it appears to be a (Makki-Bānītu [“Who is like Bānītu?”) and thrice the hy-
hypocoristicon of a verbal sentence name of petition pcoristic ‫( מכי‬Makki) (Porten and Lund 2002: 369–70).
‫“( יחזקיהו‬May YHW strengthen” [2 Kgs 20:10; Isa 1:1, Besides the theophorous names, there are a hand-
ful of profane names. Three contain the element aḫu,
3  The Akkadian element dannu- was recognized by the first editor “brother.” Two have been called Ersatznamen (“substi-
of this text, Mark Lidzbarski, but he misread the last letter as a resh tute names”)—Aḫūni (“Our brother”), Aḫušunu (“Their
rather than a vav (1909–1915: 128–29). brother”), and the third a “profane wish”—Lūḫī (‫לוחי‬

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4 BEZALEL PORTEN BASOR 375

Table 3. Two-Component Hypocoristica

Two-Component Three-Component
Name (Aramaic) Name (Akkadian) Translation Source
‫בלבן‬ (= Bēl-ibni) cf. Nabû-šarru-ibni Nabû created the king Stamm 1939: 119
‫בנתרש‬ (= Bānītu-ēreš)
‫סינערש‬ (= Sîn-ēreš) Sîn-apla-ēreš Sîn requested an heir Stamm 1939: 144
‫מנכי‬ (= Mannu-kī) Mannu-kī-Adad/Aššur/Bēl/Ištar/Nabû Who is like Adad/Aššur/ Bēl/Ištar/Nabû? APN 124–27; NBN 99a
‫נבודנק‬ (= Nabû-danqu) Ša-Nabû-damqa (The one) of Nabû is good Syene 2; Stamm 1939: 236
‫נבוכצר‬ (= Nabû-kāṣir) Nabû-kāṣir-šumi Nabû is the one who strengthens the name APN 151b
‫נבוכדרי‬ (= Nabû-kudurri) Nabû-kudurri-uṣur Nabû, protect the heir! APN 152–53
‫נבונדן‬ (= Nabû-nādin) Nabû-nādin-šumi/aḫḫe/aḫi/apli/zēri/bēli Nabû is the one who gives a name/ APN 154–55; NBN
brother(s)/heir/seed/lord 139–40
‫ =( נבותכלתי‬Nabû-tukultī) Nabû-tukultī-enši Nabû is the trust of the weak APN 162b; NBN 264b

[“May he be my brother”]) (Stamm 1939: 149, 244). The breviating Akkadian Arad-Ištar (Stevenson 1902: no. 4),
Hebrew ‫( אחיאב‬TAD B4.4:2) is composed of the two ele- and a second time fully written out, ‫( ערדנבו‬Arad-Nabû)
ments “brother” and “father” and has been considered (CIS II/1 no. 15).7 Both stem from the Neo-Assyrian pe-
such a substitute name.4 Babylonians composed personal riod (ca. 680 b.c.e.). The Hebrew parallel of Akkadian
names based on the day or month of birth—for example, Ardīya would be the hypocoristicon ‫“ עבדי‬Servant of
Iyyar, Nisan, and Sivan (Stamm 1939: 271–72). Our [DN],” a name not found at Elephantine but in Edfu
corpus has yielded the name Kenani (‫[ כנני‬Kanūnāiu]), and perhaps on a tombstone (TAD C3.28:38; D21:16:2).
“Born in Kanūnu,” that is, the tenth month. A similar The full theophorous name ‫ עבדיהו‬was also popular at
practice existed in the Hebrew onomasticon, and one Edfu, and in an early text from Elephantine, we have the
of the very popular names at Elephantine was Ḥaggai unique spelling ‫( עבדיהה‬TAD C3.4:6) (Porten and Lund
(‫“[ חגי‬Born on the festival”]), occurring over 20 times 2002: 386–87). The same late text that supplied the pre-
(Porten and Lund 2002: 350–51). In Byzantine times, the sumed Akkadian name ‫ כלבי‬had the Aramaic formed
Hebrew month Nisan appeared once as a personal name ‫( כלבא‬TAD C3.26:31, 39). The form ‫ כלבי‬also appears
(Ilan 2012: 368). on an Aramaic docket, transcribing Akkadian Kalbâ
There are eight components that appear as single- (BE VIII/1 50). In Hebrew, ‫ כלב‬was a deferential term
word names, so to speak, but they are actually hypocoris- of self-abasement (1 Sam 24:14; 2 Sam 9:8, 16:9; 2 Kgs
tica of two- or three-component names. Four are deities 8:13; Lachish 2:4, 5:4–5, 6:3),8 while the personal name
(Bānītu, Marduk, Nanâ,5 and Nargī);6 two are participles (PN) ‫( כלב‬Kalev) is thought by some to have a negative
(Māgir and Nādin); and two are the nomen regens in a connotation (see Zadok 1988: 70, citing Noldëke [“raging
construct pair (Ardīya and Kalbi/Kalbâ) (Table 4). with canine madness”]), and others view it in a positive
Twice we find the Akkadian element Ardīya incor- light (see Albertz and Schmitt 2012: 567 [“(faithful) dog
porated into an Aramaic docket—once as ]‫ארד[א‬, ab- of (DN)”]). Though our name does not appear in genitive
construct names in Hebrew as “Dog of DN,” it may be
4  For
found in the Phoenician name ‫( כלבאלם‬see Benz 1972:
a full discussion, see Porten 1968: 136, n. 85.
5  Originally a Babylonian deity, Nanâ, like Nabû, was adopted into
131, 133).
the Aramaean pantheon, and it is not certain whether its appearance There are two two-component names that have been
among the witnesses of the Bauer-Meissner papyrus (TAD A1.1), fol- considered genitive compounds. One is ‫( נורשוש‬Nūr-
lowing Nargī, reflects an Aramaean or Babylonian source. For this šawaš = Nūr-Šamaš), which is taken to mean “the light
name, see the entry for “Nanea” by M. Stol in van der Toorn, Becking, of Šamaš “ (cf. Stamm 1939: 275). The other is ‫שלמדו‬
and van der Horst 1999: 612–14.
6  The Akkadian name Nargī has been viewed by Tallqvist and Par- (Šulumaddu = Šulum-Addu), which is said to mean “the
pola as a hypocoristicon of Aramaic ‫“( נרגא‬ax”) (APN 168a; NBN 160; well-being of Adad” (see PNA 3/I 1270–72). Yet, it is more
PNA 2/II 931), but others assumed correctly that it was a hypocoristi- likely that these are nominal sentence names, with the
con of the divine name Nergal- (Grelot 1972: 482; Kaufman and Zadok
[pers. comm.]; and already the editors of the Bauer-Meissner papyrus
in 1936 [Bauer and Meissner 1936: 422]). For the name Nergal, see the
entry by A. Livingstone in van der Toorn, Becking, and van der Horst 7  The spelling here is exceptional. We would expect ‫ארדנבו‬.
1999: 621–22. 8  For the Lachish letters, see Aḥituv 2008: 60, 77, 80.

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2015 AKKADIAN NAMES IN ARAMAIC DOCUMENTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT 5

Table 4. One-Component Hypocoristica

One-Word Name Full Name Source

(Aramaic) Aramaic Source (Aramaic or Akkadian) Translation (Aramaic or Akkadian)
‫בנת‬ TAD D20:1, 3 Bānītu is the goddess TAD A2.2:5, 2.6:3, 8
‫( בנתסר‬Bānītu-sar)
(Offering table; Bānītu is the goddess of TAD A2.3:2
‫( בנתסרל‬Bānītu-sar-āli)
Memphis Serapeum) the city (Syene letters)
‫מרדך‬ TAD A6.9:1 ‫( מרדכשראצר‬Marduk-šar-uṣur) Marduk, protect the king! TAD 3.8IIIB:36
(Persian official not (Memphis Shipyard Journal)
stationed in Egypt); cf.
Hebrew ‫( מרדכי‬Est 2:5)
‫מגר‬ TAD B3.12:34 Aššur/Sîn-magir Aššur/Sîn is favorable Stamm 1939: 222; APN 200,
(witness) 293; NBN 321
‫נני‬ TAD B1.1:16 1. Nanâ 1. Nanâ 1. PNA II/1 924
2. ‫נניחם‬ 2. Nanâ is family head 2. TAD A2.1:1, 15
3. ‫ננישורי‬ 3. Nanâ is my wall 3. TAD B4.7:1
4. Nanâ-bēl-uṣur 4. Nanâ, protect (the) 4. NBN 158a
lord!
‫נרגי‬ TAD B1.1:16–17 Hypocoristicon of ‫נרגל‬ Nergal, protect the king! Jer 39:3, 13
cf. ‫נרגל שראצר‬‎
‫נדן‬ TAD C1.1:18 1. ‫נבונדן‬ 1. Nabû gives 1. TAD C4.8:8
(Aḥiqar) 2. ‫שרנדנח‬ 2. King gives (a) 2. Syene 7
brother(s)
‫ארדי‬ 1. TAD C4.3:18 3. ‫ = ערדנבו‬Arad-Nabû (e.g., 3, 4. Servant of Nabû, 3, 4. APN 25–28;
‫]ארד]א‬ (Saqqarah) Arad-Bēl/Nergal) Bēl/Nergal, Ištar NBN 10a
(see the row above, 4. Arad-Ištar
next column)
2. Syene 7 (see the row
above, next column)
3. CIS II/1 15
4. Stevenson 1902: no. 4
   ‫כלבי‬ TAD C3.26:31 E.g., Kalbi-Sîn/ Marduk/Šamaš Dog of Sîn/Marduk/ APN 111a;
Northwest Semitic/ (south Saqqarah) Kalbâ Šamaš NBN 86a, 319b; Stamm 1939:
Akkadian 261; BE VIII/1 50

respective meanings “Šamaš is light”9 and “Adad is well- the grandfather of the contributor ‫( מלכיה בר יתום‬TAD
being.” The latter would find a parallel in biblical ‫שלמיאל‬ C3.15:23) and once as a witness uniquely tagged ‫בבליא‬
(Shlumiel [“El is well-being” (Num 1:6)]) or, with word “the Babylonian,” without patronym (TAD B2.2:19). This
order reversed, in ‫( אבשלום‬Absalom [“(Divine) father is doubly peculiar because witnesses in the Elephantine
is well-being” (2 Sam 3:3, etc.)]). The former would not contracts are rarely identified ethnically,10 and the name
be strange to the Aramaic ear at Elephantine since there is Aramaic, not Akkadian. Before addressing the ques-
were four Aramaic nominal sentence names ending in tion of who were the Babylonians at Elephantine, we
‫נורי‬, though with the meaning “(my) flame,” not “light.” may note that the element ‫ נור‬formed the hybrid Yah-
One, like our Akkadian name, was compounded with the wistic name ‫( יהונור‬Yehonur [“YHW is flame”]) in the
divine element Šamaš—‫( שמשנורי‬Šamaš-nūrī [“Šamaš is Aramaic-writing Samarian community at Wadi Daliyeh
my flame” (TAD B4.2:12; D18.16:1)]). The other three (WDSP 1:4, 6–7, 9; 4:4–5, 7, 11) (Gropp 2001).11
were ‫( אחנורי‬Aḥinūrī [TAD D14.2]), ‫( ביתאלנורי‬Bethel-
nūrī [TAD C3.15:6, 4.3:20; D9.9:14]), and ‫הדדנורי‬
(Haddad-nūrī). This last name appears twice, once as 10  The ethnicon Caspian may be added to the name of a witness

when the contractants were themselves Caspians (as in TAD B3.4:23–

9  Edward Lipiński was noncommital. “Nūr-ʿIl,” he wrote, might be 24), but no ethnicon is attached to the name of the Persian witnesses
“either ‘El is light’ or ‘The light of El’ ” (Lipiński 1994: 232). The view taken in that contract. Similarly, two witnesses in another contract are tagged
here benefited from personal communication with Steve Kaufman. It as Caspian, while the preceding Iranian-named witness is not tagged
would thus be paralleled in Hebrew by the popular name at Elephantine, (TAD B2.7:18–19), and a third contract tags a Mede (TAD B3.6:17).
‫( אוריה‬Uriah [“YH is light”]) (see Porten and Lund 2002: 319). 11  For its appearance in Palmyrene names, see Stark 1971: 99.

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6 BEZALEL PORTEN BASOR 375

Table 5. Wholly Akkadian Names: Akkadian PN son of Akkadian PN

Akkadian PN son of Akkadian PN Role Type Source

Ardīya son of Šarru-nādin-aḫi Name Ostracon Syene 7
Būnni (Aramaic/Akkadian) son of Mannu-kī Scribe Contract TAD B3.2:10
Lūḫi son of Mannu-kī Witness Contract TAD B2.8:13
Nabû-tukultī son of Nabû-zēr-ibni Scribe Contract TAD B2.11:14
Sîn-kēšir son of Nabû-šum-iškun Witness Contract TAD B2.2:19

Table 6. Mixed Akkadian and Aramaic Names: Aramaic PN son of Akkadian PN

Aramaic PN son of Akkadian PN Role Type Source

Abiṭāb son of Bānītu Dedicant Offering table TAD D20.1:1, 3
Attarmalki son of Qilqilan (Aramaic/Akkadian) Witness Contract TAD B3.9:10
Attaršuri son of Nabû-zēr-ibni Scribe Contract TAD B2.3:28, 2.4:16
Makkibānit son of Nargī Scribe Contract TAD B1.1:17
Nabûnātan son of Aḥuni/Aḫūni (Aramaic/ Listee Mixed list TAD D9.10:4
Akkadian)
Sakaēl son of Nabû-kāṣir Witness Contract TAD B3.2:11

So, who are the persons bearing Akkadian names? First reports (Mannu-kī and Nergal-iddin). Isolated names
of all, several Akkadian names may be classified as Neo- were found outside Elephantine on a jar inscription
Assyrian (see Table 10 below for all references). Already (Nabū-šēzib), an uncollated graffito from Wadi el-Shatt
in the seventh century, we find the names Bēl-šar-uṣur el-Rigal (‫)גמלן‬, and as a scribe at Korobis (Nargī). In ad-
on a granite Assyrian statuette and both Dan-Nabû and dition to the two from Syene named above, there were
Sîn-aba-uṣur on a wine text from Saqqarah. These recall Nabû-(u)šēzib and Nanaiḥam in the Elephantine pa-
the Assyrian conquest of 671 b.c.e. Persian officials at pyri, and Ardīya, Nabû-danqu, Ṣābū-danqū, and Šarru-
Elephantine bearing such names are the herald Sîn-ēreš, nādin-aḫi on recently discovered ostraca.
the centurion Sîn-iddin, the detachment commander Id- The Babylonian names found most frequently at Ele-
dina-Nabû, and one Nergal-iddin in Syene. A Mušēzib- phantine belonged to witnesses and scribes. The latter
Nabû was a correspondent at Elephantine, and another included Būnni son of Mannu-kī and (Aramaic) Attar-
was a member of the detachment of Mariya at Saqqarah. šuri son of Nabû-zēr-ibni, probably son of Nabû-tukultī,
The names Bānītū-sar = Bānītū-sar-āli and Šarru-dār son of Nabû-zēr-ibni (Tables 5, 6). There were at least
appear among the Aramaeans of Syene. Finally, there is ten witnesses’ names, either as praenomena or patro-
Sar-uṣur, in an uncollated graffito from Wadi el-Shatt el- nyms. Only four or five pairs of names in the form of PN
Rigal. Then, of course, there are the names that appear son of PN were wholly Akkadian (see Table 5). Four or
in the Aḥiqar text—Esarhaddon, Sennacherib, Nabû- six names were Akkadian patronyms of Aramaic prae-
šum-iškun, and Nādin, as well as Sanballat governor nomena (Table 6), and one of a Persian praenomen
of Samaria, and Marduk, a Persian official on the route (Table 8b). The most popular onomastic combination
from Susa to Egypt. As noted, Babylonians held ranking was Akkadian, son of Egyptian. There were nine such,
military posts and judicial positions. Alongside Iddin- at Elephantine, Syene, and Saqqarah, three as witnesses,
Nabû and Sîn-iddin was the detachment commander three on lists, two on letters, and one on a memoran-
Nabû-kudurri. A Mannu-kī was judge in Elephantine dum (Table 7a). With the Aramaic Hadaddnuri being
and a Nabû-šēzib appears twice in a court record from described as a Babylonian, we see that there is no con-
Memphis. Some half-dozen names appeared in accounts sistent pattern of association between the linguistic ori-
(Bēl-bāni/Bēl-ibni and Nūr-šawaš), lists of persons of gin of an individual’s name and his cultural background
mixed ethnicity (Aḥūni, Ardīya, and Nabû-nādin), or in or identification. With 23 two-generation Akkadian

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2015 AKKADIAN NAMES IN ARAMAIC DOCUMENTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT 7

Table 7. Mixed Akkadian and Egyptian Names

a. Akkadian PN son of Egyptian PN

Akkadian PN son of Egyptian PN Role Type Source

Aḫušunu son of Renpenofre Witness Contract TAD B3.2:12
Ardīya son of Djeḥo Listee Mixed list TAD C4.3:18
Bānītu-ēreš son of Waḥpre Witness Contract TAD B2.1:19
Bānītu-sar son of Tabi (woman) Correspondent Letter TAD A2.2:5
Mannu-kī son of Speamre Witness Contract TAD B5.5:12
Mannu-kī son of Imḥot(p) Official Memorandum TAD C3.8:3
Mannu-kī son of Djeḥo Listee Mixed list TAD C4.3:19
Mannu-kī son of Peṭosiri Listee Mixed list TAD C4.1:7
Nabû-(u)šēzib son of Peṭekhnum Correspondent Letter TAD A2.1:15

b. Egyptian PN son of Akkadian PN

Egyptian PN son of Akkadian PN Role Type Source

Pasou son of Mannu-kī Listee Mixed list TAD C4.8:9

Table 8. Mixed Akkadian and Persian Names

a. Akkadian PN son of Persian PN

Akkadian PN son of Persian PN Role Type Source

Mannu-kī son of Bagaina Witness Contract TAD B3.2:13

b. Persian PN son of Akkadian PN

Persian PN son of Akkadian PN Role Type Source

Bagadata son of Nabû-kudurri Witness Contract TAD B2.1:18

Table 9. Mixed Akkadian and Hebrew Names:

Akkadian PN son of Hebrew PN

Akkadian PN son of Hebrew PN Role Type Source

Sîn-kēšir son of Šabbethai Witness Contract TAD B3.9:10

names, only five have both praenomen and patronym they did lean toward giving names in the spoken and
in Akkadian. Other combinations are six Akkadian → written Aramaic language. See Table 10 for the list of
Aramaic names (Table 6), one Akkadian → Egyptian all Akkadian names discussed herein.
name (Table 7b), and one Akkadian → Persian name
(Table 8b). In fact, one Persian (Table 8a) and even one Acknowledgments
Jew (Table 9) have Akkadian praenomena. While we
cannot say who the true Babylonians were, we see that I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers and the
Akkadian names were popular with Egyptians, but the c­ opyeditors of the journal for their suggestions and efforts on
reverse was not true: Akkadian-named persons did not my behalf.
rush to give their children native Egyptian names, but

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 8 BEZALEL PORTEN BASOR 375

Table 10. Full List of All Akkadian Names

English Akkadian References and

Name Transcription Transcription Translation TAD Table No.
‫אדננבו‬ Iddina-Nabû Iddina-Nabû Nabû gave APN 94a; NBN 72–74;
1. D7.40:8
1. ??? Grelot 1972: 475;
2. B2.9:2, 3.6:2, 3.8:2,
2. detachment Kornfeld 1978: 38;
6.1:2, 7.1:2; D2.6:2
commander Stamm 1939: 37, 136f
‫אחוני‬ Aḥuni Aḫūni Our brother D9.10:4 APN 18–19; NBN 4b;
mixed list Kornfeld 1978: 39;
Stamm 1939: 244;
Table 6
‫אחושן‬ Aḥushunu Aḫūšunu Their brother B3.2:12 NBN 5a; Grelot 1972:
mixed list 460; Stamm 1939: 244;
Table 7a
‫אסרחאדן‬ Esarḥaddon Aššur-aḫ-iddin Aššur gave a brother C1.1:5, 7, 10, 11, 13, Kornfeld 1978: 41;
king 14, 19, 32, 47, 53, Table 2
60, 64, 65, 75, 78;
1.1H:9,16, 1.1L:1;
D23.1.XII:12
‫אסרחאריב‬ Esarḥerib Aššur-aḫḫē-erība Aššur replaced the C1.1H:19
king brothers
‫ארדי‬ Ardīya Ardīya/Ardīa (My servant) 1. C4.3:18 APN 29a; NBN 10–11;
1. mixed list (hypocoristicon)  (Saqqarah) Tables 4–5, 7a
2. Syene ostracon 2. Syene 7
‫בוני‬ Būnni B3.2:10; Zadok 1988; Table 5
scribe cf. Neh 11:52
‫בלבן‬ Bēlbāni/ Bēl-bāni Bel is creator C3.14:14 APN 55, 57–58; NBN
accounts Bēlibni Bēl-ibni Bel created 27a, 234a; Kornfeld
1978: 43; Stamm 1939:
119; Table 3
‫בלסראצר‬ Bēlšaruṣur Bēl-šar-uṣur Bel, protect the king ! D16.1:1 APN 61b; NBN 42b;
Assyrian official Kornfeld 1978: 44;
Stamm 1939: 317; PNA
1/II 328–30; Table 2
‫בנת‬ Banit Bānītū (deity; (The well-shaped; the D20.1:1, 3 APN 52a; Kornfeld
offering table hypocoristicon) beauty; creatress) 1978: 44; PNA 1/II 265;
Tables 4, 6
‫בנתסרל‬ Banitsaral Bānītu-issar-āli Bānītu is the goddess A2.3:2 Grelot 1972: 468;
Syene letter of the city Lipiński 2010: 105–6;
Table 4
‫בנתסר‬ Banitsar Bānītu-issar Bānītu is the goddess A2.2:5; 2.6:3, 8 Grelot 1972 467;
Syene letter (hypocoristicon of Lipiński 2010: 105–6;
above) Tables 4, 7a
‫בנתרש‬ Baniteresh Bānītu-ēreš Bānītu implored B2.1:19 APN 52a; NBN 232a;
witness Grelot 1972: 467;
Kornfeld 1978: 44;
Tables 3, 7a
‫גמלן‬ Gimilin . . . was gracious D22.42:1 Zadok 1988; Stamm
graffito 1939: 112?
‫דנבו‬ Danabu Dan-Nabû Nabû is strong C3.1:1, 2–6 Lipiński 1994: 245;
accounts APN 69b; NBN 53a,
455b
‫ כלבי‬Northwest Kalb(a)i Kalbi, Kalbâ (Dog) C3.26:31 APN 11a; NBN 86, 319;
Semitic/Akkadian (hypocoristicon) Stamm 1939: 12, n. 2;
South Saqqarah BE VIII/1 50; Table 4
accounts
‫כנני‬ Kenani Kanūnāiu Born in the (month) B1.1:16 APN 112a; Grelot
witness in Korobis Kanūnu 1972: 476; Kornfeld
1978: 56; PNA 2/I,
601–4; Lipiński 2010:
27, 57:9

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 2015 AKKADIAN NAMES IN ARAMAIC DOCUMENTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT 9

English Akkadian References and

Name Transcription Transcription Translation TAD Table No.
‫לוחי‬ Luḥi Lū-aḫi May he be my brother B2.8:13 Grelot 1972: 477; cf.
witness Stamm 1939: 149;
Table 5
‫מגר‬ Magir Māgir (hypocoristicon) (Favorable) B3.12:34 APN 200, 293; NBN
witness 321; Grelot 1972: 477;
cf. Stamm 1939: 115,
222; Table 4
‫מנכי‬ Mannuki Mannu-kī (Who is like?) APN 124b; NBN 99a;
1. ostracon (hypocoristicon) 1. D7.43:6 Grelot 1972: 478; cf.
2. report 2. D1.33 frag c:3 Stamm 1939: 301;
3. Memphis shipyard 3. C3.8I:3 Tables 3, 5, 7a–b, 8a
4. witness 4. B3.2:13
5. scribal patronym 5. B3.2:10
6. court records 6. B8.7:2, 3, 6, 9, 10
7. court records 7. B8.10:7
8. Saqqarah 8. C4.2:7
9. Saqqarah 9. C4.3:19
10. scribal patronym 10. B2.8:13
11. judge 11. A5.2:6
12. witness 12. B5.5:12
13. letter 13. A4.2:11, C4.8:9
‫מנכנען‬ D22.2:1
graffito
‫מרדך‬ Marduk Marduk/-u/-a (deity; Marduk A6.9:1 APN 128a; NBN 99;
Persian official hypocoristicon) Kornfeld 1978: 59;
Stamm 1939: 117;
Table 4
‫מרדכשראצר‬ Mardukšaruṣur Marduk-šar-uṣur Marduk, protect the C3.8IIIB:36 APN 132–33; NBN
king! (Memphis 106; Kornfeld 1978:
Shipyard 59; Stamm 1939: 316;
Journal) Table 2
‫]מ[שזבנבו‬ Mushezibnabu Mušēzib-Nabû Nabû saves 1. D3.39 frag b:4 APN 141b; NBN 118;
1. member of cf. Hebrew ‫משיזבאל‬  (Saqqarah) cf. Stamm 1939: 221
detachment (Neh 3:4; 10:22; 11:24) 2. A3.1:VI
2. correspondent  restore
 ‫[מ]שזבנבו‬
‫ נבוזי‬or ‫נבוחי‬ B3.2:11
witness
‫נבוזראבן‬ Nabuzeribni Nabû-zēr-ibni Nabû created a 1. B2.3:28, 2.4:16 APN 164a; NBN
1. scribal patronym descendant 2. B2.11:14 152–53; Grelot 1972:
2. scribal patronym 481; Kornfeld 1978: 61;
Tables 2, 5–6
‫נבודנק‬ Nabudanqu Nabû-damiq Nabû is good, fine Syene 2 APN 148a; Stamm
name 1939: 236; Table 3
‫נבוחבלט‬ Nabuaḥbulliṭ Nabû-aḫ-bulliṭ Nabû, keep the brother C3.8IIIA:12 APN 143; NBN
healthy/alive! (Memphis 118–19; Stamm 1939:
Shipyard 154; Table 2
Journal)
‫נבוכדרי‬ Nabukudurri Nabû-kudurri Nabû, (protect) the 1. D1.1:8 Cf. APN 152–53; NBN
1. Syene letter (hypocoristicon) heir! 2. B2.1:18 137; Kornfeld 1978: 61;
2. witness 3. B3.12:3, 3.13:2, Tables 3, 8b
 patronym 4.5:2, 4.6:2, 7.2:3
3. detachment
commander
‫נבוכצר‬ Nabukaṣir Nabû-kāṣir Nabû strengthens B3.2:11 APN 151b; NBN 134a;
witness patronym Grelot 1972: 480;
Stamm 1939: 219;
Tables 3, 6

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10 BEZALEL PORTEN BASOR 375

Table 10.—continued

English Akkadian References and

Name Transcription Transcription Translation TAD Table No.
‫נבונדן‬ Nabunadin Nabû-nādin Nabû gives C4.8:8 APN 154b; NBN 139;
mixed list cf. Stamm 1939: 217,
222; Table 3
‫נבוסמסכן‬ Nabusumiskun Nabû-šum-iškun Nabû established the 1. C1.1:38, 41, 45, APN 160b; NBN
1. Aḥiqar youth name 54, 56, 58, 59, 71, 145–46; Kornfeld
2. witness patronym 1.1H:10, 12,15 1978: 61; Stamm 1939:
2. B2.2:19 142; Table 2
‫נבושזב‬ Nabû(u)šēzib Nabû-ušēzib Nabû saved 1. A2.1:15 APN 159–60, 163b;
1. correspondent Nabû-šēzib Nabû, save!  = ‫נבשה ;נבושה‬ Kornfeld 1978: 62;
2. jar inscription 2. D11.12:2 Stamm 1939: 191;
3, 4. Memphis officials 3, 4. B8.4:1,13 Table 7a
‫נבושה‬ Nabûša A2.1:2, 13; 2.2:2, 6;
‫נבשה‬ (hypocoristicon of 2.5:1,10; 2.6:3
correspondent above) = #1: A2.1:15
‫נבותכלתי‬ Nabûtukultī Nabû-tukultī Nabû is my trust B2.11:14 APN 162b; NBN
scribe 264b; Grelot 1972:
481; Kornfeld 1978:
62; Stamm 1939: 211;
Tables 3, 5
‫נדן‬ Nādin Nādin (The one who gives) C1.1:18 APN 165b; NBN
adopted son of (hypocoristicon) 156–57; Kornfeld
Aḥiqar 1978: 62; Stamm 1939:
115; Table 4
‫נורשוש‬ Nūršawaš Nūr-Šamaš Šamaš is light C3.14:13 APN 177–78; NBN
accounts 170a; cf. Stamm 1939:
275
‫ נני‬Korobis Nanai Nanâ Nanâ A1.1:16 PNA 2/II 924; Table 4
witness (deity; hypocoristicon)
‫נניחם‬ Nanaiḥam Nanāia-ḫammat Nanâ is family head A2.1:1, 15, 2.2:4 Kornfeld 1978: 62;
Syene letter PNA 2/II 924b
‫ נרגי‬Korobis Nargī 1. B1.1:16 APN 168a; NBN 160
1. witness (hypocoristicon of 2. B1.1:17 PNA 2/II 931; Grelot
2. scribal patronym Nergal) 1972: 482; Tables 4, 6
‫נרגלאדן‬ Nergaliddin Nergal-iddin Nergal gave D1.33 frag d:2 APN 171a; NBN
report 161–62
‫נרגלשזב‬ Nergal(u)šēzib Nergal-ušēzib Nergal saved B3.9:9 APN 172b; NBN
scribal patronym Nergal-šēzib Nergal, save! 164–65; Grelot 1972:
483; Kornfeld 1978: 63
‫סינכשר‬ Sînkēšir Sîn-kēšir Sîn is the one who 1. B2.2:19 NBN 182, 274; PNA 3/I
1. witness compensates 2. B3.9:10 1135; Kornfeld 1978:
2. witness 64; cf. Stamm 1939:
222; Table 9
‫סינערש‬ Sînēreš Sîn-ēreš Sîn implored, A6.1:7 APN 1991; NBN 181b;
Persian official requested, desired PNA 3/I 1132; Stamm
1939: 144; Table 3
‫סנאבלט‬ Sînuballiṭ Sîn-uballiṭ Sîn revived A4.7:29, APN 202b; NBN
Samarian governor (Sanballat) 4.8:28 183a; PNA 3/1 1150;
Kornfeld 1978: 64
‫סנחאריב‬ Sînaḥeriba Sîn-aḫḫē-erība Sîn replaced the C1.1:3, 4(2x), 5, 15, Kornfeld 1978: 64, 75;
king (Sennacherib) brothers 27, 50, 55; 1.1H:7; Table 2
3.7GVEx1:1
‫סרצר‬ Saruṣur Šarru-uṣur Protect the king! D22.42:1 APN 219; PNA 3/II
graffito 1252
‫צבודנק‬ Ṣabudanqu Ṣābu-damiq/damqu The troops are fine Syene 3 APN 204; PNA 3/I
1162–63

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2015 AKKADIAN NAMES IN ARAMAIC DOCUMENTS FROM ANCIENT EGYPT 11

English Akkadian References and

Name Transcription Transcription Translation TAD Table No.
‫קלקלן‬ Qilqilan Qilqilan B3.9:10 Zadok (orally); PNA
witness patronym 2/I 595–97; Table 6
‫קשר‬ Kašāru B1.1:17 Kornfeld 1978: 70
witness
‫שזבנבו‬ Shezibnabu Šēzib-Nabû Protect, Nabû! A3.1:VI Cf. APN 221a
correspondent (cancel (form unattested)
and restore ‫)משזבנבו‬
‫שלמדו‬ Shulumaddu Šulum-Addu Adad is well-being C3.2:2 Cf. PNA 3/II 1270–72
seventh century
‫שנאבאצר‬ Sinabauṣur Sîn-aba-uṣur Sîn, protect the father! C3.1:2 APN 196b; NBN 181,
seventh century 272; PNA 3/I 1112–13;
Saqqarah Table 2
‫שנדן‬ Siniddin Sîn-iddin Sîn gave C3.15:19 APN 199b; NBN 181b;
centurion PNA 3/I 1134–35;
Kornfeld 1978: 75; cf.
Stamm 1939: 36f, 136f
‫שרדר‬ Sharrudar Šarru-dūri The king is (my) A2.3:3 APN 216b; NBN
Syene correspondent Šarru-dāri protective wall; 201a; PNA 3/II 1233;
The king is eternal Kornfeld 1978: 75;
Stamm 1939: 57,118
‫שרנדנח‬ Sharrunadinaḥi Šarru-nādin-aḫḫē The king is the giver of Syene 7 PNA 3/II 1251; cf. PNA
name brothers 2/II 850–51
Uncertain and Fragmentary
[. . .]‫ל‬.‫א‬ C3.8IIIB:35
[. . .]‫נב‬ C3.4:11
‫גוי‬. .‫ש‬ C3.14:14
‫נכל‬. . [. . .]nikkal C3.14:25 Zadok 1988

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This journal was published by the American Schools of Oriental Research and is available on JSTOR at http://www.jstor.org/journal/bullamerschoorie.
You may receive the journal through an ASOR membership or subscription. See http://www.asor.org/membership/individual.html for more information.