Elijah is a pretty popular name; however, to us, it holds a deeper meaning. It’s Hebrew in origin and means “My God is Jehovah.” As recorded in the Old Testament, Elijah was a major prophet who guided Israel through some of its darkest days while ruled by wicked king Ahab. He prophesied message from God that were not positive about Ahab, so Ahab felt Elijah was his enemy. Despite Ahab’s persecution of Elijah, including attempts to kill him, the prophet remained true to his principles and to his God. The Bible further states that God honored Elijah by taking him away into heaven alive! He did not die.
Elijah was a man of great character, wisdom and personal strength. We hope that by naming our son Elijah he will grow up to be a similar type of man. For a nickname, our little man goes by ‘Lige, which as a nice, modern ring to it. I like that the “J” in the middle (or at the end of his nickname) adds a masculine sound to his name. I also like that it’s a classic name. It has lasting value, even though it’s trendy now. I also like that it has three syllables to complement our three-syllable last name.
Submitted by Deborah M.