We talk about “God” all the time. We pray to Him, sing to Him, even throw up “Help me, God!” prayers when life hits the fan. But here’s a question worth asking:

Does God actually have a name? Is God’s name “God?” Or is “God” just a title?

Short Answer: Yes, God has a name. Actually, He has several. And each one reveals something powerful about His character.

Rewind to Exodus 3. Moses is face-to-burning-bush with God, Who tells him to go back to Egypt and lead His people out of slavery. Moses responds with something like, “Okay… but who should I say sent me?”

God’s answer:

“I AM WHO I AM. Tell them ‘I AM’ has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14, NLT)

This wasn’t a riddle. God was giving Moses His name: I AM (Hebrew: YHWH, or “Yahweh” – pronounced yah-way).

And this name is not just a name.

“I AM” means God is eternal, self-existent, unchanging, and utterly different. He wasn’t created. He doesn’t evolve. He’s not shaped by culture or circumstance. He is. Period.

That name, YHWH, shows up over 6,000 times in the Old Testament. It was considered so holy that devout Jews wouldn’t even say it out loud. They used titles like Adonai (Lord) instead, which is why “Lord” shows up in the Bible so often.

Over time, God revealed more names too: El Shaddai (God Almighty), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Provides), Jehovah Rapha (The Lord Heals), and many more. Each one gives us a glimpse of who He is and what He does.

Fast-Forward to Jesus. In a wild moment in John 8:58, Jesus said:

“Before Abraham was even born, I AM.”

In this verse, Jesus is doing the unthinkable. He was claiming the name of God. This is one reason the religious leaders picked up stones to kill Him. They knew exactly what He meant.

So What?

Knowing God’s name is about relationship. God gave us His name to show that He’s not distant, vague, or generic. He’s personal. He’s present. He wants to be known and He wants you to know who you’re talking to when you pray.

Bottom Line

Yes, God has a name. Many, in fact.
But each one is an invitation to know Him more deeply.

He is the “I AM”—the eternal, personal God.

Want to go deeper? Try praying to God by name this week. Thank Him as Jehovah Jireh, your Provider. Call on Him as El Roi, the God who sees you. Use His names not like magic words, but like reminders of who He is.

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Three Minute Theology is a series of blog posts, each designed to offer a quick but meaningful look at a subject related to God and faith – something you can read in just a few minutes but reflect on for much longer. Think of this as a starting point, not the full journey. My hope is that these snapshots will spark your curiosity and challenge you to dig deeper, open your Bible, ask questions, and explore how these truths about faith in Jesus shape your everyday life. Got a question you want answered? Drop it in the comments.