Names Hebrew Male

Jesus

Also: Jesús (Spanish; common given name in Hispanic Catholic tradition), Yeshua (Aramaic/Hebrew), Yehoshua (Joshua, the Hebrew root)

Meaning

Hebrew "the Lord saves" (the same name as Joshua; Iesous in Greek).

Figure

Jesus Christ, the Lord; the Holy Name itself.

Feast day

January 3 (Catholic, Most Holy Name of Jesus)

Traditions
CATHOLICORTHODOXANGLICANPROTESTANT

In the Christian tradition

The name Jesus is the Greek form (Iesous) of Hebrew Yeshua, itself a shortened form of Yehoshua (Joshua), meaning "the Lord saves." The angel's instruction to Joseph in Matthew 1:21 makes the meaning explicit: "you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." In English-speaking Christian tradition, the name is generally reserved for the Lord himself.

The Holy Name of Jesus is the name above every name (Philippians 2:9-10). In English-speaking Christian tradition, the name is generally reserved as a name for the Lord himself rather than given to children; in Hispanic Catholic tradition the name Jesús is in continuous use as a given name, often paired with Maria (Maria de Jesús, Jesús María). The Catholic calendar commemorates the Most Holy Name of Jesus on January 3; the Orthodox calendar has long traditions of Jesus Prayer devotion (the practice of the Hesychast monks repeating "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"). The Christian-Prayers.com entry on the Jesus Prayer covers this devotion in depth.