Ancient Egyptian Names, Meanings and Historical Context
Ancient Egyptian names fall into a few distinct categories worth separating: deity names, royal/pharaonic names, and ordinary documented personal names. Ancient Egyptian naming is also a different tradition entirely from modern Egyptian naming, which today mostly follows Arabic naming conventions.
Deity names sometimes used as given names
- Anubis (associated with protecting tombs and guiding souls to the afterlife)
- Amun (meaning the hidden one, a creation and universe deity)
These are the names of specific gods rather than common personal names in ancient Egyptian daily life, and modern parents choosing them are drawing on mythology rather than historical naming convention.
Historically attested royal names
- Hatshepsut (the only woman to rule ancient Egypt as pharaoh in her own right, her name translating to foremost of noble women)
- Amenhotep (meaning peaceful Amun, the name of several pharaohs)
- Ahmose (commonly read as meaning born of the moon, also the name of a pharaoh who founded the Eighteenth Dynasty)
Quick facts
| Time period | roughly 3100 BCE to 30 BCE, ancient Egyptian civilization |
| Common structural pattern | many royal names incorporate a god’s name (theophoric naming), such as Amenhotep incorporating Amun |
| Note | this naming tradition is historically distinct from modern Egyptian naming, which follows Arabic conventions today |
Frequently asked questions
Are Ancient Egyptian names the same as modern Egyptian names?
No. Modern Egypt primarily uses Arabic naming conventions today, which is a separate tradition from the names used in ancient Egyptian civilization thousands of years ago.
Is it appropriate to name a child after an Egyptian god like Anubis?
That’s a personal choice, but it’s worth knowing these were specific religious deity names in ancient Egyptian belief, not everyday given names, before choosing one for that reason.
What does “theophoric” mean in the context of these names?
It describes a name that incorporates a god’s name within it, a common pattern in ancient Egyptian royal names, such as Amenhotep containing Amun.
Related reading
Related culture pages: Biblical boy names, Hebrew and Jewish names.