'Adoniyah' certainly is not the most popular Hebrew name, but it is very rich in history.
There are a number of different spellings for the name itself, among them 'Adoniah' and 'Adonijah'. All of these different spellings have this in common: they mean some variation of the words 'The Lord is my God'. Phonetically correct pronunciation of the name, in the original Hebrew, would make it sound something like: 'Adon-ih-yah-hoo'. This is kind of like a Hebrew contraction, combining 'Adonai' and the Hebrew letters which are pronounced 'Yahweh'. Given the meaning of the name, it is unsurprising that it is masculine.
Perhaps the most well-known iteration of the name is 'Adonijah'. This form appears in most English translations of Hebrew scripture--most notably the King James version of the Bible, where Adonijah is recorded as the usurping fourth son of King David.
There are any number of reasons that today 'Adoniyah' has declined in popularity--it is an older name, it is strictly male, it has deep religious meaning--but given the name's history, the most obvious reason seems to be the moniker's original owner.
The name is an older name. It has deep religious meaning. It is a male name, so most girls are excluded from being potential owners. Besides which, it belonged to an individual with a pretty bad reputation--there are any of a hundred reasons 'Adoniyah' is not very popular today; this last seems the most likely.
King David was not impressed with Adonijah's behavior, and his advisers brought the matter of his son's heresy directly to him. The kingdom had originally been promised to Solomon, and when David heard of Adonijah's power-grab, he sent Solomon to the throne. Solomon's appointment scared Adonijah's dinner guests away, and the would-be king begged his half-brother Solomon for life. Solomon, being wise, granted him his life on condition that '... He show(s) himself to be worthy, ' (1 Kings 1:52).
Shortly afterward, King David died, leaving a prosperous kingdom and a number of widowed concubines behind. One of these concubines the recently de-throned Adonijah was attracted to, asking Solomon if she might be his. So Solomon had him executed.
Now with a name that means 'The Lord is my God', it isn't that crazy an idea that Adonijah was conceited. This presents itself as a very real possibility. Perhaps, given the meaning of his name, he felt beyond reproach. The world may never know--and scripture certainly isn't clear.
The name's history, though - that's rich. And it isn't all bad. At least, according to 1 Kings 1:6: '... He was also very handsome...'.
Adoniyah
There are a number of different spellings for the name itself, among them 'Adoniah' and 'Adonijah'. All of these different spellings have this in common: they mean some variation of the words 'The Lord is my God'. Phonetically correct pronunciation of the name, in the original Hebrew, would make it sound something like: 'Adon-ih-yah-hoo'. This is kind of like a Hebrew contraction, combining 'Adonai' and the Hebrew letters which are pronounced 'Yahweh'. Given the meaning of the name, it is unsurprising that it is masculine.
Perhaps the most well-known iteration of the name is 'Adonijah'. This form appears in most English translations of Hebrew scripture--most notably the King James version of the Bible, where Adonijah is recorded as the usurping fourth son of King David.
There are any number of reasons that today 'Adoniyah' has declined in popularity--it is an older name, it is strictly male, it has deep religious meaning--but given the name's history, the most obvious reason seems to be the moniker's original owner.
The name is an older name. It has deep religious meaning. It is a male name, so most girls are excluded from being potential owners. Besides which, it belonged to an individual with a pretty bad reputation--there are any of a hundred reasons 'Adoniyah' is not very popular today; this last seems the most likely.
King David was not impressed with Adonijah's behavior, and his advisers brought the matter of his son's heresy directly to him. The kingdom had originally been promised to Solomon, and when David heard of Adonijah's power-grab, he sent Solomon to the throne. Solomon's appointment scared Adonijah's dinner guests away, and the would-be king begged his half-brother Solomon for life. Solomon, being wise, granted him his life on condition that '... He show(s) himself to be worthy, ' (1 Kings 1:52).
Shortly afterward, King David died, leaving a prosperous kingdom and a number of widowed concubines behind. One of these concubines the recently de-throned Adonijah was attracted to, asking Solomon if she might be his. So Solomon had him executed.
Now with a name that means 'The Lord is my God', it isn't that crazy an idea that Adonijah was conceited. This presents itself as a very real possibility. Perhaps, given the meaning of his name, he felt beyond reproach. The world may never know--and scripture certainly isn't clear.
The name's history, though - that's rich. And it isn't all bad. At least, according to 1 Kings 1:6: '... He was also very handsome...'.
Adoniyah
