Moses ( el, Μωϋσῆς),from Latin and Greek Moishe ( yi, משה),from Yiddish Moshe ( he, מֹשֶׁה),from Modern Hebrew or Movses ( Armenian: Մովսես) from Armenian is a male

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

, after the

biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...

figure

Moses Moses hbo, מֹשֶׁה, Mōše; also known as Moshe or Moshe Rabbeinu (Mishnaic Hebrew: מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ, ); syr, ܡܘܫܐ, Mūše; ar, موسى, Mūsā; grc, Mωϋσῆς, Mōÿsēs () is considered the most important pro ...

. According to the Torah, the name "Moses" comes from the Hebrew verb, meaning "to pull out/draw out"

f water F, or f, is the sixth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''ef'' (pronounced ), and the plural is ''efs''. Hist ...

and the infant Moses was given this name by

Pharaoh's daughter Pharaoh's Daughter is an American Jewish world music band from New York City. Formed in 1995 by Basya Schechter, their music is a mix of American folk, Jewish klezmer, and Middle Eastern sounds. Schechter is currently a member of the alte ...

after she rescued him from the Nile (Exodus 2:10) Since the rise of Egyptology and decipherment of hieroglyphs, it was postulated that the name of Moses, with a similar pronunciation as the Hebrew Moshe, is the Egyptian word for Son, with Pharaoh names such as Thutmose and Ramesses roughly translating to "son of Thoth" and "son of Ra," respectively. There are various ways of pronouncing the Hebrew name of Moses, for example in Ashkenazi western European it would be pronounced Mausheh, in Eastern Europe Moysheh, in northern Islamic countries Moussa, and in Yemen Mesha. The nicknames are accordingly (usually with emphasis on the first syllable) Moishe, Moysh, Maish, Moeez, Mo, Moyshee, Musie (pronounced Mooziyeh). Jews named with the Hebrew name of Moses, commonly held a similar name in the language of the countries where they were born or lived. In Europe they were named Maurici, Maurice, Morris, Mauricio. In Arabic speaking countries, along with Moussa - the Arabic name for Moses, they were also named Mustafa.Maurici Gotlieb, Ezra Mendelson chapter 1, Zalman Shazar Center Publishing
(Hebrew National Library card)

People with this name

Ancient times

, the most important figure in the Torah * Moses of Alexandria, alchemist

Medieval

Moses (bishop of the Arabs) Moses or Saint Moses spent many years in the 4th century as a hermit on the fringes of the Roman empire between Egypt and Syria,Butler and Burns, 2000, p. 68. before becoming the first Arab bishop of the Arab people. As he was well respected for h ...

(c. 389), saint, first Arab bishop of the Arab people * Moses the Black (330–405), saint, ascetic monk and priest in Egypt, a Desert Father * Moses of Chorene (5th century; hy, Մովսես Խորենացի, links=no, ), Armenian historian, "father of Armenian history" *

Moses of Kalankatuyk Movses Kaghankatvatsi ( hy, Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի ''Movses Kaġankatvac’i''), or Movses Daskhurantsi ( ''Movses Dasxuranc’i'') is the reputed author (or authors) of a tenth-century Classical Armenian historiographical work on C ...

(7th century; hy, Մովսէս Կաղանկատուացի, links=no, ), Armenian historian * Moses the Calm (8th century; ar, موسى الكاظم, links=no, ), Twelver Shia imam * Moses the Hungarian (990s–1043; russian: Моисей Угрин, links=no, ), Russian saint * Moses ibn Ezra (1070–1138), Jewish, Spanish philosopher * Moses Kimhi (died c. 1190), medieval rabbi from Hachmei Provence, Occitania (modern France) * Moses Maimonides (1135–1204), Spanish rabbi, physician, and philosopher * Moses de León (c. 1250–1305; he, משה בן שם-טוב, links=no, ), Spanish rabbi who is thought to have composed the Zohar * Moses Shirvani, Jewish writer who authored a Hebrew/Aramaic–Persian dictionary in 1459

Early modern to 18th century

* Moses ben Jacob Cordovero (1522–1570; he, משה קורדובירו, links=no, ), a central figure in the historical development of Kabbalah, also known as Ramak () * Moses Holden (1777–1864), English astronomer * Moses Isserles (1530–1572; he, משה בן ישראל איסרלישׂ, links=no, pl, Mojżesz ben Israel Isserles, links=no), Polish Ashkenazic rabbi and talmudist * Moses Amyraut (1596–1664; also ), French theologian and metaphysician * Moyses Hill (died 1629), English army officer who settled in Ireland * Moses Cordovero (17th century), Italian physician * Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707–1746; he, משה חיים לוצאטו, links=no), Italian rabbi and poet, also known as Ramchal () * Moses Mendelssohn (1729–1786), German Jewish philosopher * Moses Robinson (1741–1813), judge, governor, and senator from Vermont * Moses Cleaveland (1754–1806), surveyor of the Connecticut Land Company and founder of Cleveland, Ohio * Moses Sofer (1762–1839; yi, משה סופר, links=no), a leading Orthodox rabbi of European Jewry in the early 19th century * Moses Montefiore (1784–1885), sheriff of London

Modern

* Moses Alexander (1853–1932), former governor of Idaho *

Moisés Alou Moisés Rojas-Alou Beltré (; ; born July 3, 1966) is a Dominican-American former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, ...

(born 1966), American baseball player * Moshe Arens (1925–2019), Israeli politician * Moses Barrett III (born 1973), African–American hip hop artist, better known by his stage name Petey Pablo * Moses Michael Levi Barrow (born Jamal Michael Barrow; 1978), better known by his stage name Shyne, Belizean rapper and politician * Moshe Bejski (1921–2007; he, משה בייסקי, links=no), Israeli judge * Mosè Bianchi (1840–1904), Jewish-Italian painter *

Moysés Blás Moysés Blás (alternate spelling: Moses Blass) (born March 24, 1937) is a Brazilian former basketball player. Blass is Jewish, and was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil. He is 5' 11". He played basketball for Brazil in the 1960 Olympics The 1 ...

(born 1937), Brazilian Olympic basketball medallist *

Moses Bloom Moses Bloom (1833 – June 14, 1893) was an American politician, member of both houses of the Iowa General Assembly, and mayor of Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Various publications name him as the first Jewish mayor of a major American city. ...

(1833–1893), American politician, the first Jewish mayor of a major American city (Iowa City, Iowa) * Moshe Brener (born 1971), Israeli basketball player * Moses Brown (basketball) (born 1999), American basketball player * Moses Costa (1950–2020), Bangladeshi Roman Catholic prelate * Moshe Czerniak (1910–1984; he, משה צ'רניאק, links=no), Israeli chess master *

Moshe Dayan Moshe Dayan ( he, משה דיין; 20 May 1915 – 16 October 1981) was an Israeli military leader and politician. As commander of the Jerusalem front in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (1953–1958) du ...

(1915–1981; he, משה דיין, links=no), Israeli military leader and politician * Moses Dyer (born 1997), New Zealand association footballer *

Moses J. Epstein Moses J. Epstein (c. 1911 – October 10, 1960) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Life He was born about 1910 in New York City. He attended Public School No. 7, DeWitt Clinton High School, Long Island University and St. John' ...

(c. 1911–1960), New York assemblyman * Moses Jacob Ezekiel (1844–1917), American sculptor * Moshe Gutnick, Australian Orthodox Chabad rabbi * Moses Harrison (1932–2013), American jurist * Moses Hess (1812–1875), French-Jewish Zionist * Moses Hogan (1957–2003), American composer and arranger of spirituals * Moe Howard (born Moses Horwitz; 1897–1975), one of the Three Stooges *

Moses Hurvitz Moses Ha-Levi Horowitz (February 27, 1844Baker 1998. – March 4, 1910), also known as Moishe Hurvitz, Moishe Isaac Halevy-Hurvitz, etc., was a playwright and actor in the early years of Yiddish theater.Bercovici, ''O sută de ani…'' Jacob Adle ...

(1844–1910), Galician-born Jewish playwright * (1898–1976), French Ukrainian-born Jewish physicist and radiochemist * Moses Isegawa (born 1963), Ugandan author * Moshe Ivgy (born 1953; he, משה איבגי, links=no), Israeli actor * Moshe Kasher (born 1979), American comedian * Moshe Katsav (born 1945; he, משה קצב, links=no), Israeli-Iranian president of Israel *

Moshe Kaveh Moshe Kaveh (משה קוה; born 1943) is an Israeli physicist and former President of Bar-Ilan University. Biography Kaveh was born in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union where his parents sought safety after fleeing from Poland. All of his ...

(born 1943; he, משה קוה, links=no), Israeli physicist and former President of Bar-Ilan University * Moses Kotane (1905-1978), South African anti-apartheid activist, Secretary-General of the South African Communist Party from 1939-1978 *

Moshe Kotlarsky Moshe J. Kotlarsky is an Orthodox Hasidic rabbi who serves as Vice Chairman of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement which in turn oversees over 5,000 religious and educational institutions worldwide. Kotl ...

( he, משה קוטלרסקי, links=no), Chabad rabbi and spokesman * Moses Lairy (1859–1927), Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court * Moses Malone (1955–2015), American basketball player * Moshe Many, Israeli urologist; President of Tel Aviv University, and President of Ashkelon Academic College *

Moses Martin Moses Martin was an American farmer, A.M.E. Church organizer, county commissioner, elections commissioner, and state legislator in South Carolina. He represented Fairfield County, South Carolina in the South Carolina Senate. He helped found White ...

, the son of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin *

Moses Mbye Moses Mbye (born 13 August 1993) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL. Over the course of his career he has played as a and . He previously played for the Canterbury- ...

(born 1993), Australian Rugby League player of Gambian descent *

Moses ka Moyo Moses Moyo (19 November 1977 – 25 October 2018) was a reporter, editor and activist in South Africa. Biography Moyo was the founder and chairperson of Friends of the Inner-city Forum, a community-based organisation in the inner city of Johann ...

(1977-2018), South African journalist and activist *

Moshe Mizrahi (basketball) Moshe Mizrahi ( he, משה מזרחי; born April 8, 1980) is an Israeli basketball player. He plays small forward. Mizrahi was a member of the Israeli U-16, U-18, U-20, and U-21 National Teams, won the silver medal at the 2000 Under-20 FIBA ...

(born 1980; he, משה מזרחי, links=no), Israeli basketball player *

Moša Pijade Moša Pijade ( sr-Cyrl, Мoшa Пијаде; he, משה פיאדה; alternate English transliteration Moshe Piade; 4 January 1890 – 15 March 1957), nicknamed Čiča Janko (, lit. "Old Man Janko") was a Serbian and Yugoslav communist of ...

(1890–1957; sr-Cyrl, Мoшa Пијаде, links=no), prominent Yugoslav communist and statesman of Sephardic Jewish origin * Moshe Ponte (born 1956; he, משה פונטה, links=no), Israeli Olympic judoka and President of the Israel Judo Association * Moshe Prywes (1914–1998; he, משה פריבס, links=no), Polish-Israeli physician and educator; first President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev * Moses Regular (born 1971), American football player * Moshe Romano (born 1946), Israeli footballer * Moses Rosen (1912–1994), Romanian rabbi * Moses Josef Rubin, (1892–1980), Hasidic Jewish cleric in Romania and, later, in New York City *

Moses Russell Moses Richard Russell (20 May 1888 – 18 December 1946) was a Welsh international footballer, who played most of his career with Plymouth Argyle. A full back, he attained 23 caps for the Wales national football team. Early career Russell was ...

, (1888–1946) Welsh footballer * Moshe Safdie (born 1938), Israeli-Canadian architect * Moshe Sharett (1894–1965; he, משה שרת, links=no, born Moshe Shertok, , ), Israeli Prime Minister, 1954–1955 * Moshe Sharon (born 1937; he, משה שרון, links=no), Israeli historian of Islam * Moses Sherman (1853–1932), American land developer in Arizona and California * Moses Sithole (born 1964), South African serial killer and rapist * Moshe Vardi (born 1954; he, משה ורדי, links=no), Israeli computer scientist and professor of Computer Science at Rice University * Moshe Wallach (1866–1957), German-Jewish physician; founder and director of Shaare Zedek Hospital, Jerusalem * Moshe Weinberg (1939–1972; he, משה ויינברג, links=no), Israeli Olympic wrestling coach killed in the Munich massacre * Moshe Weinkrantz (born 1954), Israeli basketball coach *

Moses M. Weinstein Moses M. Weinstein (July 8, 1912 – November 30, 2007) was an American lawyer and politician. Name He was born Morris Weinstein without a middle initial. A playbill for a production at Brooklyn College added erroneously the middle initial, and ...

(1912–2007), American politician *

Moshe Wilensky Moshe Wilensky ( he, משה וילנסקי, also, "Vilensky"; 17 April 1910 – 2 January 1997) was a Polish-Israeli composer, lyricist, and pianist. He is considered a "pioneer of Israeli song" and one of Israel's leading composers, and was a wi ...

(1910–1997; he, משה וילנסקי, links=no), Polish-born Israeli composer * Moshe Ya'alon (born 1950; he, משה יעלון, links=no), Israeli general and politician

Fictional characters

* Moses the raven in ''Animal Farm'' * Moses E. Herzog, title character in Saul Bellow's '' Herzog''

Animals

Moses (horse) Moses (1819–1836) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career that lasted from April 1822 to May 1823 he ran five times and won four races. In 1822, when three years old, he won all three of his races and became the second of six ...

, a 19th-century British Thoroughbred

Other uses

Moishe's Moishes Steakhouse is one of the oldest restaurants in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1938 by Moishe Lighter, it was initially called "Romanian Paradise." Legend has it that Lighter, an immigrant from Romania to Canada, became the owner of t ...

, a steakhouse and supermarket food product brand from Montreal, Canada * Moshe's, a chain of restaurants and cafés in Mumbai, India

Notes

References

Bibliography

*Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of Names'', (1988), Oxford University Press, Moses meaning in Eritrea is Mussie OR Musie.