Names are more than labels in the Bible. They often communicate identity, family history, circumstances, and sometimes God's purpose.

In this episode of Relish, Alex Zimmerman and Don Patterson begin by drafting some of the most difficult—and perhaps least advisable—names to give a child from the Bible. From Ichabod and Judas to Dorcas and Mahar-shalal-hash-baz, the conversation starts with humor.

But then it moves to a much bigger question.

Why did names matter so much in Scripture?

Why did Jacob become Israel? What did Jesus mean when He called Simon “Peter”? Why is Joseph remembered as Barnabas? And what do these examples teach us about identity and redemption?

The conversation also addresses an important misconception: receiving a new identity does not mean becoming instantly perfect.

If God makes someone new, why do old struggles remain?

This episode explores what the Bible actually says about names, identity, transformation, and the relationship between who you were and who God calls you to become.

00:00:29 Why Names Matter: Identity and Redemption

00:01:58 Drafting the Worst Bible Names

00:06:34 Bible Names We'd Actually Bring Back

00:07:29 What Do Names Mean in the Bible?

00:10:32 Why God Changed People's Names

00:17:37 Did Peter and Paul Really Get New Names?

00:21:43 Jacob Becomes Israel: A New Identity

00:25:03 New Identity Doesn't Mean Instant Perfection