GEN314 One of the aspects of wisdom that God bestowed upon the first man was that he had the ability to call each beast and bird by the name that best described each species.
Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni, 1 Kings 247. This trait was part of man’s resemblance to God, showing he understood the nature of each animal so well that he could choose the names perfectly suited to each species, with the name actually describing the essence of each animal.
Rabbeinu Bechaye commentary. Thus, in Hebrew, an object’s name should and often does reflect the essence of that object, animal, or even person. … Judaism believes that the name of a person is so crucial that it can change and sometimes help determine a person’s personality and future. In fact, the Talmud states that a person’s name impacts upon his future life.
Berachot 7b Parents should be very careful in choosing a specific name to match the essence of the baby because the name could determine if the child will grow up to be moral or immoral.
Midrash Tanchuma, Ha’azinu 7 AMJV 185
SHOW FULL EXCERPT