Is it allowed to name your child Emmanuel since it is also the name of our Savior ?

 Question: I am pregnant with a baby boy and we would like to name him Emmanuel. But my husband is afraid to give him that name because it was also the name of Lord Jesus Himself. We also have some brothers in Christ that claim that if a baby gets this name and gets sick, it is because of the name…or for instance we have a brother-in-law named Emmanuel who has problems all the time and is also sick…Because of these, my husband is so afraid to name our boy Emmanuel, he is afraid that he will have problems…(he wants to name our son Timothy, do you know what it means?) I really want to name my son Emmanuel, since only God was with me throughout this pregnancy. If possible, give me some advice. Thank you.

 It is not wrong to give your son the name Emmanuel since you yourself say that you want to record your gratitude towards God for the way He has protected you during this pregnancy  and that He was next to you as Emmanuel means God is with us. What people tell you are plain superstitions. I myself know people named Emmanuel who are blessed by God, healthy, men of faith that serve God with much dedication and passion. I even know pastors who have this name.

On the other hand, if your husband opposes that and has this fear, you do not have to insist, giving birth to a conflict.  Talk about this once more and decide together how to name your son, you may give him a double name since it is accepted in our society. Thus your son may be named Emmanuel-Timothy.

The meaning of the name Timothy is “honour to God” or “glory to God”. In the New Testament this name belonged to a faithful disciple of the apostle Paul. Two epistles from the New testament have been addressed to him personally and about Timothy Paul writes in his epistle to the believers in Philippi:

But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. For I have no man likeminded, who will truly care for your state. For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ. But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serves father, so he served with me in furtherance of the Gospel (Philippians 2:19-22)

What a great example and testimony has Timothy left! May the Lord bless the child you will soon deliver to have the same wonderful attitude and behavior so that he will leave a similar testimony on this Earth and will enter with much glory into the Kingdom of heaven!