Names in the Book of Mormon

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Episode 83: Names in the Book of Mormon
Brad Wilcox
July 2023

Lehi, Nephi, Amalickiah, Korihor鈥擳hese are just a few of the many names readers encounter in the Book of Mormon. Just where did these names come from? Research has shown that individuals have certain naming preferences. If Joseph Smith were making up the Book of Mormon, would its names reflect natural naming preferences and patterns? In this episode, professor Brad Wilcox takes us into his decade of research on this subject and its fascinating findings. 

Publications: 

鈥淏ook of Mormon Names: A Collection that Defies Expectation鈥 in (Routledge, 2023)

鈥溾 (Interpreter, 2019)

鈥淎bsence of 鈥楯oseph Smith鈥 in the Book of Mormon: Lack of the Name Letter Effect in Nephite, Lamanite, and Jaredite Names (Religious Educator, 2016)

鈥,鈥 (Names: A Journal of Onomastics, 2013)

188 Unexplainable Names: Book of Mormon Names No Fiction Writer Would Choose鈥 (Religious Educator, 2011)

Click to learn more about professor Brad Wilcox