Jeremiah

Jeremiah is a male given name of Hebrew origin. It derives from Yirmiyahu, commonly interpreted as “Yahweh will exalt” or “the Lord will exalt.” The name has many linguistic variants across languages, including Jeremias in Latin and Jeremías in Spanish.

In the Hebrew Bible, Jeremiah is a major prophet. Tradition places him as a native of Anathoth, a priestly town in Benjamin. He was called by God to prophesy in Judah during the late 7th to early 6th centuries BCE, a turbulent period leading to Jerusalem’s destruction and the Babylonian exile. His oracles denounce idolatry and social injustice, foretell disaster, and urge repentance, yet also offer hope of restoration. The Book of Jeremiah records his prophecies, biographical material, and accounts of his experiences and symbolic acts. Lamentations, about the fall of Jerusalem, is traditionally attributed to him and forms part of the same scriptural canon.

In Jewish and Christian traditions, Jeremiah is regarded as a major prophet. The book is part of the Major Prophets in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament and is studied for themes such as covenant fidelity, divine judgment, and restoration. Jeremiah 31 contains the prophecy of a new covenant, influential in Christian theology. The historical context centers on Jerusalem’s fall in 586 BCE and the associated exile.

Beyond religious texts, Jeremiah is widely used as a given name in many cultures and languages, carried by numerous historical and contemporary figures across various fields. The name remains common in the modern world.