Nimrod

Nimrod is a figure mentioned in the Hebrew Bible, appearing in Genesis 10 as a descendant of Noah through Cush. He is described as a mighty hunter and a ruler of a realm that reportedly included the cities of Babel (Babylon), Erech (Uruk), Accad, and Calneh in the land of Shinar. In later Jewish and Christian traditions, Nimrod is sometimes depicted as a powerful king who established empires and as a symbol of human pride or rebellion against God, with medieval and rabbinic sources associating him with the construction of the Tower of Babel.

The name Nimrod itself is etymologically uncertain. Some interpretations link it to Hebrew roots that connote rebellion or to words meaning “let us revolt.” The biblical text does not present Nimrod as a single historical figure with a clear biography beyond the enumerated cities, and modern scholarship often treats him as a legendary or symbolic figure reflecting Mesopotamian rulers or imperial power.

In modern English usage, Nimrod has taken on a divergent meaning: as a term for a foolish or inept person. This sense is popularly traced to a 20th-century cartoon misreading: Bugs Bunny and others used Nimrod as a playful insult to a hunter, which increasingly became a general insult independent of its biblical background. Because of this double history, the word carries either ironic humor or pejorative intent depending on context.

Nimrod is also used as a given name or surname and appears in various literary and cultural works. Its use as a proper noun is primarily in religious, historical, or fictional contexts rather than as a widely adopted personal name today.