grammaton

Grammatón is a term used in linguistics and religious studies to denote a name, especially a sacred or divine one. The word comes from the Greek grammátos meaning “letter” or “character,” with the neuter suffix -on. In scholarly usage, a grammatón refers to the name as a referent distinct from its meaning, pronunciation, or attributes.

In Judaism, the most prominent grammatón is the Tetragrammaton, YHWH, the four-letter Hebrew name of God. The name is considered sacred; traditional Jewish practice forbids pronouncing it aloud. Readers substitute Adonai (“the Lord”) or HaShem (“the Name”). The Tetragrammaton appears in Hebrew Bible manuscripts and is treated with reverence in liturgical and textual contexts. Transliterations into other languages yield forms such as Jehovah or Yahweh in various Christian traditions.

In mysticism and esotericism, the term is used to describe beliefs about the power of sacred names. In Kabbalah, the letters of the Tetragrammaton are connected to the structure of the sephirot and divine attributes. In Renaissance magic and contemporary occultism, practitioners sometimes speak of invoking a “Great Name” or “Divine Word” for ritual effects. The subject remains controversial and is not part of mainstream theological consensus.

Today, grammaton is primarily encountered in academic discussions of Hebrew scripture, onomastics (the study of names), and in analysis of magical or critical occult literature. It is distinct from ordinary linguistic usage of “name” or “word” and should be understood within its religious and historical contexts.

See also: Tetragrammaton, Yahweh, Jehovah, Adonai, HaShem, Name of God, onomastics.