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If you Google 'Names vs Titles' there is, of course, a lot of results on this subject, but the nutshell version is the following:
"Generally a name refers to a specific thing (distinctive name), and a title refers to a thing that fulfills a requirement or a role (descriptive name)." [1] This discussion focuses on the differences used in the Bible, particularly how the King James Version (KJV) translates titles vs names, and understanding the significance.
Understanding that a name refers to a specific person while a title refers to what the person fulfills helps us identify the truth that sets us free.
God
God
The first title mentioned in the Bible is God at Genesis 1:1:
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. "
The Blue Letter Bible states the following:
The KJV translates Strong's H430 in the following manner: God (2,346x), god (244x), judge (5x), GOD (1x), goddess (2x), great (2x), mighty (2x), angels (1x), exceeding (1x), God-ward (with H4136) (1x), godly (1x).
From the above reference you can see clearly this title is used approximately 2600 times in the Bible. The Hebrew word is Elohim and the Greek equivalent word is Theos.
LORD
LORD
The first occurance of the title LORD (all letters capitalized) translated in the King James Version is found at Genesis 2:4 for the name of God, following the tradition of supplanting or removing the name of God from Bibles, and reads as follows:
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."
Note how the title LORD is capitalized with all four letters. This is to recognize with capital letters the NAME Yahweh or Jehovah God (H3068) which is actually in the original Hebrew text. The title, Lord (Hebrew: adonay, H136) is discussed below which is based upon the Hebrew (shown above) (adon, Strong's H113). The KJV tranlates adon as Lord in many verses. In some Bibles Genesis 2:4 H3068 is translated as Yahweh or Jehovah God:
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.' American Standard Version
The Hebrew word shown above is actually adon (Strong's H113), found at Psalm 110:1 which is the second occurrence of the title lord in small letters but with a capitol L:
"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."
Note that this verse mentions two titles, LORD and Lord.
The first title LORD, in all capitals, is the Hebrew name of God which is designated H3068 (Yahweh) in Strong's Concordance. The second Lord (first letter L is capitalized and the remaing three letters in small letters) is the Hebrew title 'adon' (H113) which the Blue Letter Bible states:
"The KJV translates Strong's H113 in the following manner: lord (197x), master(s) (105x), Lord (31x), owner (1x), sir (1x)."
The KJV uses another title, LORD (Strong's H3068 Yahweh) of lords (Strong's H133), which is used more than once in the Bible and clearly shows the distinction of the title, lord, and the name of God which is Yahweh (Hebrew - Strong's H3068) or Jehovah, in English.
This title, Lord (H136) of lords, (H113) can be found at Deuteuromy 10:17:
"For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:" King James Version
Note in the verse how the KJV uses LORD, Lord, and lords.
The first LORD (H3068) in all capitol letters in the verse is designated by Strong's H3068 Yahweh, the second Lord designated with a capitol L (remaining three letters small) is designated as Strong's H136, adonay, and the third lord (all small letters) as Strong's H113, adon.
H113 is attibuted to the Creator around 200 times which is the Hebrew word shown above (adon). The Greek equivalent is Kyrios.
H136 (adonay) the Blue Letter Bible states the following:
"The KJV translates Strong's H136 in the following manner: Lord (431x), lord (2x), God (1x)," a total of 434 times.
Lord
Lord
The first occurance of the title Lord found in the King James Version is found at Genesis 15:2
"And Abram said, Lord (H136) GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?' KJV
H136 is the Hebrew (adonay) shown above translated as follows into English:
The KJV translates Strong's H136 in the following manner: Lord (431x), lord (2x), God (1x).
Note: In the same verse, the translation into English with all three capitals, GOD, is H3069 which is the orginal Hebrew, Yᵊhōvâ (Jehovah or Yahweh) some Bibles translate the name rather than the title GOD. The correct translation is Lord Jehovah (or O Lord Jehovah or Sovereign Lord Jehovah).
Jehovah
Jehovah
Psalm 83:18 states the following:
"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." KJV
If you note, the verse speaks of a NAME, as well as a title, 'most high.' The name JEHOVAH is shown in the original KIng James Version of 1611, while the New King James replaced the name Jehovah with LORD. Strong's lists the name Jehovah (Yehova) as H3068. The name is completely different from the titles God, Lord or 'most high' (Hebrew, elyon, H5945). The Blue Letter Bible states that this name Yehova is counted 6519 times in the King James Version, and is translated the into four different ways:
"The KJV translates Strong's H3068 in the following manner: LORD (6,510x), GOD (4x), JEHOVAH (4x), variant (1x)." [2]
Joshua or Jehoshua
Joshua or Jehoshua
The KJV translates the Hebrew name (Yᵊhôšûaʿ) Strong's H3091 into English the following manner: Joshua (218x).
Messiah
Messiah
The title Messiah is shown above in Hebrew and is found at Daniel 9:25:
"Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times." King James Version
The Blue Letter Bible states the following regarding this title designated by Strong's as H4899:
The KJV translates Strong's H4899 in the following manner: anointed (37x), Messiah (2x). Root Word (Etymology) From מָשַׁח (H4886).
Christ
Christ
The Greek equivalent is shown above and can be found at John 1:41:
"He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias (G3323), which is, being interpreted, the Christ." King James Version
Strong's G3323 in the Blue Letter Bible states the following:
"Μεσσίας Messías, mes-see'-as; of Hebrew origin (H4899); the Messias (i.e. Mashiach), or Christ:—Messias."
"The KJV translates Strong's G3323 in the following manner: Messias (2x). Of Hebrew origin מָשִׁיחַ (H4899), see Χριστός (G5547) Christos"
Jesus Christ is equivalent to Jesus Messiah. A name with a title. The person is Jesus and the title is descriptive of what the person fulfills, which is 'annointed' or 'chosen.'
We can clearly see the difference between a title and a name. The name identifies the person. The title is descriptive of what the person fulfills. Some titles like Lord and God are shared by both Jehovah and Jesus, but there are some titles that are unique to Jehovah and unique to Jesus. For example, the title Messiah or Christ is only given to Jesus. Never is it given to Jehovah, because Jehovah God is the one who chooses or annoints Jesus. Another example is the title Good Master found at Mark 10:17:
"And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" King James Version
The next verse (Mark 10:18) explains clearly:
"And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." King James Version
The title Good Master is only applied to the Father, Jehovah God.
By comparing all the titles in the Bible with names (persons or identities), one can clearly see the difference what an individual persons fulfills which identifies and clarifies the person. We will continue to compare title vs name on this page.
This is a work in progress and you can view a spreadsheet with unique and shared titles to enhance your understanding which you can view below:
End Notes
[1] What's the difference between "title" and "name"?, English Language and Usage, StackExchange
[2] H3068, Blue Letter Bible
[3] H3091, Blue Letter Bible
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