This article explores the different names of Jerusalem and their linguistic natures, etc. For a discussion of the politics and history of Jerusalem itself, the Jerusalem article is probably a better place to start.

Over the millennia, there have been many names of Jerusalem in many different languages.

Names

Salem

• Biblical Hebrew שלם Shalem "whole", "complete" (possibly in the idiomatic sense of "at peace")
• Akkadian (Uru) Salim
• Assyrian (Ur) Salimmu

(The Akkadian Uru and Assyrian Ur are cognates of the Hebrew Ir ("city of") and should not be confused with the syllables Jeru- in the name Jerusalem derived from the word yerusha "heritage".)

• Biblical Greek Σαλημ Salēm, Σολυμα Solyma
• Biblical Latin Salem
• Arabic ساليم Sālīm
• Tiberian Hebrew שָׁלֵם Šālēm
• Standard Hebrew שָׁלֵם Šalem

In the Book of Genesis, Salem or Shalem is the name of the city during the time of Abraham. It is ruled by Melchizedek, whose name denotes a righteous king.

Salem is also regarded as a shorter name for Jerusalem.

Moriah

• Biblical Hebrew מוריה Moriyah "chosen of/is the LORD"
• Biblical Greek Μωριας Mōrias
• Biblical Latin Moria
• Arabic مريا Muriyyā or Murayyā (?)
• Tiberian Hebrew מוֹרִיָּה Môriyyāh
• Standard Hebrew מוֹרִיָּה Moriyya

In the Book of Genesis, Moriah is the name of the Temple Mount at a time when it is uninhabited. It is the place where, in Abrahamic religions, Abraham attempts the sacrifice of his son.

Jebus

• Biblical Hebrew יבוס Yevus "threshing floor" (literally "trodden down")
• Biblical Greek Ιεβους Iebous
• Biblical Latin Iebus
• Arabic يبوس Yabūs
• Tiberian Hebrew יְבוּס Yəḇûs
• Standard Hebrew יְבוּס Yəvus

In the Old Testament, Jebus is the name of the Canaanite fortress on the Temple Mount during the time of King David. The name refers to the large threshing floor on the Temple Mount around which the fortress was built. David conquers Jebus and establishes Jerusalem on its place as the new Israelite capital. The threshing floor was subsequently purchased by David as the site of the Temple.

Jerusalem

• Biblical Hebrew ירושלם Yerushalayim probably "Heritage of Salem" or "Heritage of Peace"
• Aramaic יְרוּשְׁלֶם Yərûšəlem
• Biblical Greek Ιερουσαλημ Hierousalēm, Ierousalēm, Ιεροσολυμα Hierosolyma, Ierosolyma
• Syriac ܐܘܪܫܠܡ Ūrišlem
• Biblical Latin Hierusalem
• Arabic اورشليم Ūršalīm, Ūršalaym
• Tiberian Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַםִ / יְרוּשָׁלָםִ Yərûšāláim / Yərûšālāim
• Standard Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם Yərušaláyim
• Old Norse Jorsala

Jerusalem is the name most commonly used in the Bible, and is the preferred name in Jewry and the Western World. Its Arabic counterpart, Ūršalīm, is the term used by the government of Israel in Arabic, and by Arabs in certain historic or Biblical contexts.

The Greek forms Hierousalēm and Hierosolyma, and the Latin form Hierusalem indicate an interpretation of the first syllables as the Greek word hieros meaning "holy". The Old Norse form Jorsala indicates an interpretation of the last syllables as the Old Norse toponym ending -sala denoting a hall (sometimes a temple hall).

Zion

• Biblical Hebrew ציון Tziyon "height"
• Biblical Greek Σιων Siōn
• Biblical Latin Sion
• Syriac ܨܗܝܘܢ Ṣehyôn
• Arabic صهيون Ṣuhyūn
• Tiberian Hebrew צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn
• Standard Hebrew צִיּוֹן Ẓiyyon

Zion or Sion is a traditional name for the Temple Mount and the city surrounding its slopes.

Ariel

• Biblical Hebrew אריאל Ari'el "Lion of God."
• Greek Αριηλ Ariēl
• Arabic اريئيل Arīʾīl
• Tiberian Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל ʾĂrîʾēl
• Standard Hebrew אֲרִיאֵל Ariʾel

Ariel is a poetic name for Jerusalem.

In modern times however, the name is more often used for the Israeli settlement of Ari'el in the West Bank, miles away from Jerusalem.

Ælia Capitolina

• Latin Ælia Capitolina "Capitoline of (the House of) Aelius"
• Arabic إيلياء, ʾĪlyāʾ
• Tiberian Hebrew אֵילִיָּה קַפִּיטוֹלִינָה ʾÊliyyāh Qappîṭôlînāh
• Standard Hebrew אֵילִיָּה קַפִּיטוֹלִינָה Eliyya Qappitolina

Ælia Capitolina was the Roman name given to Jerusalem after all Jews were expelled from the area. The name refers to Hadrian's family Aelius and the hill temple of Jupiter built on the remains of the Jewish Temple. Its Arabic counterpart, ʾĪlyāʾ was sometimes used in early times Middle Ages, as in some Hadith (Bukhari 1:6, 4:191; Muwatta 20:26), like Bayt ul-Maqdis (see below.)

Al-Quds

• Arabic القدس al-Quds "The Holy Place", القدس الشريف al-Quds aš-Šarīf "The Noble Holy Place"
• Turkish Kudüs
• Tiberian Hebrew הַקָּדֵשׁ haqQāḏēš "The Holy"
• Standard Hebrew הַקָּדֵשׁ haQodeš

Al-Quds is the most common Arabic name for Jerusalem, used also by many cultures influenced by Islam. The variant al-Quds aš-Šarīf has also been used, notably by the Ottomans. This name for the city is derived ultimately from the Hebrew titles Ir Ha-Qodesh ("The Holy City", found with masculine in some late hymns), probably via an Aramaic form.

Bayt ul-Maqdis

• Arabic بيت المقدس Bayt ul-Maqdis, Bayt ul-Muqaddas "House of the Holiness"

Bayt ul-Maqdis or Bayt ul-Muqaddas is a less common Arabic name for Jerusalem, a variant of the previous. It is the base from which nisbas (names based on the origin of the person named) are formed - hence the famous medieval geographer called both al-Maqdisi and al-Muqaddasi (born 946.) It is used in some Hadith (Sahih Muslim 234, 251). This name is derived from the Hebrew Beit Ha-Miqdash ("The Temple" literally "House of the Holiness") which denotes the Temple in Jerusalem not the city itself.

al-Balat

• Arabic البلاط al-Balāṭ, a rare poetic name for Jerusalem, from Latin palatium "palace".

External links

• The Name Jerusalem and its History (PDF file format)

See also Names of the Levant.