Jerusalem’s Many Names Reflect Shared Religious Roots

Aaron Demsky, Christophe Rico, and Iraj Sheidaee explore the linguistic history of Jerusalem in their book, The Names of Jerusalem: Jewish, Christian and Islamic Traditions, revealing how language shapes the city’s identity and holiness. The authors analyze the etymology and historical development of names like Salem, Jerusalem, and Al-Quds across Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, demonstrating both shared heritage and enduring differences.

The book argues that place names aren’t neutral labels but encode theological claims and collective memory. For example, the Canaanite name for Jerusalem suggests the city is where the world was created, a belief later adopted and adapted by both Jewish and Islamic traditions.

The authors trace how the Roman renaming of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina was later adopted into Arabic as “Iliya”, ironically linking the city to the biblical prophet Elijah. The Names of Jerusalem presents sources in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Syriac, and Arabic, alongside English translations, making it accessible to specialists and general readers. The book aims to illuminate the complex religious significance of Jerusalem through its evolving nomenclature.