First names in Hebrew

First name Esau: meaning, origin and its Hebrew spelling

עשו

Gematria value: 376

Its spelling

In Hebrew, Esau is written עשו

Esau is the English form of Esav, עשו in Hebrew.

Meaning and origin

What does Esau mean?

Meaning: of disputed origin
Origin: Hebrew

Your name is that of Esau, Esav in Hebrew, Jacob's twin brother. Its meaning is debated. The Torah says he was born "red, all over like a hairy cloak" (Genesis 25:25), and Rashi explains the name by asui, "made, finished": he was born already like a grown man (Rashi on Genesis 25:25).

Gematria

Esau = 376

In Hebrew, every letter is also a number. Added together, the letters of the name give its value: this is gematria. עשו has 3 letters:

• עthe letter Ayin70
• שthe letter Shin300
• וthe letter Vav6
• Total376

The verse of the name

From the letter Ayin to the letter Vav

An ancient custom gives each person a verse: the one that begins with the first letter of their name and ends with the last. For Esau, from ע to ו:

עֹד כׇּל־יְמֵי הָאָרֶץ זֶרַע וְקָצִיר וְקֹר וָחֹם וְקַיִץ וָחֹרֶף וְיוֹם וָלַיְלָה לֹא יִשְׁבֹּתוּ׃

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.”

Genesis 8:22

The book of your first name

Esau, in nine pages

• Esau, in Hebrew
• Letter by letter
• The number of your name
• The verse of your name
• The portrait of Esau
• Esau, day to day
• What tradition says about names
• The sources

Frequently asked

Esau in three answers

How do you write Esau in Hebrew?
In Hebrew, Esau is written עשו. Esau is the English form of Esav, עשו in Hebrew.

What is the gematria value of Esau?
Written עשו, Esau is worth 376: the letter Ayin (70) + the letter Shin (300) + the letter Vav (6).

What does Esau mean?
Of disputed origin (origin: Hebrew). Your name is that of Esau, Esav in Hebrew, Jacob's twin brother. Its meaning is debated. The Torah says he was born "red, all over like a hairy cloak" (Genesis 25:25), and Rashi explains the name by asui, "made, finished": he was born already like a grown man (Rashi on Genesis 25:25).