Asenath – Name Meaning
Asenath is a female given name of Hebrew origin, meaning “belonging to the goddess Neith”. It is derived from the Egyptian name Asen-Neith, which was borne by an ancient Egyptian princess who was the daughter of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in the Bible. The name has been used in English since the 17th century.
Origin and History
The name Asenath is derived from the Egyptian name Asen-Neith, which was borne by an ancient Egyptian princess who was the daughter of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in the Bible. The name has been used in English since the 17th century. In the Old Testament, Asenath was an Egyptian woman who married Joseph, son of Jacob. She bore him two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.
In Jewish tradition, Asenath is considered to be a righteous woman who converted to Judaism and became a great teacher of Torah. She is also said to have been a prophetess and a healer. In Islamic tradition, she is known as Zulaikha or Zulaykha, and is said to have been a beautiful woman who tried to seduce Joseph but failed.
Popularity
Asenath is not a particularly popular name in modern times. It does not appear on any list of top baby names in recent years. However, it has seen some use as a middle name for girls born in the United States.
Famous People Named Asenath
There are no famous people with this name at present. However, there are several fictional characters named Asenath, including:
- Asenath Waite from H.P Lovecraft’s short story “The Thing on the Doorstep”
- Asenath Mason from American author Donald Tyson’s Necronomicon series
- Asenath Barzani from Israeli author Amos Oz’s novel A Tale of Love and Darkness
Variations of the Name
The name Asenath can also be spelled as Assanat or Assaneth. There are also variations such as Azneth or Azneeth.
