seth

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Origin, Meaning, And History of Seth

With a strong potential as a middle name, the name Seth is a boy’s name of Hebrew origin which means ‘appointed’ or ‘placed.’ Seth was also used as a surname among the ancient Scottish people, derived from the Gaelic first name ‘Sithech,’ which means ‘wolf.’

The name Seth has multiple variations that may act as modern substitutes for the name. These include Said, Sid, Ced, Saad, Syd, Saaed, Zed, and Seb.

In the Hebrew Bible, Seth was the third son of Adam and Eve and the brother of Cain and Abel. As per Genesis, Seth was born shortly after the murder of Abel by Cain. Hence, he is commemorated as one of the Holy Forefathers in the Calendar of Saints of the Armenian Apostolic Church due to his likeness with Abel. God sent him to heal the family after the loss of Abel as a replacement. Seth also figures in the pseudepigraphic texts of ‘The Life of Adam and Eve,’ which recounts the lives of Adam and Eve after being expelled from The Garden of Eden after their death.

In the Ancient Egyptian religion, Set or Seth is considered to be the God of deserts, storms, violence, and disorder. In Ancient Greek, the name Set is given to a deity accompanying Ra (the ancient Egyptian God of the Sun) to repel Apep (the deity or Serpent of Chaos). Seth is also believed to be the ancestor of Noah, thereby making him the father of mankind.

The name came in England in the late Middle Ages after being popularized by the Puritans after the Protestant Reformation. The Puritans often give the name Seth to the child who was born after the death of an older sibling to keep a Biblical reference as a child who replaced Abel.

We can find the name Seth in the ‘Twilight Saga’ in the character of Seth Clearwater, who was first introduced in ‘New Moon’ as Leah’s younger brother and one of the youngest members of Sam Uley’s wolf pack. Seth Bede is also a literary fictional character appearing in the 1859 novel ‘Adam Bede’ by George Eliot, where Seth, the brother of the protagonist Adam, is a local carpenter living in Hayslope.

Seth

Meaning Appointed

Gender Boy

Origin Hebrew

Names starting with  S..  Sa..  Sae..  Saa.. 

How To Pronounce Seth?

Seth On The Popularity Chart

The graphs below explain the popularity and ranking of the name Seth.

Popularity Over Time

The name Seth has remained a popular name since the 1900s, with its peak popularity in 2000. Its popularity has been consistently declining over the next two decades.

Rank Over Time

As its popularity decreased after 2000, Seth also lost its ranking over the years. Check out the graph below to learn how it fared well in terms of ranking.

Names With Similar Sound As Seth

Before moving ahead, look at these similar-sounding names as Seth you may want to consider for the younger sibling of your baby boy.

Sathi Sathindar Sathish Sathvik Sathwik Sathya raj Seith Southern Southwell Sthavir

Names With Similar Meaning As Seth

Are you searching for a name that means appointed other than Seth? Here are some preferable choices for your tiny tot.

Saad Saeed Sajid Saket Shadah Shadeed Shahazad Shahed Shaheed Shahzaada

Name Numerology For Seth

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• Author

Trisha ChakrabortyMA, BEd

Trisha worked as a schoolteacher for three years before taking up professional writing in 2021. She completed her masters in English from the University of Calcutta and bachelors in Education from the University of Burdwan. Trisha believes that being a teacher enabled her to have a closer look at children’s developmental needs and capabilities. Her experience reflects in the articles...more