Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Jerusha

Jerusha is one of those obscure Biblical names which the Puritans found and popularized in the 17th century after the Protestant Reformation. The religiously austere Puritans and other dissenting Christians of the time found new ways to name their children which reflected their humility and reserve. Not only did they resurrect several of the key characters from the Old Testament (Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah) – names which were traditionally used among Jewish people, but they also scoured their Bibles for female names mentioned even in passing. Jerusha is one such name; she appears ever-so-briefly in 2 Kings 15:33 and 2 Chronicles 27:1. She is mentioned as the daughter of Zadok (descended from the Tribe of Levi), the wife of King Uzziah of Judah (who was made a leper for disobeying the priests); and the mother of King Jotham of Judah (who succeeded his father and did what was “right in the eyes of the Lord”). There are barely two sentences dedicated to Jerusha in the Bible; but for the Puritans, that was enough. The name Jerusha comes from the Hebrew Yerusha' meaning “take possession of” in the sense of being married – in other words, Jerusha means “possession” (as in her husband’s possession). Perhaps not a name choice for feminist mothers out there, Jerusha is still a sweetly old-fashioned Puritanical name that harkens us back to the days of Plymouth Rock.

All About the Baby Name – Jerusha

Personality

OF THE GIRL NAME JERUSHA

The number one personality is a leader - strong and competitive. They are willing to initiate action and take risks. One personalities work hard toward their endeavors and have the ability to apply their creative and innovative thinking skills with strong determination. They believe in their ability to succeed and are too stubborn to be hindered by obstacles. Ones meet obstacles head-on with such mental vigor and energy that you better step aside. They resent taking orders, so don't try telling them what to do either. This is an intensely active personality, but they are also known as starters rather than finishers. They have a propensity to become bored and will move quickly to the next project if not properly challenged.  They are the ones to think up and put into action new and brilliant ideas, but they are not the ones to stick around and manage them. This personality has an enthusiastic and pioneering spirit. They are distinctly original.

Popularity

OF THE GIRL NAME JERUSHA

The last year we could find evidence of Jerusha on the U.S. naming charts was in 1882, and even then the name was quite unfamiliar to most. Jerusha’s time in the sun was around 400 years ago at the time of colonization when the Puritans revived usage of lesser-known Biblical names (Abigail, Susanna, Martha, Jerusha, etc) and brought virtue names into fashion (Constance, Prudence, Charity, etc). The Puritan influence on American naming practices would be long-lasting and far-reaching, but, alas, Jerusha is not one of the survivors.

Quick Facts

ON JERUSHA

GENDER:

Girl

ORIGIN:

Hebrew

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

3

RANKING POPULARITY:

N/A

PRONUNCIATION:

jə-ROO-sha

SIMPLE MEANING:

Possession

Characteristics

OF JERUSHA

Independent

Individualistic

Ambitious

Strong-willed

Inventive

Successful

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Jerusha

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME JERUSHA

Jerusha Bromley Hale is the female protagonist in James Michener’s huge 1959 novel, Hawaii, which was made into a movie starring Julie Andrews in 1966. Jerusha (whose story is only one part of the epic novel) has to be one of the most put-upon heroines in fiction – she is, at the novel’s onset, a lovely and virtuous young woman deeply in love with a sea-faring captain. Having not heard from him in over three years, she dutifully accepts the marriage proposal of the Reverend Abner Hale, who needs a wife in order to travel to Hawaii as a Christian missionary. Bad decision! After undergoing a harrowing sea voyage, the newlyweds settle in Hawaii full of missionary fervor. Abner is bound to Christianize the pagans; Jerusha is more sympathetic to their native culture. As the years pass, the Hales have four children and painstakingly build up their congregation. Jerusha’s sea captain makes a voyage to Hawaii, and Jerusha is led to understand that his earlier communications with her had been kept from her by her well-meaning family. This does not deter Jerusha in her ongoing life of self-sacrifice; she continues in her loveless marriage and forgoes the possibility of any such pleasures on earth. Jerusha dies before her time, a victim of her own tireless devotion to the cause of Christianity, and we are left desperately hoping that there is, somehow, an afterlife that will reward her for all her postponed joys.

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME JERUSHA

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Jerusha


Popular Songs

ON JERUSHA

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Jerusha


Famous People

NAMED JERUSHA

Jerusha Hess (filmmaker)

Children of Famous People

NAMED JERUSHA

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Jerusha

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME JERUSHA

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Jerusha