‘How come your husband is called Pop when you have no children?’ ‘He was christened Lawrence which became shortened to Lolly, then Lollypop and finally Pop!’ It was explained. Pop is not the only one to have his name changed. It happened quite a bit in the Bible.
God changed the names of Abram and Sarai to Abraham and Sarah. After his encounter with God, Jacob’s name was altered to Israel. Joseph was given an Egyptian name – Zaphenath-paneah to fit in with that culture. Hoshea’s name meaning ‘salvation’ was changed to Joshua meaning ‘Yahweh saves.’ King Solomon, meaning ‘peaceable’ was altered by the prophet Nathan to Jedediah (beloved by God). Naomi after all her tragedies changed her own name to Mara – ‘bitter’. Daniel and his three friends had their names altered to fit in with the Babylon culture.
In the New Testament Simon whose name meant ‘one who hears,’ was changed to Peter meaning ‘rock’. At that time that would have seemed a strange choice but it proved that that was his final true character. Jesus had His own name fore-ordained for Him. Even I have had my name changed. I am now called a ‘Child of God.’