📖 Biblical Definition
A good name is the integrated reputation a man builds by character over time — more valuable than great wealth, better than precious ointment. Proverbs is emphatic: "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold" (Proverbs 22:1). Ecclesiastes adds: "A good name is better than precious ointment" (Ecclesiastes 7:1). A good name is not crafted brand or curated image; it is the actual moral standing a man earns by years of integrity — the way his word is taken in the city gates, the way his handshake is trusted, the way his absence is noted. It is built slowly; it is ruined quickly; it is central to biblical character.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Earned moral reputation; more valuable than wealth.
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Hebrew shem tov. The integrated reputation built by character over years — not crafted brand or curated public image, but the actual moral standing earned by integrity. Proverbs 22:1 ranks it above great wealth: "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold." Ecclesiastes 7:1 elevates it above precious ointment. Built slowly through small consistent acts; ruined quickly through small inconsistent ones; absolutely central to biblical character-formation.
📖 Key Scripture
Proverbs 22:1 — "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold."
Ecclesiastes 7:1 — "A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."
1 Timothy 3:7 — "Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Replaced by personal-brand culture — curated image, follower counts, online reputation. Brand can be manufactured; good name must be earned.
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Personal-brand culture engineers reputation: image-curation, content-strategy, follower-growth. Biblical good-name is earned, not engineered. The two can look similar from outside; they fail under different pressures. Brand collapses when the truth comes out; good name endures because the truth is already in.
Recover the slow path: build character; the name follows. Reverse-engineering reputation produces brittle reputation.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew shem tov.
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['Hebrew', 'H8034', 'shem', 'name']
['Hebrew', 'H2896', 'tov', 'good']
Usage
"Good name better than great riches."
"Built slowly; ruined quickly."
"Earned, not engineered."