How Adam Named the Animals and Named God the LORD

"And he was wiser than every man" (I Kings 5:11) — than Adam the first man. And what was his wisdom? You find that at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to create Adam the first man, He took counsel with the ministering angels. He said to them, "Let us make man in our image" (Genesis 1:26). They said to Him, "What is man that You are mindful of him?" (Psalms 8:5). He said to them, "[The man whom I wish to create in My world,] his wisdom shall be greater than yours." Immediately He brought before them every beast, wild animal, and bird. He said to them, "What are the names of these?" And they did not know. Once He created Adam the first man, He brought them before him. He said to him, "What are the names of these?" He said, "It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse," and so for all of them, as it is said, "And the man gave names to all the cattle" (Genesis 2:20). He said to him, "You — what is your name?" He said to Him, "Adam, for I was created from the earth (adamah)." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "I — what is My name?" He said to Him, "YHWH (the LORD), for You are Lord over all the creatures." This is what is written, "I am the LORD, that is My name" (Isaiah 42:8) — which Adam the first man called Me. [That is My name, which I established between Myself and the nations of the world.]