Chamor as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Chamor

What is the meaning of the name Chamor ?

The baby name Chamor is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈtʃæmɔr/ (CHA-mor) or /ʃəˈmɔr/ (sha-MOR) — pronunciations vary by language.

Chamor is in Origin.

Chamor is a transliteration of the Biblical Hebrew ḥamór (חמור), literally “donkey.” The noun likely reflects the animal’s brown coloration and stamina, linked to the Semitic root ḥ-m-r “to be dark/red” or “to ferment,” though in Hebrew it functions as a standalone noun. In Modern Hebrew the same spelling also means “severe/serious” (hamur), a homograph unrelated in sense to the animal.

The name appears in Genesis as Hamor/Chamor, a Hivite chieftain of Shechem and father of Shechem in the Dinah narrative. Owing to its literal meaning and the episode’s negative cast, it has seen little use as a personal name in Jewish or Christian communities. Variants include Hamor, Ḥamor, and the Septuagint/Vulgate Emmor; related forms occur as surnames. While rare today, it may be chosen for symbolic traits - endurance, humility, steadfast work - rather than the zoological sense.

⚙ Chamor is vanishingly rare. We hold just 4 recorded uses of it, from 3 countries.