G is for Gregory: The Watchful Shepherd!

G is for Gregory

"Watch [gregoreuo] and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matt 26:41, ESV)

Gregory, which is my first name, is a common masculine first name. It is derived from the Latin name “Gregorius,” which is from the Greek name “Gregorios.” Gregorios means “watchful” and it comes from the Greek word gregorein which means “to watch.”

The name Gregory is also associated with a Latin stem “greg” which means flock or herd. So the name became associated with a shepherd who diligently watches over or guides a flock of sheep.

Interestingly enough this association made the name Gregory a very popular name for monks and even popes. As a matter of fact there have been 16 popes with the name Gregory, beginning with Pope Gregory I. I was surprised to learn that the name Gregory was the second most popular name for Popes, second to the name John.

The verb “gregoreuo,” or “watch” is used some 23 times in the New Testament. It carries the meaning “to give strict attention to, be cautious, to take heed or care so that no destructive calamity suddenly overtakes oneself.”

My mother wanted a very masculine sounding name for her first born son as she contemplated naming me. She settled on Gregory Dean. She didn’t know Greek or Latin or even the origin of the name she settled on.

I use to hate my name. The kids would make fun of it in a number of ways.  I learned to shorten my name to Gregg by the sixth grade in hopes it wouldn’t given other kids any other ideas.

However, since I studied the bible and Greek and discovered what my name meant, I have been very surprised at the “coincidence” of my name and profession. I am a very cautious watcher and take tremendous care when it comes to bible doctrine and teaching. I am a shepherd who has and is planning on watching very diligently over a flock of sheep in the near future.

By the way the two characters at the top left of the post is the small and capitalized letter "G" in the Koine Greek language. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek and a smidgen of Aramaic. The word Koine means common.