HIMNI

Lehite PN

1.

Son of MOSIAH no. 2, ca. 93 BC (Mosiah 27:34; Alma 31:6)

Himni is constructed along the lines of many North-west Semitic names, such as biblical Hebrew Zimri, Omri, and Tibni. An etymology should be sought from the roots ḥmn and hmn. See the biblical GN Hammon (Joshua 19:28 and 1 Chronicles 6:76), Hamon-Gog, Ezekiel 39:11, 15, and Hamonah, Ezekiel 39:16, the latter perhaps with terminative adverbial ending, perhaps related to biblical Hebrew hāmōn, “multitude.” However, the -ōn ending in this latter word is secondary and should not be shortened to something like HIMNI (JH).

Less likely is an etymology from the Persian name Haman in the Book of Esther. Lehi would have had little chance to bring Persian names to the Promised Land.

Nibley suggests Egyptian “Hmn,” a hawkgod (LID, 28). In specifying that this is a “symbol of the emperor,” does Nibley mean to imply that there is a connection with the fact that the Nephite king so named one of his sons? (JAT) Smith wonders whether Nibley means hmn or ḥmn, “aged.” *CHECK NIBLEY’S SOURCE!!!(RFS)

Cf. Book of Mormon HEM and MANTI, OMNI, LIMHI, and ZERAHEMNAH.