AMNOR

Nephite PN & Lehite PN	1.	Captain, ca. 87 BC (Alma 2:22)
noun	2.	Silver currency, ca. 82 BC (Alma 11:6, 11)

It is likely that two etymologies must be proposed for the two Nephite usages of this name, unless the silver amount is named after the PN Amnor.

Amnor could be composed of two elements, ʿmm, “people, clan, paternal uncle, grandfather,” and nwr, “light.” The name then might mean “people of light” (JAT), or “(my divine) kinsman is light” (JH). Several biblical PNs contain the lexeme nr, including Abner and Neriah. Compare the Ugaritic PNs nu-ra-nu, nûr-i-dma-lik (Gröndahl, p. 166) and the Palmyrene PNs nwrbl and nwry (Stark, p. 99) and the EA PN amunira.

Amnor could also be composed of ʾmn, “craftsman; faithfulness; truth,” and ʾwr, “light,” yielding the meaning “faithfulness is light.” For “light” in a positive passage, see Micah 7:8 (RFS).

The silver unit Amnor remains unexplained. Generally monetary terms fall into two categories, words of foreign origin and words derived from roots meaning to weigh or measure (JH). The common Semitic root mny, “to weigh, count, measure,” forms the basis for several monetary terms, and could be part of Amnor.

Nibley believes this name contains the Egyptian element imn, the god Amon (LID 31, ABM 235).

Notes

A mixed Semitic and Egyptian name, such as “Amon is light” (RFS), is unlikely.

Cf. Book of Mormon COMNOR, AMNIHU, LIMNAH

See also Amnor, amnor / omnor Variant