אֲחִי
𐤀𐤇𐤉
Achi
H277 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'my brother,' derived from the common noun for 'brother.' Used as the name of two individuals in the Hebrew Bible, both identified as Israelites. Sometimes expresses kinship or affection in related theophoric names.
Semantic Range
proper personal name; literal 'my brother' as used in address, expression of close kinship; element in compound names; rarely as direct kin address (outside of proper name contexts)
Root / Etymology
From the root אָח (brother) plus the first person singular pronominal suffix -ִי ('my'), forming אֲחִי, literally 'my brother.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
אֲחִי (ʼĂchîy) appears as a personal name for two different Israelites in genealogical and narrative lists: a descendant of Manasseh (1 Chr 5:15) and an individual from the tribe of Gad (1 Chr 8:19). As a standalone personal name, it likely emphasized close kinship or familial loyalty, which was highly valued in the Israelite context. Names derived from 'אָח' are common in Hebrew theophoric and compound personal names (e.g., 'אֲחִיָּה', 'אֲחִיאֵל'), though אֲחִי is unusual as an uncompounded name. In English translations, this name is typically rendered 'Ahi.' In later periods and translations, the nuance of kinship is sometimes obscured by transliteration. The use of 'my brother' as a name reflects broader ancient Near Eastern practices of incorporating kin terminology into personal names. No later religious or ethnic connotations are attached to this specific name form.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from אָח; brotherly; Achi, the name of two Israelites; Ahi.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אח (ʾ-ḥ) — brother, kinship, male sibling, associate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H251 | אָח | brother |
| H252 | אַח | your brothers |
| H253 | אָח | brother |
| H254 | אָח | the firepot |
| H255 | אֹחַ | howling wild creatures |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H277-01 |
אֲחִי֙ | achi | HNp |
Ahi | my brother | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H277-01 |
1 Chronicles 5:15 | אֲחִי֙ | achi | HNp |
Ahi | my brother |
H277-01 |
1 Chronicles 7:34 | אֲחִ֥י | achi | HNp |
Ahi | my brother |