What is the meaning of the name Jesus?

TL;DR:

The name Jesus literally means the Lord saves. Although the name for Jesus was popular, Jesus Christ is the One who fulfilled His name, fulfilling God’s redemptive plan and bringing salvation to humanity.

what does the bible say?

The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew names Yeshua and Yehoshua, which translate to Joshua in English. The name in Hebrew literally means “the LORD saves.” The angel Gabriel instructed Mary to name her son Jesus, indicating His role in bringing salvation to the whole world for all who will believe in Him. Jesus fulfills His name by providing redemption and salvation for all. While Jesus was a common name in first century Israel, Jesus Christ fulfilled the significance of the name as He was the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan.

from the old testament

The names Yeshua (a shortened form of Yehoshua) and Yehoshua, which translate to "Jesus" in Greek, do appear in the Old Testament. They are used in contexts such as referring to Joshua, the son of Nun (e.g., Numbers 13:16), and Yeshua, a post-exilic leader (e.g., Ezra 3:2). Both names mean "The LORD is salvation."
Yehoshua (Joshua) is a prominent name in books like Joshua, where Joshua succeeds Moses as the leader of Israel. This same name appears in the context of the high priest Joshua in Zechariah 3:1–10, as well as in other passages.
Yeshua (Jeshua in the ESV) appears in Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Chronicles.

from the new testament

In Luke 1:31, the angel, Gabriel, told Mary she would conceive a son and she should "call his name Jesus." In the original Greek, as transliterated, that name is Iesous which comes from the Hebrew name Yehoshua. In Hebrew, the name comes from two words, Yahweh, meaning the LORD, and yasha, meaning saves. So Jesus' name means "the LORD saves." Gabriel had instructed Mary to name her son Jesus because He is the LORD who brings salvation, not just to the Israelites, but to all people.
Jesus of Nazareth, God incarnate, is the only one able to live up to His name and bring true salvation. Simeon described baby Jesus during His dedication at the temple like this, "my eyes have seen your [God's] salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel . . . Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many . . . so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed" (Luke 2:30–35).

implications for today

Jesus was not the political ruler they were expecting, nor did He free the Israelites from Roman occupation, but He did free us: "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Romans 8:3–4). First Peter 1:3 declares, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." Jesus is truly how the LORD (Yahweh) has saved (yasha). "Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:9–11). Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan, bringing the salvation and hope offered to all who will trust in His death and resurrection. Through this salvation we have life abundantly (John 10:10) for now and eternity.

understand

The name Jesus comes from the Hebrew names Yehoshua and Yeshua, meaning "the LORD saves."
In the New Testament, Gabriel instructs Mary to name her son Jesus, highlighting His role in bringing salvation to all people.
Jesus fulfills the meaning of His name by providing redemption and salvation, offering eternal life to those who trust in Him.

reflect

How does the meaning of Jesus' name, "the LORD saves," impact your personal understanding of His character and role in salvation?
How has the realization that Jesus fulfills His name as "the LORD who brings salvation" influenced your response to Him?
How does the meaning of the name Jesus and His fulfillment of it impact you in your interactions with others?

engage

Jesus is not the only person in the Bible to have this name. In Numbers 13:16, Moses changed his assistant's name to Yehoshua from Hoshea, which in English is rendered as Joshua. Just as Joshua is a common name today, it was common during Jesus' time as well. Because many Israelites were "waiting for the consolation of Israel . . . [and] the redemption of Jerusalem," parents tended to give their sons the name Yehoshua or Iesous in the hopes that the LORD would bring salvation for them from Roman rule (Luke 2:25, 38).
What are the theological implications of Jesus fulfilling the meaning of His name in the context of God's redemptive plan? How does this affect our understanding of salvation?
How can the commonality of the name Jesus during His time enhance our comprehension of His unique role and significance as the fulfillment of God's promises?