Immánuel

This name derives from the Hebrew “Imánu él / ʼImmanuʻel /Imanu’él” (Biblical Greek: Emmānouḗl ‘Ἐμμᾱνουήλ’), meaning “God is with us.” It is a symbolic name which appears in chapters 7 and 8 of the Book of Isaiah as part of a prophecy assuring king Ahaz of Judah of God’s protection against enemy kings. It is quoted in the Gospel of Matthew as a sign verifying the divine status of Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew mentions the Immanuel prophesy from Isaiah, although it uses a Greek translation rather than the original Hebrew. Saint Emmanuel († ~304) was arrested and executed with 42 other martyrs, including Quadratus (Codratus) and Theodocius, in 304 as part of Diocletian’s persecution of the Christians. Their feast day is 26 March. Emmanuel Philibert (Italian: Emanuele Filiberto, known as “Testa di Ferro,” in English “Ironhead,” because of his military career; 8 July 1528–30 August 1580) was Duke of Savoy from 1553 to 1580.