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Alma Matter--Does the Name Verify or Disprove the Book of Mormon's Authenticity?

In my previous post on the topic of "Virginal Conception", readers may have noticed that the Hebrew word "alma" pertains to a young woman of marriageable age. Some critics have taken issue with this feminine word being used as a masculine name in the Book of Mormon, insisting that this discredits the scripture's historical claims. Many Mormon apologists/scholars have rebutted this accusation, even asserting that this name actually validates the Book of Mormon's authenticity. Says one apologist:

The name “Alma” must be the most amusing evidence on Book of Mormon names that we have. As Hugh Nibley has pointed out, “Roman priests have found in this obviously Latin and obviously feminine name--(who does not know that Alma Mater means "fostering mother"?)--gratifying evidence of the ignorance and naiveté of the youthful Joseph Smith--how could he have been simple enough to let such a thing get by?” Surprisingly enough, for some of us, Alma has been attested to as a male Hebrew name in a number of ancient inscriptions. In the now infamous Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical scholar Yigael Yadin discovered an inscription that he translated as Alma ben Yehuda, or “Alma son of Judah.” In another find, on clay tablets from Tell Mardikh (in northwestern Syria) we find eight different references to the personal name al6-ma on six tablets, referring to merchants who by and large were male in that period of time. The Semitic nature of this name, a variation of Akkadian, gives us great evidence of the presence of the Hebrew, male name of Alma both predating and postdating Lehi’s journey from Jerusalem. http://www.angelfire.com/az3/LDC/amww.htm#_Toc531697936

Although I concur that the findings noted above effectively rebut the assertion challenging the Book of Mormon's authenticity... I disagree that the findings should count as evidence confirming the Book of Mormon's historical claims. Why? Because Alma was also used as a masculine name in late 18th to early 19th century America, before the Book of Mormon was published. Having spent a mere hour plugging in various surnames into the genealogical database at familysearch.org, I gathered the following forty-seven examples:

1. Alma SMITH - Ancestral FileGender: M Birth; Married to Sarah Gates, 8 Jan 1789. Presbyterian Chk, Ballston Center, Saratoga, N Y
2. Alma A. Smith - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1823 , Tuscaloosa, Alabama
3. Alma Smith - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1811 Of, Providence, Rhode Island
4. Alma Smith - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 30 NOV 1800 Shoreham, Addison, Vermont
5. Alma C. SMITH - 1880 United States Census / MinnesotaSelf Gender: Male Birth: 1814 VT
6. Alma E. L. SMITH - 1880 United States Census / IndianaSelf Gender: Male Birth: 1820 IN
7. Alma [chase] - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1793 Stephenstown, , Sullivan, New York
8. ALMA F. CHASE - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 10 OCT 1822 Standish, Cumberland, Maine
9. Alma RICHARDS - Ancestral FileGender: M Birth/Christening: Sep 1780 Of, Hartford, Hartford, Conn.
10. ALMA CAPRON - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 18 JAN 1793 East Greenwich, Kent, Rhode Island
11. Alma Harris - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1803 Of, Albion, Orleans, New York
12. Alma L. HANSON - 1880 United States Census / MaineSelf Gender: Male Birth: [1819] ME
13. Alma [cowdery] - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 12 AUG 1805 Hartland, Hartford, Connecticut
14. Alma Spalding - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1790 Sheffield, Massachusetts
15. Alma Spalding - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 20 FEB 1796 , Connecticut
16. Alma Spalding - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 27 FEB 1796 New Marlboro, Berkshire, Massachusetts
17. Alma Otis Johnson - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Other: About 1787 Of, Leyden Twp, Lewis, New York
18. Alma Johnson - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1792 Of Middletown, Connecticut
19. Alma Scott - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 25 APR 1792, Northampton, North Carolina
20. Alma R. SCOTT - Ancestral FileGender: M Birth/Christening: 4 Sep 1822 Fairfax, Franklin, Vermont
21. ALMA SCOTT - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 09 AUG 1786 Cornwall, Addison, Vermont
22. Alma Phelps - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 21 JUN 1814 Smithfield, Fayette, Pennsylvania
23. Almus ANDERSON - 1880 United States Census / MassachusettsSelf Gender: Male Birth: [1824] MA
24. Alma White - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 18 JUL 1797 Upper, Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut
25. Alma [wait] - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1816 Of, Massachusetts
26. Alma Lee - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 19 SEP 1810 Of, Washington Twp, Dutchess, New York
27. Alma Clark - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1795 Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts
28. Alma Clark - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 03 OCT 1797 Lebanon, New London, Connecticut
29. Alma Clark - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 18 APR 1824 Of, Dunkirk, Chautauqua, New York
30. Alma J. Clark - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1825 , Missouri
31. Alma STARK - 1880 United States Census / OhioFatherL Gender: Male Birth: [1798] PA
32. ALMA LYON - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 07 JUL 1794 Of, Weston, Fairfield, Connecticut
33. Alma Ann [lane] - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 05 MAY 1820 Billerica, Maine
34. Alma Roberts - Pedigree Resource FileGender: M Birth/Christening: abt 1817 Pittsford, Rutland, Vermont
35. Alma Young - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: Jackson, Alabama
36. ALMA CROSS - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 10 JAN 1790 Newton, Middlesex, Massachusetts
37. Alma Taylor - Pedigree Resource FileGender: M Birth/Christening: 13 May 1769 York, SC
38. Alma Tyler - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 16 MAR 1812 Bradford, Essex, Massachusetts
39. Alma Ticknor Pease - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 28 JUL 1802 Of, Canaan, Columbia, New York
40. Alma Coe Lyman - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 26 MAR 1786 Of, Middlefield, Middlesex, Connecticut
41. Alma Browne - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1796 Of, Greene, New York
42. ALMA BROWN - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1821 Peacham, Caledonia, Vermont
43. Alma - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 08 SEP 1780 Fitzwilliam, Cheshire, New Hampshire
44. Alma Grant - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1812 Lake Geneva, Walworth, Wisconsin
45. Alma [thompson] - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 27 MAY 1802 Of, Charlton, Worcester, Massachusetts
46. Alma Thompson - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: About 1807 Of, , Caledonia, Vermont
47. Alma Thompson - International Genealogical Index / NAGender: Male Birth: 1822 Grantsville, , Washington, New York


Does the name Alma disprove the Book of Mormon's authenticity? No. But the name doesn't verify its authenticity either.

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