The Tetragrammaton refers to the four-letter Hebrew name of God: יהוה (YHWH), transliterated as Yahweh or Jehovah.
A few key points:
- Etymology: "Tetragrammaton" comes from Greek tetra- (four) + gramma (letter) — literally "four letters."
- The letters: Yod (י), He (ה), Vav (ו), He (ה).
- Religious significance: In Judaism, this name is considered too sacred to pronounce, so it's traditionally read aloud as Adonai ("Lord") or HaShem ("The Name") instead. Vowel points were never reliably preserved, which is part of why the original pronunciation is uncertain.
- Origin/meaning: It's often linked to the Hebrew verb "to be" (הָיָה), suggesting a meaning like "I am that I am" or "He who causes to be" — tied to God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14.
- Modern renderings: "Yahweh" is the more scholarly reconstructed pronunciation; "Jehovah" arose from a later, less accurate transliteration blending YHWH with the vowels of Adonai.
It shows up frequently in biblical scholarship, Kabbalah, and even pop culture/media (music, games, etc.) as a symbol of divine or mystical power.