Asenneth is the Greek Biblical form of the name Asenath, most famously known as the Egyptian wife of the patriarch Joseph and the mother of Manasseh and Ephraim. The name appears in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) as a transliteration of the Hebrew and Egyptian original. Etymology The name Asenath ultimately derives from Ancient Egyptian and likely means "belonging to the goddess Neith." Neith was a major deity in the Egyptian pantheon—a goddess of weaving, hunting, and war. In the Old Testament book of Genesis (41:45, 41:50), Asenath is the daughter of Potiphera, priest of On (Heliopolis), and she marries Joseph after his rise to power in Egypt. The Greek rendering Asenneth preserves the Egyptian pronunciation and reflects the onomastic conventions of the Hellenistic Jewish translators. Cultural and Religious Significance Asenneth is not only a biblical figure but also a subject of later Jewish and Christian tradition. The pseudepigraphic work Joseph and Aseneth (probably composed between 100 BCE and 200 CE) expands her story into a romance-tinged conversion narrative, making her a symbol of Gentile embrace of Judaism. In this text, Aseneth angels renounces her idolatry and becomes a model of piety. The name thus carries weight in both religious and literary history. Related Names Forms across languages include 'Asnat (Biblical Hebrew), Aseneth (Biblical Latin), and Osnat (modern Hebrew). Phonetically similar traditions connect to the Phoenician goddess Tanith, although that name's exact relationship to Neith is debated. Key Facts Meaning: "Belonging to the goddess Neith" Origin: Ancient Egyptian, via Greek Old Testament Type: Biblical name, used as a given name Usage Regions: Greek-speaking Jewish and Christian communities; later in wider Christian tradition Related Figures: Asenath, Neith, Joseph