The Jewish Publication Society.
Meaning of caleb in hebrew. Caleb has two potential derivations the first being from the Hebrew kelev meaning dog and the second from the Hebrew components kal and lev together meaning whole heart. In the Bible Caleb was a companion of Joshua and Moses. An alternate Hebrew meaning offered for Caleb is faithful zealous ruthless bold brave.
In some traditions Calebs being a dog symbolizes his devotion to God. The name Caleb is from the Hebrew word Kaleb which literally translates to dog. As a person Caleb the son of Jephunneh occurs in the story of the spies.
CALEB is actually a compound word in Hebrew - something that is quite common in ancient Hebrew. Son of Hezron and grandson of Pharez and great grandson of Judah and the father of Hur and grandfather of Caleb the spy. Caleb the name of three Israelites -- Caleb.
He represents the tribe of Judah as its prince Numbers 136. However the aptest meaning of the name Caleb is to be faithful Local Origin of the name Caleb. Both your knowledge and the oral tradition of the origin and meaning of this surname will be helpful.
Caleb Perhaps a form of keleb or else from the same root in the sense of forcible. Caleb son of Jephunneh of the tribe of Judah was one of the twelve men sent by Moses to spy the land of Canaan and report back about its cities and its inhabitants. The noun כלב keleb means dog but its not clear what verb it comes from and thus essentially how a dog was seen.
An alternate Hebrew meaning offered for Caleb is faithful devotion whole hearted bold brave. Lev Lamed Vet heart. This is on the basis of its being actually a compound word a phenomenon quite common in ancient Hebrew.