Luke 1:60 - Clarke's commentary and critical notes on the Bible

And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. Not so; but he shall be called John - This is the name which the angel desired should be given him, Luke 1:13, and of which Zacharias by writing had informed his wife. There is something very remarkable in the names of this family. Zachariah, זכריהו the memory or memorial of Jehovah; יהו yeho, at the end of the word, being contracted for יהוה Yehovah, as in many other names. Elisabeth, אליסבה the Sabbath or rest of my strong God: names probably given them by their parents, to point out some remarkable circumstance in their conception or birth. And John, which should always be written Jehochanan or Yehochanan, יהוחנן the grace or mercy of Jehovah: so named, because he was to go before and proclaim the God of all grace, and the mercy granted through him to a lost world. See John 1:29; see also Luke 3:16, and Mark 1:4.