Adding -el to the end of a name?

Question

I'm reading The Gift of Asher Lev, by Chaim Potok and the main character, named Asher, is called that name by his family and friends but the mashpia at the yeshiva calls him 'Asherel.' I was wondering what the significance of the -el was. I thought it would be a pet name at first, but wasn't sure why the mashpia and not his parents would call him that, and I don't think it's his full name. So, what does the -el mean?

Edit to the book's title. I keep calling it The Gift, when it is, in fact, My Name is Asher Lev.

Answer 1

It may be BOTH of the reasons given so far.

While it is true that "el" in Hebrew means "God", and is found in many Hebrew names, it is NOT typical to simply tack it onto an existing name. Things often DO go the opposite direcion -- Nathaniel can be turned into simply "Nathan", with "God" being left implied. To my knowledge, Asher is NOT seen as a shortening of "Asherel" in the same way... But it's not hard to imagine someone coining such a name.

And Lizzie is correct that the suffix "-el" is a German and hence Yiddish diminutive ending (German being a close relative of German, NOT Hebrew as some think!) So I imagine that's at least part of what is going on here

So it may be that the two forms from different languages came together here. Not hard to imagine since BOTH Yiddish and Hebrew would be well-known at the yeshiva.

In other words, this IS a diminutive form, but the choice of this *particular* diminutive form was influenced by the use of Hebrew "el" for "God" and the fact that many Hebrew names DO end in that word/form (all the more so in that it WAS someone from the yeshiva and not the parents who came up with the name).

That is, the person who started it may have meant to suggest not JUST "little Asher" --the meaning of the Yiddish form-- but also to make a play on the Hebrew. Since "Asher" means "blessed" or "happy", the name would end up meaning something like "blessed by/blessing of [from] God"... that is, that this person is a sign of God's favor/blessing toward the parents [similiar to Johannan - "the LORD is gracious" and Nathaniel/Matthew, etc. - "God has given"/"gift of God".)

Answer 2

I think that by adding the " el " to an existing name is making it more affectionate. personal or a younger version of the name
for example in English we have
Tim - Timmy Jack - Jacky Bob - Bobby so the letter " Y" has a similar function.
The names of the characters in your story sound " Yiddish " and this has connections to German and in some German dialects the diminuative form is made by adding an " el " eg. Mad - Madel
maiden, little maiden.

Answer 3

Sawyer is right. El is the ancient Hebrew name for God. Take the name Nathaniel for instance: it means Gift of God. In ancient times many people named their children after whichever god they worshipped.

Answer 4

El is for G-d.
My name is Ariel.
Ari - lion
el - G-d.
Lion of G-d.