Nun

Meaning & Etymology

God of the primordial ocean

God of the primordial ocean

Etymology

The name ‘Nun’ comes from the Egyptian root word for ‘primeval waters’ or ‘abyss’, representing the chaotic waters from which the world was believed to have emerged.

Linguistic family: Afro-Asiatic > Egyptian

Cultural context

In ancient Egyptian mythology, Nun was the personification of the primordial ocean, the source of all life and the substance from which the creator god Atum (or Ra) emerged to create the world. Nun was considered a fundamental element of the universe and a key component of the cosmogonic myth.

Symbolism

The name ‘Nun’ symbolises the concept of the primordial waters, representing the source of life, creation, and the eternal cycle of birth and renewal.