The Ohr Gedalyahu explains that understanding the name of a person or a thing helps us focus on its purpose. The Gemara interprets the verse in Tehillim, "Asher sam shamot ba'aretz," to mean that if a person does not live up to his name and his potential, he will bring destruction to the land.

Names have two interconnected components writes the Dorash Dovid: the definition of the name; and the mental, psychological and emotional intention of the parents when they gave the child this name. Just as a child inherits physical attributes from his parents, so he inherits these other attributes from his parents. A person is influenced by the two meanings in developing the attributes of his name. One's name includes both a legacy and a mindset. Our Matriarchs articulated the reasons they gave their children their names. The names included the essence of each person.

When the Torah lists the names of these souls as they descended to Egypt, it teaches us that they invested themselves with the ability to retain their innate holy essence, even as they physically moved to the immoral society of Egypt, explains Rabbi Gifter. We all have this ability to actualize our holy potential, no matter where we are and no matter the challenges we face. When the Torah then records that Yosef was in Egypt, adds Rabbi Weinberger, it teaches us that Yosef retained the holy essence of his name the whole time he lived in Egypt.

The verse in Kohelet says, "A good name is better than oil, and the day of death than the day of birth." Oil alludes to wisdom. Unlike emotions which are volatile, wisdom is unchangeable and constant. This is true of a person's name too. Klal Yisroel retained their names because they let their chochma control their emotions. A person who can maintain clarity of purpose by using wisdom can maintain the integrity of his name.

The Shla"h Hakadosh introduced a custom for a person to recite a verse representative of his name at the end of the silent Amidah. He intended this custom to help keep a person focused on his mission in life. At death, you will be asked your name, you will be asked if you lived up to the essence your name signified. Yosef never changed his name and never forgot his mission, even though Paro gave him an Egyptian name. He made sure his head ruled his heart and his passions.

The Lev Shalom notes that Bnei Yisroel are compared to stars that Hashem brings out and returns individually by name. When Bnei Yisroel descended into exile, as related in Parshat Vayigash, the Torah recorded their names. One would think that the names would be recorded again at the actual exodus from Egypt rather than here, at the beginning of the enslavement. In fact, the suffering was so severe that the predicted 400 years of enslavement was shortened to 210 years. When our personal troubles seem overwhelming, perhaps Hashem is speeding up our redemption and salvation. In fact, the galut, the exile, is part of revelation, of hitgalut. Our names reveal to us our potential, and challenge us to work to fulfill that potential so we will be ready for redemption.

When Bnei Yisroel retained their names, they not only held on to their past, they also kept the vision of the future, writes the Ohr Gedaliah. They kept the revealed essence of their names and the hidden essence contained in their names, which connected them to Hashem. In this way they were able to focus on bringing their potential to fruition and speed the redemption. Through creating a manifestation of his name on earth, man has the potential of bringing the glory of Heaven to earth. By living up to his name, he can merit salvation.