Meaning & Story
A Hebrew biblical name meaning 'hairy' or 'rough,' carried by the twin brother of Jacob in the Book of Genesis — an ancient name with surprising, rugged charm.
Esau is one of the Bible's most complex characters — the red-haired, rough twin who sold his birthright for a bowl of stew and still managed to forgive his brother decades later. His name, meaning 'hairy,' was famously applied because of his appearance at birth. As a pet name, Esau is perfect for shaggy, rough-coated dogs with a big, warm personality to match. There's something endearingly honest about naming a furry, food-motivated pet after the most famously food-motivated figure in scripture. Esau is an earthy, genuine, wonderfully unexpected pet name.