8520. 'And the house of Israel called its name Man' means its essential nature among them. This is clear from the meaning of 'name' and 'calling the name' as the essential nature of a thing, dealt with in 144, 145, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3421, 6674. The fact that it was called Man because they did not know what it was, and that it means the good of truth, which is the good of those belonging to the spiritual Church, see 8462, 8464.

3421. 'And he called them names' means the essential nature of them. This is clear from the meaning of 'calling the names' as the essential nature, dealt with in 144, 145, 1754, 1896, 2009, 2724, 3006, 3237. And since calling the names or the name means the essential nature, the expression calling without the addition of 'the name' therefore means in the internal sense of the Word to be of some such particular nature, as in Isaiah,

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel and who came out of the waters of Judah. For they are called after the city of holiness, and upon the God of Israel they place their reliance. Isaiah 48:1-2.

Here 'being called after the city of holiness' stands for being of some particular nature. And in Luke,

Behold, you will conceive in the womb and will bear a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. Luke 1:31-32.

'Being called Son of the Most High' stands for His Essential Being (Esse).