Yakub

Yakub begins in Hebrew, as Ya'aqov, and travels into Arabic as Ya'qub. The Hebrew root gives the meaning "holder of the heel," from the account of Jacob, born gripping his twin brother's heel. From that grip came a second sense, "supplanter," the one who takes another's place.

In Arabic Ya'qub is a prophet. He appears in the Quran as the father of Yusuf, the same Jacob that Hebrew scripture names. The spelling Yakub sits at a meeting point of two traditions that tell one story.

Polish has its own form of this name. Here it is Jakub, among the most common boys' names in the country for years. Friends and family rarely reach for the full form. They say Kuba.

A teacher reading the class register might find three of them at once, each answering to a pet name off the same root. The name is short, old, and portable. Yakub, Ya'qub, Jakub, Kuba: one heel-holder under four spellings.