וַיִּצֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כָּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃
L’Éternel-Dieu avait formé de matière terrestre tous les animaux des champs et tous les oiseaux du ciel. Il les amena devant l’homme pour qu’il avisât à les nommer; et telle chaque espèce animée serait nommée par l’homme, tel serait son nom.
Sefer HaBahir
[The students asked,] "But why (WHAT IS?) Zayin"?
[Rabbi Rachumai responded,] "As it is written in ear (WAS THIS IN THE QUESTION OR ANSWER? KAPLAN SAYS IT'S IN Q]. That we have said, all that the Blessed Holy One brings into His world, its name is from its essence, as is written, 'Whatever the Adam called each living creature [נפש חיה], that was its name' (Genesis 2:19) — that is to say, its body was thus. Where do we learn that one's name becomes its body? As is written, 'The name of a righteous person is invoked in blessing, but the name of the wicked rots' (Proverbs 10:7). Does a name rot?* Rather, it means the body. Here too, [it means] his body."
*Manuscripts read מרקב as opposed to ירקב.
[Rabbi Rachumai responded,] "As it is written in ear (WAS THIS IN THE QUESTION OR ANSWER? KAPLAN SAYS IT'S IN Q]. That we have said, all that the Blessed Holy One brings into His world, its name is from its essence, as is written, 'Whatever the Adam called each living creature [נפש חיה], that was its name' (Genesis 2:19) — that is to say, its body was thus. Where do we learn that one's name becomes its body? As is written, 'The name of a righteous person is invoked in blessing, but the name of the wicked rots' (Proverbs 10:7). Does a name rot?* Rather, it means the body. Here too, [it means] his body."
*Manuscripts read מרקב as opposed to ירקב.