“Hallowed be thy name ” means “may your name be treated as holy” or “may your name be honored as sacred.” In the Lord’s Prayer, it is a request that God’s name, character, and reputation be revered and respected by everyone.

Simple meaning

  • Hallowed = made holy, set apart, deeply revered.
  • Thy name = God’s name, meaning God himself, his character, and his reputation.
  • So the phrase is a prayer asking that God be worshiped and honored as holy.

In plain English

You could paraphrase it as:

“God, let your name be seen as holy and treated with reverence.”

Why it comes first

This line appears at the start of the Lord’s Prayer because it puts focus on God before personal needs. It’s about honoring God first, then asking for other things.

If you want, I can also explain it in:

  • very simple English
  • Christian/Biblical context
  • the original Greek meaning