“They Called Their Names Anti-Nephi-Lehies”
It is not clear exactly why they called themselves Anti-Nephi-Lehies. Viewing the word anti as meaning “opposed to” or “against,” perhaps their action symbolizes a desire to dissolve barriers between Nephites and Lamanites and thus establish peace; their name could in this sense represent their opposition to a Nephite-Lamanite distinction. That is, they wanted neither Nephites nor Lamanites, nor “any manner of -ites” (4 Nephi 1:17).
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