The prophet Mormon was going to write the names of the three translated Nephites in the Book of Mormon but the Lord would not allow him to give their names because they were to be kept secret from the people. Mormon commented: "Behold, I was about to write the names of those who were never to taste of death, but the Lord forbade; therefore I write them not, for they are hid from the world" (3 Nephi 28:25) One might ask, What was the purpose in keeping these names secret?
According to Vicki Alder, anciently a person's name was not merely some verbal appellation or label, but was an actual manifestation of the individual. A name was the person and also his character. In antiquity, a name was an integral element and part of a person's being. (Isaiah 30:27) A name represented a person and therefore shared in that individual's power. (John 1:12)
There must have been a good reason why it was necessary to keep the names of the Three Nephites secret. In ancient thought, to be able to identify a person precisely had the potential of giving someone a measure of control over that person. For that reason, to know a person's name was very important since it was an integral part of their being. [Vicki Alder, Mysteries in the Scriptures: Enlightenment through Ancient Beliefs, pp. 87, 106-107]