The name Enoch is of Hebrew origin, deriving from the Biblical Hebrew name חֲנוֹךְ (Chanokh). It is believed to have originated around the 6th century BC. The name is thought to mean "dedicated" or "initiated", stemming from the Hebrew root verb חנך (chanak), which means "to dedicate" or "to train".

Enoch is a prominent figure in the Book of Genesis, being the son of Jared and the father of Methuselah. He is described as walking with God and being taken away by God at the age of 365. This event is seen as a precursor to the concept of bodily assumption into heaven, which later became a significant part of Christian theology.

The name Enoch appears in various ancient texts and religious scriptures beyond the Hebrew Bible. In the Ethiopic Book of Enoch, an ancient Jewish apocryphal work, Enoch is portrayed as a great-grandfather of Noah and a recipient of divine revelations. The Qur'an also mentions Enoch, known as Idris, as a prophet and a righteous man.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Enoch was Enoch, the son of Cain, mentioned in the Book of Genesis. Another early figure was Enoch, the son of Reuben, who is mentioned in the Book of Chronicles.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Enoch. Here are five examples:

1. Enoch Powell (1912-1998), a British politician and classical scholar, known for his controversial "Rivers of Blood" speech.
2. Enoch Arden (1623-1697), an English sailor whose long absence from home inspired Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem of the same name.
3. Enoch Arnold Bennett (1867-1931), an English novelist and playwright, best known for his novels set in the Potteries district of Staffordshire.
4. Enoch Sontonga (1873-1905), a South African writer and composer who wrote the first stanza of "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika", later adopted as the national anthem of several African countries.
5. Enoch Pratt (1808-1896), an American philanthropist who donated funds to establish the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, one of the oldest free public library systems in the United States.