Let’s read Genesis 4:16-18, “Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain HAD RELATIONS WITH HIS WIFE AND SHE CONCEIVED, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son. Now to Enoch was born Irad and Irad became the father Mehujael, and Mehujael became the father of Methushael, and Methushael became the father of Lamech” (NASB). Here is the only reference to Cain’s wife in the Bible and as you say her name is not given. We also see in this passage that they had a son (Enoch) and that he obviously had a wife too for he became a father to a son (Mehujael) who in turn became a father to Mehushael. Notice, in each case the wife’s name is NOT mentioned; in fact in three of those cases nothing is even said about their wives; it is simply implied that there was a wife.

In the very next verse we read, “Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah” (verse 19). Why are Lamech’s wives named and not the wife of Cain? We are not told and thus it would be mere speculation to venture a guess.

Having said that, I do believe in some cases names are given because of their MEANING. A classic example of this can be seen in the FIRST WIFE mentioned in Scripture; of course, I’m referring to Adam’s wife, Eve. In her case she was not given the name Eve until after sin came into the world. In Genesis 2:22 we read “the LORD God fashioned into A WOMAN the rib which he had taken from the man.” In verse 23 it states, “She shall be called WOMAN, because she was taken out of Man.” From that point on she is simply referred to as “the woman” (see Genesis 3:1-2, 4, 6, 12-13, 15-16). Then we come to verse 20 where it is stated, “Now the man CALLED HIS WIFE’S NAME EVE, because she was the mother of all living.”  Why was she not given a name prior to this? We can’t say why but we do know why Adam chose to call her Eve; it was because she had the privilege of being “the mother of all living.” In other words, she was “the first mother from whom the rest of the human race would come.”

What is really significant in Adam naming her Eve is the fact that they had just received a “death sentence” for their eating of the forbidden fruit (see Genesis 2:15-17 with 3:6, 17-19). Though God had pronounced the death sentence upon Mankind, He had also pronounced judgment upon the serpent with these words, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” In these words God was teaching us that “the woman’s seed would destroy the works of the devil (see 1st John 3:8) and bring salvation to the human race (see Galatians 3:13-16). Adam took God at His word in this gospel proclamation and in faith he then named his wife Eve, knowing that it would be through “the woman’s seed” that salvation and ETERNAL LIFE would be offered to men. Adam’s faith was rewarded for we read next that “the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” (verse 21). God clothed the naked couple (who had tried, in vain, to cover their shame with fig leaves that they had sewn together), with skins provided by the death and blood-shedding of an innocent animal. This pictures the “garments of salvation” (see Isaiah 61:10) that God would provide the guilty sinner through the death and shed blood of His dear Son, the Lamb of God (see John 1:29; 19:30-34; 1st Peter 1:18-19). Has my reader taken God at His word and believed on the Lord Jesus Christ? (See John 3:16 and Acts 16:31.) If so, then God has clothed you with the “robe of righteousness” (see Isaiah 61:10 with Romans 3:21-26).  (432.5)  (DO)