Concerning the meaning of the name "Mormon," Joseph Smith is quoted as saying the following:
I may safely say that the word Mormon stands independent of the learning and wisdom of this generation. Before I give a definition, however, to the word, let me say that the Bible in its widest sense, means good; for the Savior says according to the gospel of John, "I am the good shepherd;" and it will not be beyond the common use of terms, to say that good is among the most important in use, and though known by various names in different languages, still its meaning is the same, and is ever in opposition to bad. We say from the Saxon, good; the Dane, god; the Goth; goda; the German, gut; the Dutch, goed; the Latin, bonus; the Greek, kalos; the Hebrew, tob; and the Egyptian, mon. Hence, with the addition of more, or the contraction, more, we have the word Mormon; which means, literally, more good. [Joseph Smith, "To the Editor of Times and Seasons," Times and Seasons 4 (May 15, 1843), p. 194]