According to Genesis, Shem is the first son listed in the flood account. Genesis 6:10 names Noah’s sons as Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Genesis 7:13 places them with Noah and their wives aboard the Ark.
Shem is especially important in the genealogies that follow the flood. Genesis 10 traces peoples associated with Shem’s line, and Genesis 11 continues through his descendants to Abram, later known as Abraham. The biblical term “Semitic” is derived from the name Shem, although modern linguistic classification is more complex than a simple descent label.
Shem should not be confused with the answer to questions about Noah’s oldest son, since the order of names and the interpretation of age are separate issues. The question here concerns the first name listed in the flood passage, which is Shem.