Shem is named first among Noah’s three sons in the Genesis list associated with the Ark. Genesis 7:13 identifies Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, along with their wives, as entering the Ark before the Flood.
Shem is also prominent in the genealogical material that follows the Flood. Genesis 10 presents the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Genesis 11 traces a line from Shem toward Abram. The name “Semite” was later formed from Shem’s name, although modern linguistic and ethnic terminology has a more complex history than a simple biblical family label.
The listing order should not be confused with the ages of the sons. Genesis contains passages that require careful reading of birth order and chronology, and interpretations have varied. The question asks only which son appears first in the Ark-entry list, where the textual order is Shem, Ham, and Japheth.