In the Epic of Gilgamesh, what is the flood survivor’s name who parallels Noah?

The story behind the answer

In the Epic of Gilgamesh, the flood survivor who parallels Noah is Utnapishtim. He tells Gilgamesh how the god Ea warned him to build a boat and survive a divinely sent flood.

Utnapishtim’s story appears in the flood narrative of the Standard Babylonian version of the epic. He loads his family, craftsmen, and animals onto the boat before the storm overwhelms the land.

The account shares several motifs with Genesis, including divine warning, a large vessel, survival through a flood, birds sent out after the waters recede, and a sacrifice afterward. The two stories are not identical, however, and they come from different literary and religious traditions.

Utnapishtim is sometimes called Atrahasis in related Mesopotamian traditions. That neighboring name is one reason the answer must be tied specifically to the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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