The names of Noah's three sons aren't accidental.

-Shem means "name". Maybe because Shem would convey the Name (aka reputation, character) of YHWH to the rest of the world?
-Ham means "hot". Was this because Ham and his descendants were impetuous, sensual, and hot tempered? Or just because they mostly lived closer to the equator?
-Japhet means "expanded" because he multiplied and covered more of the Earth than his brothers and eventually dominated them politically and militarily.