I thought you might know shema from the famous declaration of monotheism, which goes something like Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, adonai ekhad, meaning "Hear, Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one". (It comes from Deuteronomy, and is used liturgically.)

I don't think I'm personally familiar with that phrase.

I think adam actually means "man" as well as being the name of the first one.

That makes sense. I think I recall seeing a footnote to that effect.

...if I had a perfect memory, I probably would know a lot more Hebrew than I do. I've seen the derivations of a lot of Biblical names, I just haven't really thought of them as being particularly important enough to memorise. There are plenty of things about Isaac more important than the etymology of his name, after all.