What is in a name?

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"There are two classes of preachers --- the good
preachers who have something to say, and the poor
preachers who have to say something. But there is
yet another and higher class. It consists of those
who both have something to say and who have
to say it. Such are the prophets."
  Albert C Knudson

Names of the minor Prophets and the approximate time of their prophetic work

Hosea comes from the Hebrew language. It means salvation. 753 - 715 BC

Joel  (Hebrew = Yo'el) means "Yahweh is God." from about 835 BC on.

Amos; which is from the Hebrew verb amas = to lift a burden, to carry; is "burden-bearer.

760 and 755 BC.

Obadiah means "Servant of Yahweh; One who serves or worships Jehovah, not certain of date

Jonah (Hebrew: Yonah) means "dove." in the late 750's BC --- perhaps around 758 BC

Micah is a shortened form of Micaiah which means "Who is like unto the Lord?" 735-710 BC

Nahum  means "comfort, consolation." It is a shortened form of Nehemiah which means "the comfort of Yahweh." around 655 BC

Habakkuk means "to embrace"  thus, his name would signify an "ardent embrace." about 607 BC

Zephaniah means "Yahweh hides" or "Yahweh has hidden." 630 to 625 BC

Haggai means "festival, feast, festive." Some suggest it may be a shortened form of Haggiah which means "festival of Jehovah." 520 BC

Zechariah (Hebrew: Zekar-yah) means "Yahweh has remembered." This was a very common Hebrew name. 520 BC

Malachi is generally translated "my messenger." "It may reasonably be regarded as an abbreviation of Malakhiyah which means 'messenger of Jehovah'"about 435 BC