The verb *galam* means “to wrap”, “to take shape” in Hebrew; the word thus formed can mean many things: from the concept of “shapeless mass” it takes on the meaning of “cocoon”, “embryo”, “raw material”.
In common Hebrew, already attested in the Mishnah, it can also mean “silly”, “foolish”.
In Jewish folklore, this word designates that inanimate creature fashioned from earth which, by virtue of the divine name placed under its tongue or even just a few Hebrew letters inscribed on its forehead, came to life.
The most famous case is certainly that of the Golem of Prague, the work of Rabbi Judah Loew, known as the Maharal, who had the word *emet*, "truth", on his forehead. This was wiped of the first letter, thus becoming *met*, meaning "dead", whenever one wished to neutralise the creature's destructive energy.
Source: "Gli ebrei questi sconosciuti" by Elena Loewenthal