Hebrew Names

This biblical place-name for the region now known as Yemen started to feel fresh again as the name of the heroine of Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal, played on screen by Cate Blanchett.

Sami is cute if overused in its more familiar Sammy form.

The boyish spelling, which is still pronounced with two syllables and a long e at the end, is sometimes used for girls, though the Jessie form -- whether short for Jessica or standing on its own, is usually considered the feminine one.

Ephai may have a sad meaning but it's an interesting Biblical alternative to such widely-used names as Eli and Elijah.

If you're seeking a biblical name somewhat similar to the popular Samuel but way more distinctive, this could be the one.

Rarely used in the last two centuries, but might be worth dusting off and holding up to the light.

A less common — and biblical — alternative to Liam. Eliam joined the Top 1000 for the first time in 2021. In Puerto Rico, it's a Top 50 choice.

Zechariah is actually the original Biblical form of the name more often found these days as Zachariah, probably because of the popularity of Zachary. People are going to have trouble getting Zechariah because they won't understand the Zech part. This name, in whatever form, begs to be shortened in the modern world to Zach (or Zac or Zack).

Shoshanna is a variation of one of the best-known original Hebrew baby names for girls , the original of Susanna. This is the spelling used by Shoshanna Lonstein, a designer who creates the Shoshanna clothing line and also the name of one of the four leading characters on the TV show Girls, Shoshanna Shapiro.

Despite its Irish sound, this commonly used word name has usually been confined to Jewish families.

Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough.

Benevolent name found in Israel in several forms, including Doran and Doroni.

Like Bethany and Shiloh, a meaningful biblical place-name.

The name of several minor Biblical characters seems streamlined and modern.

This zippy short form of Zachary is more and more often standing on its own -- sometimes as Zac, Zach, Zack, or even Zakk -- but this simple-yet-straightforward version may be the very best.

Ido is a multicultural name seldom heard in modern America but popular in the Middle East. As transliterations, Ido and its other form Iddo are equally correct.

Bizzy has a 1930s wisecracking waitress -- think Mitzi, Flossie, Fanny -- feel to it, yet at the same time feels like a fresh, modern nickname for Elizabeth. Given that any Bizzy better be, this name could be a way to make your Elizabeth stand out.