Hebrew Names

Though there are a few (male) people named Havilah in the Bible, it's also a Biblical place-name that can work as an original choice for modern girls. In fact, in the US, it has been used nearly exclusively as a girl name since it first started appearing in the stats in the 1970s, possibly owing to its similarity to Hannah, Chava, and Chavaleh. 
 
It's meaning, "to dance, twist", adds something bright vibrant to the name.

Havilah

Predominantly used in France where it ranks in the Top 500, Naomie is a twist on Noémie, the French form of the Biblical name. Pronounced as NA-AW-MEE, it draws inspiration from the English version, Naomi. 
 
Outside of France (and Quebec), Naomie may simply be used as an alternative spelling of Naomi, with the -ie ending of Evie, Josie, and Sophie. A recent year saw it given to more than 50 girls in the US.

Naomie

Idan is a Hebrew unisex place-name rarely heard in this country. 

Idan

A modernization of the Hebrew Rivka, which doesn't sound so modern anymore. 

Riva

A fast-rising variation of Abigail that was shooting up the popularity charts a few years ago, but whose star is now falling now that Abigail is not quite as hot as she once was.


Abbigail

An alternative to the formerly male Ariel, which is now in the grasp of "The Little Mermaid." 

Hadriel

Still one of the most appealing short forms, which goes a long way toward explaining the sustained popularity of Matthew.  Matt is perennially the popular guy in high school, friendly, attractive, and comfortable with a baseball.  Matty or Mattie are cute for a younger boy.

Matt

Biblical wife of Moses whose name has many variations, with and without the initial T and final h, with one p or two.  However you spell it, it's an original choice that also carries teasing potential; those zipper jokes will get old fast, though Zippy is a cute nickname.

Tziporah

Though most parents would shy away from Ebenezer, short form Eben is affable and creative and perfectly able to stand alone; nothing Scroogish about it. This also makes a fresh new spin on the very popular Ethan or Evan.
 Eben Oleson is the name of the character played by Josh Hartnett in the movie "30 Days of Night."

Eben

Also an Israeli place-name, this is an unusual, feminine choice. 

Niva

Jorah, a Biblical name with a lovely nature-related meaning, might make a fresher alternative to the overused Jordan. It's similar to the feminine Nora, Cora, and Laura, but depending on your viewpoint, that may be an advantage. Jorah Mormont, often called Jorah the Andal, is a major character in HBO's Game of Thrones, marked by his loyalty to the woman he considers the rightful Queen of Westeros, Daenerys Targaryen.

Jorah

Yadira is a popular choice in Mexico, Venezuela, and Colombia, and has also been a favorite among Latin American families in the US. Popularized by actress Yadira Jiménez in the mid-20th century, its exact etymology is unknown, but a likely possibility is that it comes from the Arabic Jadira, usually interpreted as meaning "worthy", though "bloom" is also suggested.
 
Alternatively, some suggest it is an elaboration of Yara, meaning "friend, helper", or a spin on the Hebrew Jedidiah (and the element yadid) meaning "beloved, friend". 
 
Politician Yadira Caraveo is a notable bearer.

Yadira

Variation of trendy angel name Ramiel that gets you directly to the fashionable nickname Remi. Thirty-five baby boys were named Remiel in the US last year, along with six baby girls.

Remiel

Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones, used to describe the head of a monastery or a prominent church figure, such as a priest. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be seen as a slight drawback, that's hardly stopped Abner or Abraham rising up the charts, and besides, there's nothing wrong with a gentler boy name.
 
Derived from the Italian abate meaning "priest, abbot", the name ultimately comes from the same Hebrew and Aramaic root as Abram or Abraham, giving it the additional meaning of "father". While the Abbot spelling is used to describe the head of an abbey of monks, Abbott was originally used as an English nickname or a last name for someone who worked for a high-ranking church official. 
 
An unexpected honor for an Abraham or Abigail, or perhaps for a family member who works within the church, Abbott fits in with the trends for spiritual names, occupational names, and names with a double -tt ending, like Everett, Barrett, Bennett, and co. 
 The political activist and co-founder of the Yippies, Abbie Hoffman's birth name was Abbott, while Abbot (one 't') Kinney is known for developing Venice, California--whose main throughfare bears his name.
 
Quietly used in the US, it was given to 30 babies in a recent year.

Abbott

A nickname in the Siri and Suri vein, Simi seems a bit simulated but also has some charm, ala Remi and Emmy.  And Simi definitely cutens up the serious sophisticated long forms Simone or Simcha.

Simi

Likely inspired by popular Ezra, 27 parents used the name Ezryn for their baby boys in a recent count, with alternative spellings Ezren and Ezran being preferred, given to 83 and 69 boys in the same year. The Ezryn spelling appears in the book series Beasts of the Briar by Elizabeth Helen.

Ezryn

A son of Noah in the Bible who is also thought to be an ancestor of the Greek people and the guardian angel of Greece. An alternative to Jason or Jayden, perhaps.

Javan

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

Kemuel

Eliya may be thought of as a female variation on the popular Biblical boys' name Elijah or a spelling variation of the popular girls' name Aliyah.  It may not rank among the US Top 1000 and it may cause some spelling and pronunciation confusion, but it does have genuine roots as a name.

Eliya

Esti is most commonly a short form of Esther and Estelle, both making the big move from old lady name to cool young name. It's also a popular short form of the Basque names Estitxu and Estibalitz, or a name in its own right, meaning "sweet honey". In French Canada, it's an untranslatable swear word.
 
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend welcomed daughter Esti Maxine in 2023, creating a subtle celestial sister set with Luna. Luna's name soared after they chose it in 2016, and while Esti hasn't quite become a rising star, it was given to 33 girls in a recent year: almost double the number it was chosen for prior to the celeb couple using it.
 
Esti may be more popular than it seems because it's short for many longer names and also can be spelled different ways, including Estie and Estee, as in cosmetics brand creator Estee Lauder. The Esty spelling was featured in the Netflix mini-series Unorthodox, while this form features in Naomi Alderman's novel, Disobedience and its subsequent movie adaptation.

Esti

Hebrew names used widely in the modern world include Noah, Isabella, Elizabeth, Sarah, Asher, Elijah, Jacob, Leah, James, John, Michael, Mary, and Eva. 

 include Ariel, Delilah, Eliana, Eva, Maya, and Naomi. For boys, 

 include Asher, Elijah, Jacob, Levi, and Noah. In Israel, popular names include Tamar, Shira, Uri, and Noam.

 are some of the best-known as well as the most interesting Hebrew baby names today.

 often have Hebrew origins. Recommended choices include Delilah, Dinah, Keziah, Esther, and Susannah.

 include such appealing Hebrew boy names as Amos, Asher, Eli, Ezra, and Moses.

Hebrew is spoken in modern Israel, so it's both an ancient and a living language. Names popular in modern Israel include many Hebrew names but some modern Israeli names as well. 

If you’re searching for Hebrew names for your baby or simply want to survey all the options with roots in ancient languages and cultures, here is the full range of Hebrew name choices in our database, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Hebrew names including Hebrew boy names and Hebrew girl names for jewish babies with meaning and popularity (Page 24)