Names That Mean Hebrew
Across 3 pages
of 3
The names
Ari
Diminutive of Ariel, Hebrew
"lion of God"
Ari, the short form of Ariel (or any other Ari- beginning name, such as Aristotle) stands up better as a boys’ name than its progenitor does. It is also short for Aristotle, as in Onassis, and is a…
Mariah
Hebrew
"the Lord is my teacher; or drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Thanks to Mariah Carey, everyone now knows this name – and is aware that Mariah's pronounced with a long i – just as Maria was in the Jane Austen era. And though Mariah now sounds modern, it was…
Anne
French variation of English Ann and Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
The name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970 but…
Kaila
Yiddish from Hebrew Kelila
"crown, laurel"
This internationally appealing choice is related to far more popular cousin Kayla, which currently ranks at Number 115.
Rafaela
Spanish and Portuguese version of Hebrew Raphaela
"God has healed"
This euphonious and lovely name is an internationally appealing choice, that, like Gabriela and Isabela before it, is beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream. Also spelled Raffaella…
Anais
Catalan and Provencal pet form of Hebrew Anna
"grace"
Anais is an unusual, alluring name forever attached to the daring French-born American novelist and diarist Anais Nin (born Angela, with Anais as one of her middle names), who became the inspiration…
Ahmir
Variation of Amir, Arabic or Hebrew
"prince, ruler; treetop"
Variation of Amir that debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016 and still ranks in the lower part of that list.
Alize
Variation of Aleeza or Alizee, Hebrew or French
"joy or wind"
Alize feels like a blend of Alice and Eliza but it's not related to either of those names, rather to the more unusual (in the US, at least) Aleeza, a Hebrew name meaning joy, or Alizee, a French name…
Leora
Diminutive of Eleanor, or Hebrew and Greek
"light"
Somewhat dated Hebrew name that appears more modern when spelled Liora.
Ann
English variation of Hebrew Hannah
"grace"
Ann, the name of the sainted mother of the Virgin Mary, was among the top girls’ names for centuries, in both the original English Ann spelling and the French Anne. Both left the Top 100 around 1970…
Marnie
English
"of the sea"
Retro short form of Marina, now dated to the era of the Hitchcock movie that made it famous. In the UK, it's one of the hottest vintage names of the moment, perhaps inspired by British singer Lily…
Jakob
German, Norwegian, and Slovenian variation of Jacob, Hebrew variation of James
"supplanter"
After cracking the US Top 200 in the early 2000s, fueled by Jacob's rise, this name has been losing steam in recent years. But Jakob is the top form of the name in many other countries, cultures, and…
Delila
Hebrew and German variation of Delilah, Hebrew or Arabic
"delicate"
This spelling of Delilah is disproportionately common among the Amish.
Simone
French feminine variation of Simon, Hebrew
"listening, hearkening"
Simone, the elegant French feminization of Simon, strikes that all-important balance between unusual and familiar, and it's oozing with Gallic sophistication. A dated choice in its native France,…
Akim
Russian form of Hebrew JEHOIAKIM
"God will establish"
This strong and commanding Russian name is pronounced ah-KEEM.
Zahava
Modern Hebrew name
This is a Hebrew word name, created from the word zahav, meaning gold.
Sapphira
Greek variation of Sapphire, Hebrew jewel name
"sapphire"
Sapphira is a lovely name which unfortunately has an unsavory Biblical history. The New Testament Sapphira was killed by God for lying about a tax payment. There's a Willa Cather novel called…
Lazarus
Latinized Greek variation of Hebrew Eleazar
"God is my helper"
Lazarus is a name that looks as if it could possibly be raised from the dead, just like its biblical bearer. Look for it in the next wave of Old Testament revivals that transcend their long-bearded…
Ronja
Swedish literary name
Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter . She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden. Lindgren's…
Ishaq
Arabic and Urdu from Hebrew Yitzchak or Isaac
"laughter"
The Arabic and Urdu form of the cheerful Isaac, itself derived from the Hebrew Ytizchak, Ishaq is familiar in the UK and in France and was a fast rising choice in 2023. In Islamic tradition, Ishaq is…
