Hebrew Girl Names

Shulamit--which has a variety of different spellings--is a serious-sounding Old Testament name that appears in the Song of Songs. Its common nickname is Shula, which is sometimes used on its own. Toni Morrison used the sleeker variation Sula in one of her novels.

Tyra would be a more modern pick.

This biblical name of the mother of King Jotham of Judah has an appealing soft Russian accent.

Gay, nearly giddy, gee-whiz feel; also too reminscent of a gila monster.

Rahel is an alternative spelling of Rachel, used mostly used in Germany, Estonia, and Switzerland, though it might also be considered an Assyrian and Turkish form and a Hindi form (also written as Raahel). Gentle but solid, it is an appealing international choice.

Shula is a short form often used on its own in Israel. Sula is another, related, option. As an Arabic name, it has a bright, fiery meaning.

A little bit Aliyah and a little bit Elijah equals an invented name that moves into the girls' column with its choice by Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Bassett for their daughter. While there is good reason for this name to feel feminine, if you're not aware of the spelling variation, you're likely to just hear Elijah, both traditional and popular for boys. Then again, Noa is doing well for girls, so it wouldn't feel entirely out of place.

Gila and its variants have joyous meanings in Hebrew, but other kids might connect them to the monster.

Another, more feminine, female form of Jacob sometimes heard in Scotland.

Abital is popular for boys as well as girls in Israel, but we rarely hear it here. In the Old Testament, Abital was one of King David's wives and the mother of his fifth son.

Gently appealing, a floral choice in Japanese.

A jewel-encrusted choice, far more unusual than Pearl.

A not particularly happy marriage of Thelma and Alma.

Emmet is usually the boys' form of the names Emma, but it might work for a girl too if Emma and Emily are too overused for you.

Unusual Samantha alternative with little aural appeal.

Abijah, which you might think of as Abigail with rhythm, is the name of both female and male personages in the Bible. A biblical Queen Abijah was the daughter, wife, and mother of kings. The name is pronounced with a long i, to rhyme with Elijah.

Most modern parents would drop the Jo, leaving the superpopular Ella.

Begs for the guttural pronunciation that's a problem in this culture.

See SARAI.

Spelled this way, Adine could be a relative of either the Irish Aideen, which means jealousy, or the Arabic Adina, meaning slender. We'll go with the slender.