Jewish Names

  1. Michaela
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Michael, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "who is like God?"
    • Description:

      This most proper form of the name shot up the charts in the nineties, only to sink just as precipitously, supplanted by upstarts Makayla and McKayla ad infinitum. The Michaela version retains some elegance as the closest feminine form to the original.
  2. Sander
    • Origin:

      Dutch and Scandinavian, diminutive of Alexander
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      Sander is a more conventional form of Zander or Xander, heard frequently on its own in Europe. It is now a Top 20 name in Norway, and is also popular in Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands.
  3. Jory
    • Origin:

      Cornish variant of George, or diminutive of Jordan
    • Description:

      A rarely-used name even in its native Cornwall, Jory nevertheless feels very wearable, thanks to its similarity to familiar picks like Rory, Corey and Joey. Jory Cassel is a minor character in the first season of Game of Thrones.
  4. Zipporah
    • Origin:

      Variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "bird"
    • Description:

      There are many variations of this name, with or without the initial T and the final h, with one p or two. In the Bible she was the wife of Moses.
  5. Carmel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "garden"
    • Description:

      Carmel is a biblical place-name that is often used by Catholic parents around the world. It is given in honor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and is the name of a mountain ridge on the Mediterranean near Haifa in Israel, mentioned in the Old Testament, famous for its lush vegetation and said to have been often visited by Mary and the Infant Christ.
  6. Hadassah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "myrtle tree"
    • Description:

      This Hebrew name of Queen Esther is well used in Israel (especially for girls born around the holiday of Purim), and in the US is the name of a Zionist women's philanthropic organization. Formerly shunned as hyper-religious, this name entered the Top 1000 in 2007 and has since climbed into the Top 700. Nickname Haddie feels like a natural companion for Addie and Maddie.
  7. Micaela
    • Origin:

      Italian, Spanish, and Israeli variation of Michaela
    • Meaning:

      "who is like God"
    • Description:

      The original versions of Micaela have morphed into all manner of "inventive" spellings -- Makayla, McKalla et al -- but we prefer the genuine international versions, like this one.
  8. Abraham
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "father of multitudes"
    • Description:

      Abraham is among the most classic baby names that's still widely-used today, popular for its references to both the Bible and American history. The Biblical Abraham was the first of the Old Testament patriarchs and is considered the founding father of the Jewish people. He was originally named Abram, until, according to Genesis, he was told, "No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations."
  9. Rami
    • Origin:

      Finnish, Arabic, Sanskrit "wise protector; father of multitudes; archer; pleasing"
    • Meaning:

      "wise protector; father of multitudes; archer; pleasing"
    • Description:

      Rami has gained notoriety in the English-speaking world as the first name of the Oscar-nominated actor Rami Malek, whose parents immigrated to the US from Egypt. Rami also feels more approachable thanks to the stylish Remi, Romy, and Rumi. The only challenge is keeping the pronunciation on track.
  10. Bessie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      After a century of association with horses and cows, this name just could be ready for revival by a fearless baby namer -- after all, it did happen to Jessie and Becky.
  11. Aliyah
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "rising, to ascend; heavens, highborn, exalted"
    • Description:

      Powerful and pretty, Aliyah is popular a name with two different origins.
  12. Bess
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
  13. Judy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Judith, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "He will be praised or woman from Judea"
    • Description:

      Judy was the nickname of choice for almost all the Judiths born in the 1940s and 50s; today's little Judiths are much more likely to be called Judith -- or, possibly, Jude.
  14. Rosen
    • Origin:

      German; Bulgarian
    • Meaning:

      "rose; burning bush"
    • Description:

      This masculine floral name literally means "burning bush", and is the Bulgarian word for the dittany plant. The name derives from the highly volatile oils produced by the plant, which can actually catch fire in hot weather. A notable bearer of the Bulgarian-form of the name is Rosen Plevneliev, a former President of Bulgaria.
  15. Orlo
    • Origin:

      Short form of Orlando or Roland, German
    • Meaning:

      "famous throughout the land"
    • Description:

      Orlo is a name nobody ever heard of until the surprise popularity of the unrelated but similar-sounding Arlo. If Arlo can be a hit, why not Orlo? Why not indeed.
  16. Dina
    • Origin:

      Hebrew variation of Dinah or Adinah
    • Meaning:

      "judged or delicate"
    • Description:

      Dina is a 20th century version of either Dinah or Adinah, two Old Testament names not related to each other. Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah, while Adinah or Adina was a male soldier, though the name is also used for girls in modern Israel.
  17. Abby
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Abigail, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "my father is joyful"
    • Description:

      Gently old-fashioned stand-alone nickname that owes its popularity to mega popular Abigail.
  18. Tevel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Yiddish
    • Meaning:

      "world, universe"
    • Description:

      Derived from the Hebrew word for "universe, macrocosm, world", this modern choice may appeal to those who like Evren for its meaning.
  19. Elim
    • Origin:

      Biblical place name
    • Meaning:

      "place of strong trees"
    • Description:

      In the Bible, Elim is an oasis where the Israelites stopped during their Exodus from Egypt. It is a place of plenty representing the natural blessings of God, with twelve springs of fresh water and seventy date palm trees to provide food and shade.
  20. Zev
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "wolf"
    • Description:

      Zev is a short, simple, animal name that may relate to the Old Testament Ze'ev -- except he was a villainous character.

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