Yeshiva Boys

A strong, masculine name hardly heard outside the Hebrew-speaking community.

A common Middle Eastern name, the general title for an elevated official. Amir has rising in use since the late 70s, and is now in the Top 200. The feminine variation Amira is also on the rise. Amir is in the Top 100 in France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Belgium. The widespread popularity of the name Amir around the world has led to a large number of notable Amirs in history and present. The name Amir was chosen for his son by actor Omar Epps. Amir is also the name of the young narrator and protagonist in the award-winning novel Kite Runner.

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 prominent character on TV's Entourage -- the uberagent Ari Gold.

Avi, the short form of many Hebrew names, is often used on its own in Israel. It entered the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2015.

Think of this as the Hebrew equivalent of Benedict or Benito; best for observant Jews.

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.

Fierce meaning, gentle image. This name is very common in Israel, where an endearing pet form is Dubi.

When given the French pronunciation (ay-LAN), has a great deal of esprit and élan.

Ezra has a lot going for it: the strength of its heroic Biblical legacy, its quirky sound, and its fresh but familiar feel. Ezra is now at its highest point ever, but its intuitive streamlined spelling and deep roots could make it a worth successor to Elijah in the Top 10 -- or even to Liam or Noah at Number 1.

Judah is the strong, resonant Old Testament name of the son of Jacob who was the ancestor of one of the tribes of Israel, and from whom the word Jew is derived. Some of the names' popularity might be attributable to the similarly named Jude Law.

Lior is a unisex name frequently heard in Israel, capturing the popular light theme through its meaning. For English speakers, the one down side is possible pronunciation confusion with "liar," though it's really lee-OR, with a long e sound and emphasis on the second syllable.

Soft and sensitive name often heard in Israel.

Idiosyncratic Hebrew choice.

Shai, pronounced like shy, might morph to rhyme with may among native English speakers. This simple and attractive name is sometimes confused with or anglicized as Shay or even the Irish Shea.

A unisex Hebrew name often found in combination with others, as in Tal-El and Tal-Or.

This short but strong name, commonly heard in Israel, has a lot of crossover potential, and is among the most usable on the minuscule menu of U names.