Jewish Names

This name of a son of Noah, whose descendants were said to have populated Europe, was well used by the seventeenth century Pilgrims. With "Ja" names and obscure Old Testament names both trendy these days, Japheth might just seen a resurgence: 37 boys were given the name in a recent year.

A widely used Hebrew form of Joseph, with a sophisticated and continental air.

Although this Old Testament name is soft and delicate, it runs the risk of conjuring up the monstrous Godzilla.

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

Also written as Bayla, Baila is reminiscent of the Spanish word for "dance". Its meaning is debated: it may come from the Slavic root word for "white", or it may be a form of Bilhah, one of the four women who gave birth to the tribes of Israel. An offbeat approach to Bella.