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Baby names

Jewish baby names

20 replies

Vivia · 01/12/2009 16:00

Hi there

My friend is expecting her first baby and is Jewish - in a cultural rather than actively religious way. To delight her mother and grandmother she wants to use a Jewish name for the baby.

Any suggestions - male or female - that might help her choose?

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IlanaK · 01/12/2009 16:02

I have 3 Jewish boys. Aaron, ELye and Saul. All biblical.

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mathanxiety · 01/12/2009 16:07

I love Rivka, Tsipora, and Zehra, all Yiddish, for girls.

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claraquack · 01/12/2009 16:07

I have a jewish friend with a David. Another with a Gal and a Shy (don't know how they are spelt). Jewish friends I know are Ilana and Yael. Ilana's son is Luca but I don't think that is Jewish!
I am guessing old testament names are ok? eg Noah, Moses etc?

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bluebump · 01/12/2009 16:13

Ruth, Shalom, Abigail,

Aaron, Saul, Jared,

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dizzydixies · 01/12/2009 16:17

Reuben
Ira

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Lakota · 01/12/2009 16:21

Jake and Isaac

Sarah?

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fillybuster · 01/12/2009 16:24

Anything old testament would be Jewish. But if she wants Israeli (modern) rather than biblical how about:

Boys: Shai, Elai, Aron, Eli, Uri, Ari, Ariel, Dov, Ran, Roni, Natan, Matan, Gill, Avi

Girls: Ella, Adi, Maia, Yael, Ronit, Roni, Riki, Dina, Adina, Ellie

There's plenty of lists of jewish baby names online if you want more though

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EdgarAleNPie · 01/12/2009 16:29

i've always liked Mordecai.

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Vivia · 02/12/2009 11:19

Wonderful, this will all help her - I really love Rivka. Wish I were Jewish...

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Buntytea · 02/12/2009 11:24

Ziporah?

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cityangel · 03/12/2009 13:39

My jewish school friends were:

Eleanor, Rebecca, Rachel, Joanna, Shari, Nathalie, Nicola, Deborah, Susan & Jessica

www.behindthename.com/nmc/jew.php

I like Asher and Ezra

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yayitstheweekend · 03/12/2009 13:59

Jewish children I know are

Samuel, Jacob, Benjamin, Max, Zachary, Joseph, Joshua, Adam, Daniel, Gabriel so pretty much mainstream but other not too religious names can be names like Avi, Asher, Ilan, Jonah, Cobi

Girls mostly have english names but other names for Jewish but not overtly religious girls are

Talia, Maia, Shira, Meira, Sfira, Rebecca, Rachel, Shoshana, Eliana, Leah,

Probably better to go Israeli style than hardcore jewish as only extremely religious people tend to have the biblical versions names like Mordecai, Avraham, Yitzak, Rivka, Rochel, Penina, Elisheva, Shlomo

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Vivia · 03/12/2009 16:28

Thanks again these are all great.

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rubyslippers · 03/12/2009 16:30

Talia
Sarah
hannah
adina
elijah
asher

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BrigitBigKnickers · 03/12/2009 16:38

I have a jewish friend whose son is called Gavriel which I have always thought a nice name

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trellism · 03/12/2009 20:42

DD's half Jewish and we've called her Judith (Yehudit in Hebrew).

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BellsaRinging · 03/12/2009 20:44

I have Moses (Moshe).

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redllamayellowllama · 03/12/2009 20:49

Me too, in a cultural rather than religious way. We went for Isaac and it would have been Esther, had he been a she.

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sweetkitty · 03/12/2009 20:53

My 3 girls have Jewish names totally coincidental on our part they are

Abigail - Hebrew my Fathers Joy
Talia - Hebrew feminine of Tal Dew from Heaven
Bethany - town in Israel and means House of Figs

Google Hebrew and baby names there are some good websites out there

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bluecheesedip · 03/12/2009 21:34

One that I love that I don't think has been mentioned - Akiva for a boy.

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