Levi - too Jewish?!

[Jojobump1986]

We've just found out that the baby we're expecting in June will be DS2. For DS1 I couldn't pick from our shortlist so DH chose a quite common biblical name but we've agreed that this time I'll get the deciding vote. I love some of the more unusual Old Testament names such as Levi, Malachi, Ezekiel... My dad suggested recently that these names can only be carried off by someone who is either Jewish or black... It had never occurred to me to not choose a name just because it might be more popular in another culture!

Would anyone not choose a name they loved because someone somewhere might make assumptions about the child's heritage?! I'm really tempted to choose an even more unusual name, just to wind my dad up... How about little Habakkuk?

I have known three Malachis. All white, none Jewish.
The Ezekiel I was at school with was black, but Christian.

I think I meant random in the sense that this is not your religious background or so I assume from your OP. Hence maybe inappropriate or inappropriate would be better words? Not incongruous or inappropriate in the sense that your dad thinks it is incongruous or inappropriate, but in the sense that a name with significance in one particular religion loses that significance when applied to someone not from that religion. It's not a common or garden Old Testament name.

If they're not Jewish then it doesn't really matter if they pay much attention to the significance as closely as that.

When I think of Malachi I think of Children of the Corn...

While I am not too keep on Levi, I don't think names can only be used by one culture myself.

I would think the opposite Confuddled. Imo it is because they are not Jewish and the significance is therefore being set aside that they should avoid the name, because it is significant to some and using it without regard for that significance is disrespectful. When a name with a certain significance is used in an inauthentic way it diminishes the name.

I would assume Levi to be Jewish, no problem with it though.
I have met 1 Malachi who was Irish (catholic)...

Actually, we're Christians so it is part of our religious history. The significance of the name is certainly not being 'set aside'. As I said before, the origins of the name are part of the reason we're considering it. One of the main reasons I like a lot of the Old Testament names is because they really mean something, both in the original text and to us personally. I'm sorry if you feel our reasons for choosing a name that's meaningful to us are 'disrespectful' in anyway.

Christians share the Old Testament with Jews but not the Jewish identity, of which the Levites are a very important element. Other OT names do not have this same significance and drawing other names from the OT well does not raise eyebrows, but using the name Levi (and the name Cohen) is not the same thing as using any other OT name.

My almost 5 year old is called Levi, we ain't Jewish or Black. His name gets a generally favourable response but, even if it didnt he has become Levi iykwim?
For what it's worth he is a red-haired Irish boy with no religion, living in Australia

I think he would get the reggae sauce song sung a lot because of Levi Roots.

I think at least one of my children has a name that probably has meaning in a religion that's not ours, probably one is quite significant. As it's not a religion we follow it doesn't have religious significance for us. I can't see how naming a child should take that into consideration, if it's no significance to you then it's just a name you like.

I think Levi is lovely

Levi is such a nice name and already in the top 100 in the uk. It is very popular in the us ( top 40)
It is a nice alternative to Liam and is often used by not religious people just because of the nice sound. It is popular enough that it is not only associated with the jeans.

Well, the only Levi I have personally met was half black, but I would infinitely rather see it used for a white boy than for a girl of any heritage!

However the question has got me thinking - I don't instinctively see any problem with using names like Levi (or more common Old testament names like Adam or Joseph) if you're not Jewish, but for some reason I would worry about being considered disrespectful if I was thinking of using a Hindu, Muslim or Sikh name. Why is that, I wonder? Just because the "Jewish" names have a longer history of being used in the UK? (For what it's worth, as an atheist I wouldn't use Christian either!)

Levi Bellfield is what I think of now, sorry.

Malachi is lovely

I do love Levi the more I hear it. The only Levis I know have been white. There is the ‘chav’ association that some people will have but like you said, it’s a traditional biblical name.

Zombie thread. Little Levi is five now.