English yet "Jewish" names

[BlazeofLight]

My DH is Jewish, I am not (which is tricky at times because his religion is important to him).

It is very important for him that our children have Jewish names to help them connect with their heritage.

I understand that but we struggle to find something we can agree on because I like traditional English names.

DS1 is Samuel. He wanted Isiah, Isaac or Noah. I wanted William, Max, Frederick.

We are now debating what to call DS2. Any suggestions?

(And any one else end up compromising so both partners have a name they can live with, but one that neither loves? Seems sad)

Thank you!

Cutest No, I was just going with the biblical theme.

Reuben! DH vetoed because he said it was weird since we aren't Jewish so you can use it for me

Dilys, yes, Reuben is a perfectly wonderful name and DS2 loves it, and is very grateful that we did not stick to our previous choice which was Rupert.

Most Old Testament names, give or take the odd Methuselah, are lovely.

Seth reminds me of 'Cold Comfort Farm'. - 'Worst fears realised darling Seth and Reuben too send gumboots.' (Ignores the fact that Reuben is mentioned).

Reuben is a fantastic name; so is Seth; CCF a fantastic book.

I had an Uncle Pincus - that any use to you, OP?

Or you can go Jewish retro: Laurence, Mervyn, Maurice?

I love Gideon, which I think is Jewish, certainly Old Testament. DH wouldn't go for it, so we've got a Samuel too.

Jesus, definitely a jewish name.

And I'm off. :)

David ticks both boxes..

We're not Jewish but went for Old Testament names for all ours as we like traditional names with some history to them. We are very English and they work really well. My DC are older now and I still love their timeless names.

Don't want to out myself but we used some of these....

Adam
Joseph
Thomas
Matthew
Reuben
Benjamin
Joel
Isaac
Eli

I think Noah is a bit over used now....

I know an 8yo Abraham....it's lovely. He's known as Abe.

Is Gabriel a step too far? I love it.

Gideon is George Osborne's first name........

I love Abraham too. DH's ancestors were Huguenot refugees who came to England several centuries ago and Abraham was the first of these. I wish we had used it for the other DS, though whether he would have been too pleased is another matter. He tries to avoid acknowledging his middle name, which is Henry, named after my dad. When he was little he used to say his name was "(biblical first name), then the bit I don't like, Decision".

Simeon
Joel
Nathanial (Nate is a fab surname)
Joseph (Joe)
Benjamin
Reuben
Joel
Jacob
David (not much used these days)

DH who is also Jewish (and I am also not) loved Reuben and Elijah. We had a daughter in the end so didn't get to use either of these!

I did know a 4 year old Methuselah at one point, no kidding. Poor kid.

I have an Ira.

Ira is super cool!

No one taking up my offer of Pincus, then? We also have a Bruno, a Walter and a Hedwig. In fact, my mum briefly considered calling me Hedwig after an unloved family member.

Ruben was on my list for a DS

Jonathan with nn Jonny

Noam
Mordecai
Simon
Tal
Ezra
Saul
Raphael

Thomas Hardy characters:

Jude
Michael
Gabriel

Ah yes, Gideon Osborne- I wondered why no-one else had suggested it!

Jonathan, Nathaniel and Joel are some of my favourites. There are so many beautiful Old Testament names!

I love Judah but DH is having none of it. He thinks it's too overtly religious as well as, I think, being slightly miffed that it was the name of my greatest high school crush

Thanks Devora! Unhelpfully his big brother has started telling everyone he's named after 'Irish republican army'...

OP, our son has a name that wasn't my favourite and wasn't my husband's favourite. I would have liked James or David. I think he wanted Thomas. In the end we had to work down each other's lists until we found one name on both lists that we could both live with (fairly high up, fortunately) and long before he was born that was his name and it's impossible to think of him with another one. (He's 21 now!)