Is Cohen or Kohen appropriate to use as a baby name?

[newmumtobe26]

Hello,

I am due a little boy next month and me and my partner both like the name Kohen/Cohen. However, we are a little worried about its religious association as we don’t want to offend anyone. We’ve read that it’s linked to both the Jewish and Dutch communities for different meanings/reasons. Does anyone know if this name is ok to use? Or whether it would be classed as inappropriate by the Jewish culture? Thanks so much in advance.

Jewish surname e.g. Leonard.

What’s wrong with Callum, Connor, Cody, Corin, Rowan etc?

Or Conan?

I’m Jewish and I’d mostly be confused. There’s a history behind the last name - probably much diluted now but definitely something I learned about. I’ve known plenty of Coen’s or other similar names though and I’ve never associated those names with- it’s specific to Cohen and Kohen.

(And my kids have been horribly bullied at school for being Jewish so not sure why you’d bring that to yourselves by choice)

I know a Coen (parents have Dutch roots) and as far as I know no-one's ever assumed he's Jewish or been offended. Might be better as an alternative?

It's pronounced more 'Cone' or 'Co-un' than 'Co-en', although there are definitely two syllables.

I know a Kohan. His parents have no religious leanings, they just liked the name.

I would think of it as a Jewish surname too.

I know one. Aged about 12.

As a Jewish surname it has strong religious meaning to the more orthodox, more so abroad than in the UK. When my aunt was abroad in her youth people asked to meet her just because of the surname.

As a first name it’s weird. Any person with knowledge of Jewish culture would know a Cohen isn’t Jewish, but a lot of less informed people would make assumptions.

I also think it comes off as kind of ignorant to use as a first name, like you haven’t even looked the name up to find out it’s a contentious choice. Why not Coen, the Dutch homophone?

It's not just a Jewish surname, it's the hereditary priests.
I would recommend not doing this.

Jewish surname.

Very very common Jewish surname. Why?...

So many kids are named surnames so why does it being Jewish matter?

I know of a few boys at my daughter's school called Cohen. I don't see it as wildly unusual because of this.

We are in Scotland, in an area with probably close to zero Jewish families so maybe this is why.

Its a (fairly common) Jewish surname, I don't know a single Jewish person with that first name.

Only ever heard of one non-Jewish person called Cohen, I think they had Dutch roots. (South African)

Jewish people are grouped into three - Cohen, (descendant of Aaron the Cohen - they were the Priestly tribe) Levite (descendent of Levi - also had jobs to do n the Temple) and Israelites (everyone else!).

Nowadays it has pretty minor implications if you are a Cohen or a Levite or an Israelite. Some minor differences in the Synagogue Torah Reading call up order. Israelite first born baby boys get redeemed by a Cohen.

While Levi and Israel are common first names since they were orginally first names, Cohen is a job/role description. Not all Cohens are named Cohen (some might be called Katz, Kahn, Caplin, Azoulay...there are a number of 'Cohen' surnames) but many are and its the most common surname in Israel.

I don't really have strong opinions on if you should name your son Cohen.

It almost certainly doesn’t due to how few Jews are in the UK but the specific name Cohen has a very specific meaning. It would be less odd (culturally speaking for me) to name a child Goldberg or Kleinman or any of the other typically Jewish surnames. The ‘cohen’ name means something to religious Jews as explained by @Jewishbookworm. So as I was raised religious, I find it a surprising name but probably almost no one else in Scotland would make that association 🤷🏻‍♀️. I like Coen a lot for whatever that’s worth

DS age 14 goes to school with a Cohen. Nobody thinks it's a weird name here. SW England.

I like it I've definitely heard it before as a first name so people do use it. If you're not sure what about Corbin or Cody

No

Owen
Rohan
Colin
Cormac

No. It’s not appropriate. Cohen is a surname with a particular meaning to some Jews. I think that sadly your son will be a target for anti semites as well.

Koen is pronounced Koon. It was suggested to me as a possible name, my mum is Dutch. I think it sounds like the racially offensive term.

There are thousands of nicer names.