Jewish male names and their meanings. Jewish names for men and women

The most popular name among the 2,730 births in Israel in 2015 was Mohammed. This was reported by the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics.

The second name on the list was Yosef, which was the name given to 1,880 boys. Next came the name Ariel, which was given to 1,792 babies of both sexes.

The most popular male Jewish name in 2015, as in the previous year, the name Noam became. About 1,414 boys were named this way.

In addition to him, the list of the most popular male names included: Ori/Uri, David, Yosef, Eitan, Itay, Ariel, Daniel, Jonathan and Moshe.

The report also notes that in 2015, the names Dror, Yigal and Ellroy gained their greatest popularity over the past decade.

The most popular Jewish name for a girl- Noah. Young parents have been giving it preference for 16 years now. Also popular female names Tamar, Shira, Maya, Yael, Adele, Thalia, Avigail, Ayala and Sarah.

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The popularity of female names in Israeli cities was distributed as follows: in Jerusalem and Bnei Brak the most popular name for a girl was Sarah, in Tel Aviv, Haifa, Holon, Rishon Lezion and Ramat Gan - Maya, and in Ashdod, Ashkelon and Bat Yam - Adele.

The report, published on December 26, also noted that one in five boys born in Muslim family, called Mohammed or Ahmed (15% and 4.6% of newborns, respectively). The top ten most popular names among Muslims also included the names Yousef, Omar, Abed, Yud, Ali, Ibrahim, Mahmoud, Amir and Khaled. Newborn girls were most often given the name Miryam, as well as Lian, Alin, Lin, Sham, Yana and Saara.

The Torah often compares Jews to the stars (Bereishit 15:5). Just as the stars shine in the darkness of the night, so Jews must bring the light of the Torah into the dark world; just as the stars show the way to wanderers, so the Jews are called upon to show the path of morality and morality. And just as the stars keep the secrets of the future, so the future of humanity and the approach of final liberation depend on the actions of the Jewish people.

The choice of a Jewish name is very responsible - the name influences the fate of a person. What advice does tradition give on choosing a name?

Name meaning

Choosing a name for Jewish child has great importance. Our sages say that a name reflects the essence of a person, his character and destiny. The Talmud says that at the moment when parents name a newborn, their souls are visited by a prophecy, a heavenly spark. But even though the Almighty Himself gives us a hint, many couples find it difficult to decide on the choice of name for the baby.

How to choose the right name? Why don't Jews name their son after their father? Is it possible to name a boy after his grandmother or announce his name before Brit Milah (circumcision)?

Jewish customs

The name contains not only the future, but also the past. Ashkenazis traditionally give a name in honor of a deceased relative. It is believed that some kind of metaphysical connection is formed between his soul and the soul of the newborn. The good deeds of the namesake elevate the soul of the deceased, and good qualities the ancestor is protected and inspired by the new owner of the name [another explanation: there is hope that the child will show all the good qualities of the relative after whom he is named].

What if you want to name your child in honor of a deceased relative, but someone from your living relatives already bears this name? The answer depends on the degree of relationship the child has with the potential living namesake. If this close relative(one of the parents, siblings or grandparents), then it is better to find another name. If the relative is distant, then everything is in order.

There is also a custom to name children in honor of great rabbis and Torah sages, such as Yisrael Meir - in honor of Chofetz Chaim...

Sometimes the name is chosen in accordance with the holiday during which the child was born. For example, if a boy was born on Purim, he is called Mordechai, and a girl is called Esther. A girl born on Shavuot may be called Ruth, and children born on the Ninth of Av may be called Menachem or Nechama.

There is also a custom of giving names that appear in the Torah section of the week in which the child's birthday falls.

As a rule, boys are given a name upon circumcision on the eighth day, and girls are given a name on the first Shabbat after birth, when the Torah scroll is taken out in the synagogue [read the material on the website about Reading the Torah].

Hidden meaning

In the holy language, a name is not just a set of letters, it reveals the essence of its owner.

Midrash ( Bereshit Rabbah 17:4) tells that the first man, Adam, gave names to all living beings in accordance with their essence and purpose. The purpose of a donkey, for example, is to carry a heavy material load. Donkey in Hebrew - "hamor". This word has the same root as the word "homer"- “matter”, “substance”.

The same principle applies to human names. Leah [wife of the forefather Jacob. Editor's note.] named her fourth son Yehuda. This name comes from a root meaning “gratitude,” and if you rearrange the letters in it, you get Holy Name Almighty. So Leia wanted to express special gratitude to Him ( Bereshit 29:35).

Esther, the name of the heroine of Purim, is derived from a root meaning “hiding.” Esther was known for her beauty, but her hidden inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty.

Another example - popular name Ari, Hebrew for "lion". In Jewish literature, a lion is compared to a self-confident, purposeful person who pounces on every opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah.

There are, of course, bad names. It's unlikely you'll want to name your son Nimrod, because it comes from a root meaning “rebellion.” King Nimrod rebelled against the Most High, throwing our forefather Abraham into a burning furnace.

If you want to name a boy after a woman, try to keep the maximum number of letters the same. For example, Berach can be replaced by Baruch, and Dinah by Dan.

A few more useful rules

Many of us who want to change our name to Jewish have an additional question - how to “reconcile” our non-Jewish name with the Jewish one?

Some people translate their name into Hebrew literally - for example, "Mila" is "Naomi" in Hebrew.

Some choose a Hebrew name based on consonance: Anatoly - Nathan, Yuri - Uri, Victor - Avigdor, etc.

In any case, choosing a name is a very important step, a person’s name has an impact on his destiny and character traits, and we advise you to contact your local rabbi with this question...

If the family lives outside of Israel, try to give the child a traditionally Jewish name that also sounds familiar in the language of that country. For example, Yakov or Dina in Russia, David or Sarah in English-speaking countries. You should not give one, “Jewish” name “for the synagogue”, and another - by which the child will actually be called. A real Jewish name is a good remedy against assimilation.

Midrash (Bemidbar Rabbah 20:21) says that the Jews were awarded a miraculous liberation from Egyptian slavery partly because they did not adopt Egyptian customs, but continued to give their children Jewish names.

Many parents are reluctant to name a child after a relative who died young or unnaturally, fearing that bad luck may be passed on to the new owner of the name. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein gives several recommendations on this matter.

If a person died young, but by his own death, and left behind children, then this is not considered bad sign, and the child can be named after him. Prophet Shmuel and King Shlomo died at the age of 52, and their names have always been and remain popular among our people, i.e. it is no longer considered that a person died young.

If a person died from unnatural causes, then Rabbi Feinstein recommends changing the name slightly. For example, Jews name their sons by the name Yeshaya in honor of the prophet Yeshayahu, who was killed.

Rabbi Yakov Kamenetsky believes that the transition from “youth” to “old age” occurs at 60 years of age. The Talmud (Moed Katan 28a) tells that when Rabbi Yosef turned 60 years old, he held a celebration to mark the beginning of longevity.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not prohibited to announce the name of a newborn before circumcision, although many do not do so. However, the boy only receives his full soul during the Brit Milah, and therefore, in a metaphysical sense, does not have a name until that moment. This is deduced from the fact that the Almighty gave a new name to our forefather Abraham after Brit Milah, when he was 99 years old ( Zohar - Lech-Lecha 93a, Taamei Minhagim 929).

Calls all the stars by names...

During circumcision "aGomel" read before those invited to the ceremony. If a girl is born, then a special minyan of the men in the house is collected, or the mother attends the synagogue on the day when the husband names the girl over a scroll. The women present in the women's section of the hall respond to her blessing.

Answer to "aGomel" So:

“Amen. He who rewarded you with good will continue to reward you with good!”

The Hebrew text is given in the siddur, a collection of Jewish prayers (see “Reading the Torah”).

The choice of a Jewish name is very responsible - the name influences the fate of a person. What advice does tradition give on choosing a name?

Name meaning

Choosing a name for a Jewish child is of great importance. Our sages say that a name reflects the essence of a person, his character and destiny. The Talmud says that at the moment when parents name a newborn, their souls are visited by a prophecy, a heavenly spark. But even though the Almighty Himself gives us a hint, many couples find it difficult to decide on the choice of name for the baby.

How to choose the right name? Why don't Jews name their son after their father? Is it possible to name a boy after his grandmother or announce his name before Brit Milah (circumcision)?

Jewish customs

The name contains not only the future, but also the past. Ashkenazis traditionally give a name in honor of a deceased relative. It is believed that some kind of metaphysical connection is formed between his soul and the soul of the newborn. The good deeds of the namesake elevate the soul of the deceased, and the good qualities of the ancestor protect and inspire the new owner of the name [another explanation: there is hope that the child will show all the good qualities of the relative after whom he is named].

What if you want to name your child in honor of a deceased relative, but someone from your living relatives already bears this name? The answer depends on the degree of relationship the child has with the potential living namesake. If this is a close relative (one of the parents, siblings or grandparents), then it is better to find a different name. If the relative is distant, then everything is in order.

There is also a custom to name children in honor of great rabbis and Torah sages, such as Yisrael Meir - in honor of Chofetz Chaim...

There is also a custom of giving names that appear in the Torah section of the week in which the child's birthday falls.

Hidden meaning

In the holy language, a name is not just a set of letters, it reveals the essence of its owner.

The same principle applies to human names. Leah [wife of the forefather Jacob. Editor's note.] named her fourth son Yehuda. This name is from a root meaning “gratitude”, and if you rearrange the letters in it, you get the Holy Name of the Most High. So Leia wanted to express special gratitude to Him ( Bereshit 29:35).

Esther, the name of the heroine of Purim, is derived from a root meaning “hiding.” Esther was known for her beauty, but her hidden inner beauty surpassed her outer beauty.

Another example is the popular name Ari, Hebrew for "lion". In Jewish literature, a lion is compared to a self-confident, purposeful person who pounces on every opportunity to fulfill the mitzvah.

If you want to name a boy after a woman, try to keep the maximum number of letters the same. For example, Berach can be replaced by Baruch, and Dinah by Dan.

A few more useful rules

Many of us who want to change our name to Jewish have an additional question - how to “reconcile” our non-Jewish name with the Jewish one?

Some people translate their name into Hebrew literally - for example, "Mila" is "Naomi" in Hebrew.

Some choose a Hebrew name based on consonance: Anatoly - Nathan, Yuri - Uri, Victor - Avigdor, etc.

In any case, choosing a name is a very important step, a person’s name has an impact on his destiny and character traits, and we advise you to contact your local rabbi with this question...

If a person died young, but by his own death, and left behind children, then this is not considered a bad sign, and the child can be named in his honor. Prophet Shmuel and King Shlomo died at the age of 52, and their names have always been and remain popular among our people, i.e. it is no longer considered that a person died young.

Calls all the stars by names...

Answer to "aGomel" So:

“Amen. He who rewarded you with good will continue to reward you with good!”

The Hebrew text is given in the siddur, a collection of Jewish prayers (see “Reading the Torah”).

If the Orthodox used to look at the Saints to choose a name for a newborn, then the Jews always chose in three ways:

Focusing on older relatives.
In honor of your favorite biblical heroes.
Dwelling on the Hebrew righteous.

Kabbalah teaches that the letters in the name are a connection with spiritual forces, therefore in practice there are cases when seriously ill people are called double names, adding Chaim (life). In the books of Sholom Aleichem and Isaac Babel, such options appear quite often. Sometimes they are used and next to it is translation. For example, Zeev - Wolf.

The list of names will include only Hebrew (or Yiddish) names, although any names have been allowed in Russia since 1917. Everywhere Barukhs and Berlys turned into Borisovs, and Leibs into Lvovs. In other countries (Palestine), the opposite processes took place, which was strictly monitored by the state. Boys are named at the time of circumcision - on the eighth day from birth. Let's look at the most common Jewish male names.

List in alphabetical order (from A to M) with translation

Aaron -"mountain", brother of Moses, high priest.
Abraham - considered a forefather (“father of nations”). The allowed option is Abram.
Adam -"earth", in honor of the first man on Earth.
Baruch -“blessed”, assistant to the prophet.
Gad - "luck" son of Jacob.
Gershom- “stranger”, son of Moses.
David- “beloved”, from him came the line of Jewish kings.
Dov - " bear”, the personification of strength and dexterity.
Zerah- “radiance”, son of Judah.
Israzl- “fighting with God”, the following options are acceptable: Yisroel, Israel.
Isaac -“preparing to laugh”, the son of Abraham, whom he was preparing to sacrifice. Options - Itzik, Isaac.

The list of Jewish male names includes the most common ones, without borrowed ones.

Yehoshua- “God as salvation,” disciple Moshe, conquered the lands of Israel.
Yosef (Joseph)- “God”, son of Jacob, sold into slavery in Egypt.
Jonathan -"given by God" , friend of David.
Kalev- “heart”, a scout sent to the land of Israel.
Leib- “lion” is a symbol of Yehuda.
Menachem- “comforter”, Jewish king.
Michael- “like God,” a messenger of God called to protect the Jewish people.
Moshe- “saved from water”, the greatest prophet. Options - Moishe, Moses.

Second part of the alphabet

Nahum- “comforted”, minor prophet. Option - Nakhim.
Nachshon- “soothsayer”, son-in-law of Aaron, who was the first to enter the Red Sea.
Noach- “peace”, a righteous man saved from the flood.
Ovadya- “God’s servant”, minor prophet. Options - Obadiah, Obadiah.
Passover- "missed", the name of Easter.
Pinchas- “snake mouth”, grandson of Aaron, who turned away God’s wrath from the Israelites.
Rafael -"healed by God", angel of healing.
Tanhum- “consolation”, sage of the Talmud.
Uriel- “my light is God”, the name of an angel.
Fievel- “breastfed” in Yiddish. Options - Fyvish, Fayvel, Feyshiv, Fyvish.

The list of Jewish male names for the last letters of the alphabet is the most significant, so we should focus on the most important ones.

Hagai- “celebrant”, minor prophet, grandson of Jacob. Option - Hagi.
Hanan- “pardoned”, the tribe of Benjamin began with him.
Hanoch- “sanctified”, son of Cain.
Zadok- “righteous”, who pacified the rebellion against David.
Zion- “superiority”, used as a synonym for Jerusalem.
Cefania- “hidden by God”, minor prophet.
Shalom- “peace”, king of Israel. Shimon- “heard by God”, son of Jacob. Option - Simon.
Shmuel- “name of God”, prophet.
Ephraim- “fruitful”, grandson of Jacob.
Yaakov -“overtaken”, forefather. Options - Jacob, Yakov, Yankee, Yankel.

Borrowed names

Are there any borrowed Jewish male names? The list can be replenished with those that appeared in use while the Talmud was not playing important role. By naming children after relatives, Jews contribute to their spread. The names came from the Hebrew language: Meir, Menucha, Nechama. The Babylonians brought Mordechai, Chaldeans - Atlaya And Bebay. Greek rule gave the Jews the name Alexander(option - C ender). Georgian Jews acquired: Irakli, Guram; at Tajik - Bovojon, Rubensivi, Estermo.

Their feature is small distribution area. There are names that appeared due to beliefs. So, all newborns were called Alter (“old man”), but after a month it was changed. It was believed that it protects from evil spirits.

Jewish surnames

The list of Jewish male names is very important because up to early XIX centuries they did not have surnames (in the Austrian Empire they appeared in late XVIII V.). How were they created?

On behalf of the father or biblical characters: Benjamin, Israel, David, Abram.
From female names: Riveman(Riva's husband) Tsivyan(name Tsivya), Mirkin(Mirka).
From the appearance or character of the owner: Schwartz("black"), Weisbard(“white-bearded”).
From profession: Rabinovich("rabbi"), Dayan("judge").
From geographical names: Lifshits(“Silesian city”), Gurevich(Czech town).
From any things that happen in life. They are called decorative: Bernstein("amber"), Yaglom("diamond").

As we have seen, the origin of the surnames is Jewish male names, a list of which is presented in the text.