Abraham אַבְרָהָם m English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Dutch, Biblical, Biblical German, Biblical Swedish, Biblical Norwegian, Biblical Danish, Biblical LatinThis name may be viewed either as meaning
"father of many" in Hebrew or else as a contraction of
Abram 1 and
הָמוֹן (hamon) meaning "many, multitude". The biblical patriarch Abraham was originally named Abram but God changed his name (see
Genesis 17:5). With his father
Terah, he led his wife
Sarah, his nephew
Lot and their other followers from Ur into Canaan. He is regarded by Jews as being the founder of the Hebrews through his son
Isaac and by Muslims as being the founder of the Arabs through his son
Ishmael.
... [more] Adam אָדָם m English, French, German, Polish, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Czech, Slovak, Russian, Ukrainian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Catalan, Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewThis is the Hebrew word for
"man". It could be ultimately derived from Hebrew
אדם ('adam) meaning
"to be red", referring to the ruddy colour of human skin, or from Akkadian
adamu meaning
"to make".
... [more] Adi 1 עֲדִי f & m HebrewMeans
"jewel, ornament" in Hebrew.
Adir אַדִּיר m HebrewMeans
"strong, mighty" in Hebrew. This word is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe God.
Adva אַדְוָה f HebrewMeans
"small wave, ripple" in Hebrew.
Akiva עֲקִיבָא m HebrewFrom an Aramaic form of
Yaakov. Akiva (or Akiba) ben Joseph was a prominent 1st-century Jewish rabbi.
Aliya 2 עֲלִיָּה f HebrewMeans
"ascent" in Hebrew, a derivative of
עָלָה ('alah) meaning "to ascend, to climb". This is also a Hebrew word referring to immigration to Israel.
Ami 4 עַמִי m HebrewMeans
"my people" or
"my nation" in Hebrew.
Amos עָמוֹס m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewFrom Hebrew
עָמַס ('amas) meaning
"load, burden". Amos is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Amos, which speaks against greed, corruption and oppression of the poor. Written about the 8th century BC, it is among the oldest of the prophetic books. As an English name,
Amos has been used since the Protestant Reformation, and was popular among the Puritans.
Ariel אֲרִיאֵל m & f Hebrew, English, French, Spanish, Polish, Biblical, Biblical GreekMeans
"lion of God" in Hebrew, from
אֲרִי ('ari) meaning "lion" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". In the Old Testament it is used as another name for the city of Jerusalem. Shakespeare utilized it for a spirit in his play
The Tempest (1611) and Alexander Pope utilized it for a sylph in his poem
The Rape of the Lock (1712), and one of the moons of Uranus bears this name in his honour. As an English name, it became more common for females in the 1980s, especially after it was used for the title character in the Disney film
The Little Mermaid (1989).
Ayal אַיָּל m HebrewMeans
"stag, male deer" in Hebrew.
Ayala אַיָּלָה f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer" in Hebrew.
Ayelet אַיֶלֶת f HebrewMeans
"doe, female deer, gazelle". It is taken from the Hebrew phrase
אַיֶלֶת הַשַׁחַר ('ayelet hashachar), literally "gazelle of dawn", which is a name of the morning star.
Baruch בָּרוּך m Biblical, Biblical Latin, HebrewMeans
"blessed" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a companion of the prophet Jeremiah, acting as his scribe and assistant. The deuterocanonical Book of Baruch was supposedly written by him. A famous bearer was Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), a Dutch-Jewish rationalist philosopher.
Batel בַּת־אֵל f HebrewMeans
"daughter of God" in Hebrew.
Boaz בֹּעַז m Biblical, Hebrew, Dutch, Biblical HebrewMeans
"swiftness" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the man who marries
Ruth. This was also the name of one of the two pillars that stood outside Solomon's Temple (with
Jachin).
Chaim חַיִּים m HebrewDerived from the Hebrew word
חַיִּים (chayyim) meaning
"life". It has been used since medieval times.
Chaya חַיָה f HebrewDerived from Hebrew
חָיָה (chayah) meaning
"living", considered a feminine form of
Chaim.
Chesed חֶסֶד f & m HebrewMeans
"kindness, goodness" in Hebrew.
Dafna דַּפְנָה f HebrewMeans
"laurel" in Hebrew, of Greek origin.
Daniel דָּנִיֵּאל m English, Hebrew, French, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Romanian, Slovene, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Croatian, Finnish, Estonian, Armenian, Georgian, Biblical, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
דָּנִיֵּאל (Daniyyel) meaning
"God is my judge", from the roots
דִּין (din) meaning "to judge" and
אֵל ('el) meaning "God". Daniel was a Hebrew prophet whose story is told in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. He lived during the Jewish captivity in Babylon, where he served in the court of the king, rising to prominence by interpreting the king's dreams. The book also presents Daniel's four visions of the end of the world.
... [more] Daniela דניאלה f Italian, German, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Romanian, Portuguese, Spanish, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Hebrew, EnglishFeminine form of
Daniel.
Danya 1 דַּנְיָה f HebrewFeminine form of
Dan 1. It can also be considered a compound meaning
"judgement from God", using the element
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Dar דַּר f & m HebrewMeans
"mother-of-pearl, nacre" in Hebrew.
David דָּוִד m English, Hebrew, French, Scottish, Welsh, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, Czech, Slovene, Russian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian, Romanian, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
דָּוִד (Dawid), which was derived from Hebrew
דּוֹד (dod) meaning
"beloved" or
"uncle". David was the second and greatest of the kings of Israel, ruling in the 10th century BC. Several stories about him are told in the Old Testament, including his defeat of
Goliath, a giant Philistine. According to the New Testament,
Jesus was descended from him.
... [more] Diklah דִּקְלָה m & f Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical HebrewPossibly means
"palm grove" in Hebrew or Aramaic. In the Old Testament this is the name of a son of
Joktan. In modern times it is also used as a feminine name.
Dor דּוֹר m & f HebrewMeans
"generation" in Hebrew.
Dori דּוֹרִי m HebrewMeans
"my generation" in Hebrew.
Dror דְּרוֹר m HebrewMeans
"freedom" or
"sparrow" in Hebrew.
Eden עֵדֶן f & m Hebrew, English (Modern), French (Modern)From the biblical place name, itself possibly from Hebrew
עֵדֶן ('eden) meaning "pleasure, delight", or perhaps derived from Sumerian
𒂔 (edin) meaning "plain". According to the Old Testament the Garden of Eden was the place where the first people,
Adam and
Eve, lived before they were expelled.
Edna עֶדְנָה f English, Hebrew, BiblicalMeans
"pleasure" in Hebrew. This name appears in the Old Testament Apocrypha, for instance in the Book of Tobit belonging to the wife of
Raguel. It was borne by the American poet Edna Dean Proctor (1829-1923). It did not become popular until the second half of the 19th century, after it was used for the heroine in the successful 1866 novel
St. Elmo by Augusta Jane Evans. It peaked around the turn of the century and has declined steadily since then, falling off the American top 1000 list in 1992.
Ehud אֵהוּד m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewMeaning unknown, possibly related to Hebrew
אֶחָד ('echad) meaning
"one". In the Old Testament this is the name of one of the biblical judges. He killed Eglon, the king of Moab, and freed the city of Jericho from Moabite rule.
Ela 3 אֵלָה f HebrewModern Hebrew form of
Elah, usually used as a feminine name.
Eli 1 עֵלִי m English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical Greek, Biblical HebrewMeans
"ascension" in Hebrew. In the Books of Samuel in the Old Testament he is a high priest of the Israelites. He took the young
Samuel into his service and gave him guidance when God spoke to him. Because of the misdeeds of his sons, Eli and his descendants were cursed to die before reaching old age.
... [more] Elijah אֱלִיָּהוּ m English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
אֱלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu) meaning
"my God is Yahweh", derived from the elements
אֵל ('el) and
יָה (yah), both referring to the Hebrew God. Elijah was a Hebrew prophet and miracle worker, as told in the two Books of Kings in the Old Testament. He was active in the 9th century BC during the reign of King
Ahab of Israel and his Phoenician-born queen
Jezebel. Elijah confronted the king and queen over their idolatry of the Canaanite god
Ba'al and other wicked deeds. At the end of his life he was carried to heaven in a chariot of fire, and was succeeded by
Elisha. In the New Testament, Elijah and
Moses appear next to
Jesus when he is transfigured.
... [more] Elior אֱלִיאוֹר m HebrewMeans
"my God is my light" in Hebrew.
Elon אֵילוֹן m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewMeans
"oak tree" in Hebrew. According to the Old Testament this was the name of one of the ruling judges of the Israelites. A notable modern bearer is the entrepreneur Elon Musk (1971-), who was born in South Africa and also holds Canadian and American citizenship (he is not Jewish).
Ephraim אֶפְרָיִם m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical GreekFrom the Hebrew name
אֶפְרָיִם ('Efrayim) meaning
"fruitful". In the Old Testament Ephraim is a son of
Joseph and
Asenath and the founder of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. This name was also borne by two early saints: Ephraim or Ephrem the Syrian, a 4th-century theologian, and Ephraim of Antioch, a 6th-century patriarch of Antioch.
Ester אֶסְתֵר f Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, HebrewForm of
Esther used in several languages.
Evron עֶבְרוֹן m Hebrew (Rare)From a biblical place name, also called
עַבְדּוֹן ('Avdon) meaning "servile", for which it may be a clerical error.
Eyal אֱיָל m HebrewMeans
"might, strength" in Hebrew.
Ezra עֶזְרָא m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans
"help" in Hebrew. Ezra is a prophet of the Old Testament and the author of the Book of Ezra. It has been used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the Protestant Reformation. The American poet Ezra Pound (1885-1972) was a famous bearer.
Gai גַּיְא m HebrewMeans
"valley, ravine" in Hebrew.
Galia גַּלְיָה f HebrewElaboration of
Gal 1. It could also be considered a compound meaning
"wave from God", using the element
יָה (yah) referring to the Hebrew God.
Gideon גִּדְעוֹן m Biblical, Hebrew, English, DutchMeans
"feller, hewer" in Hebrew. Gideon is a hero and judge of the Old Testament. He led the vastly outnumbered Israelites against the Midianites, defeated them, and killed their two kings. In the English-speaking world,
Gideon has been used as a given name since the Protestant Reformation, and it was popular among the Puritans.
Gili גִּילִי f & m HebrewMeans
"my joy" in Hebrew.
Guy 2 גַּיְא m HebrewAlternate transcription of Hebrew
גַּיְא (see
Gai). This is the more common transcription.
Hadar הָדָר f & m HebrewMeans
"splendour, glory" in Hebrew.
Haim חַיִּים m HebrewAlternate transcription of Hebrew
חַיִּים (see
Chaim). This seems to be the most common transcription for Israeli Jews.
Hallel הָלֵּל f & m HebrewDerived from Hebrew
הָלַל (halal) meaning
"praise". This is the name of a Jewish prayer, consisting of several psalms. The more traditional name
Hillel, which is typically only masculine, is spelled the same but is vocalized with a different vowel.
Hanna 1 חַנָּה f Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German, Dutch, Icelandic, Hungarian, HebrewForm of
Channah (see
Hannah) in several languages.
Harel הַרְאֵל m HebrewMeans
"altar, mountain of God" in Hebrew. In the Hebrew Bible this word is applied to the altar in the temple in Jerusalem (
Ezekiel 43:15).
Hila הִילָה f HebrewMeans
"halo, aura" in Hebrew, from the root
הָלַל (halal) meaning "to praise, to shine".
Hillel הִלֵּל m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical HebrewDerived from Hebrew
הָלַל (halal) meaning
"praise". This name is mentioned briefly in the Old Testament as the father of the judge Abdon. It was also borne by the 1st-century BC Jewish scholar Hillel the Elder.
Inbal עִנְבָּל f HebrewMeans
"tongue of a bell" in Hebrew.
Inbar עִנְבָּר, עִינְבָּר f HebrewMeans
"amber" in Hebrew.
Ira 1 עִירָא m Biblical, English, HebrewMeans
"watchful" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of King
David's priest. As an English Christian given name,
Ira began to be used after the Protestant Reformation. In the 17th century the Puritans brought it to America, where remained moderately common into the 20th century.
Irit עִירִית f HebrewMeans
"asphodel (flower)" in Hebrew.
Keren קֶרֶן f HebrewMeans
"horn" or
"ray of light" in Hebrew.
Kinneret כִּנֶּרֶת f HebrewFrom the name of a large lake in northern Israel, usually called the Sea of Galilee in English. Its name is derived from Hebrew
כִּנּוֹר (kinnor) meaning "harp" because of its shape.
Lea לֵאָה f German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Estonian, Slovene, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, Italian, HebrewForm of
Leah used in several languages.
Leah לֵאָה f English, Hebrew, Biblical, Biblical HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
לֵאָה (Le'ah), which was probably derived from the Hebrew word
לְאָה (le'ah) meaning
"weary". Alternatively it might be related to Akkadian
littu meaning
"cow". In the Old Testament Leah is the first wife of
Jacob and the mother of seven of his children. Jacob's other wife was Leah's younger sister
Rachel, whom he preferred. Leah later offered Jacob her handmaid
Zilpah in order for him to conceive more children.
... [more] Levi לֵוִי m Hebrew, English, Dutch, German, Biblical, Biblical LatinPossibly means
"joined, attached" in Hebrew. As told in the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of
Jacob and
Leah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of the Israelites, known as the Levites. This was the tribe that formed the priestly class of the Israelites. The brothers
Moses and
Aaron were members. This name also occurs in the New Testament, where it is another name for the apostle
Matthew.
... [more] Liat לִיאַת f HebrewMeans
"you are mine" in Hebrew.
Lihi לִיהִי, לִיהִיא f HebrewMeans
"she is mine" in Hebrew.
Liron לִירוֹן m & f HebrewMeans
"my song, my joy" in Hebrew, from
לִי (li) "for me" and
רֹן (ron) "joy, song".
Maayan מַעֲיָן f & m HebrewMeans
"spring of water" in Hebrew.
Malachi מַלְאָכִי m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical LatinFrom the Hebrew name
מַלְאָכִי (Mal'akhi) meaning
"my messenger" or
"my angel". This is one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Malachi, which some claim foretells the coming of Christ. In England the name came into use after the Protestant Reformation.
Marganita מַרְגָנִיתָה f HebrewFrom the name of a type of flowering plant common in Israel, called the scarlet pimpernel in English.
Meir מֵאִיר m HebrewMeans
"giving light" in Hebrew.
Menahem מְנַחֵם m Biblical, HebrewFrom the Hebrew name
מְנַחֵם (Menachem) meaning
"comforter". This was the name of a king of Israel, appearing in the Old Testament. His reign was noted for its brutality.
Meyer מֵאִיר m HebrewAlternate transcription of Hebrew
מֵאִיר (see
Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".
Michal 2 מִיכַל f Biblical, HebrewPossibly means
"brook" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of a daughter of
Saul. She was married to
David, but after David fled from Saul he remarried her to someone else. Later, when David became king, he ordered her returned to him.
Miriam מִרְיָם f Hebrew, English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Slovak, Polish, Biblical, Biblical HebrewHebrew form of
Mary. It is used in the Old Testament, where it belongs to the elder sister of
Moses and
Aaron. She watched over the infant Moses as the pharaoh's daughter drew him from the Nile. The name has long been popular among Jews, and it has been used as an English Christian name (alongside
Mary) since the Protestant Reformation.
Miron 2 מִירוֹן m HebrewFrom the name of the highest mountain in Israel, Mount Meron. It is also the name of a village on its slopes, thought to be on the same site as the ancient Canaanite city of Merom.
Mor מוֹר f & m HebrewMeans
"myrrh" in Hebrew.
Moran מוֹרָן f & m HebrewMeans
"viburnum shrub" in Hebrew.
Mordecai מָרְדֳּכַי m Biblical, HebrewMeans
"servant of Marduk" in Persian. In the Old Testament Mordecai is the cousin and foster father of
Esther. He thwarted a plot to kill the Persian king, though he made an enemy of the king's chief advisor
Haman.
Naomi 1 נָעֳמִי f English, Hebrew, BiblicalFrom the Hebrew name
נָעֳמִי (Na'omi) meaning
"pleasantness". In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother-in-law of
Ruth. After the death of her husband and sons, she returned to Bethlehem with Ruth. There she declared that her name should be
Mara because of her misfortune (see
Ruth 1:20).
... [more] Neta נֶטַע f & m HebrewMeans
"plant, shrub" in Hebrew.
Nili נִילִי f HebrewAcronym of the phrase
נצח ישׂראל לא ישׁקר (Netzach Yisrael Lo Yishaker) meaning
"the eternity of Israel will not lie". This phrase appears in the Old Testament in
1 Samuel 15:29. It was used as the name of a Jewish spy network in Palestine during World War I.
Nir נִיר m HebrewMeans
"plowed field" in Hebrew.
Niv נִיב m HebrewMeans either
"speech, expression" or
"fang, tusk" in Hebrew.
Noam נוֹעַם m & f Hebrew, FrenchMeans
"pleasantness" in Hebrew. A famous bearer is Noam Chomsky (1928-), an American linguist and philosopher.
Noga נֹגַה f & m HebrewModern Hebrew transcription of
Nogah, usually used as a feminine name.
Noy נוֹי f & m HebrewMeans
"beauty" in Hebrew.
Nurit נוּרִית f HebrewMeans
"buttercup (flower)" in Hebrew (genus Ranunculus).
Ofer עֹפֶר, עוֹפֶר m HebrewMeans
"fawn" in Hebrew. This makes it a modern variant of the Classical Hebrew name
Ophrah.
Ofra עֹפְרָה, עוֹפְרָה m & f HebrewModern Hebrew form of
Ophrah. Originally it was a masculine name, but it is now used for females too.
Ofri עֹפְרִי, עוֹפְרִי f & m HebrewMeans
"my fawn" in Hebrew.
Omer עוֹמֶר m & f HebrewMeans
"sheaf of wheat" in Hebrew.