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Help[Opinions] Re: Choose one - my favorite Hebrew names :)
in reply to a message by Raven Briar
"Just because a name ends with an 'a' does not make it feminine."
No, it doesn't, but Noa is feminine, traditionally. It's the pronunciation of Noah that's changed (from Noach) to coincide with the feminine name.
No, it doesn't, but Noa is feminine, traditionally. It's the pronunciation of Noah that's changed (from Noach) to coincide with the feminine name.
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Noah has traditionally been a masculine name in English speaking countries and is one of the most popular names for boys in the USA. When the Bible was translated, the pronunciation of Noah may have changed but that change occurred hundreds of years ago in countries that did not have a prior tradition of using Noa as a girls name. So yes, Noa is a traditional girl name in Israel, but neither the poster nor myself live in Israel.
While Noa may have a separate feminine tradition in some countries, it comes across as a feminization of a trendy boys name in the US, where it does not have a history of distinctive use. When Joshua reached its heights of popularity, there were also a few female Joshuas, and similar patterns occurred with Joseph.
While Noa may have a separate feminine tradition in some countries, it comes across as a feminization of a trendy boys name in the US, where it does not have a history of distinctive use. When Joshua reached its heights of popularity, there were also a few female Joshuas, and similar patterns occurred with Joseph.
This message was edited 1/8/2019, 9:16 PM
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Have you looked at the popularity charts for Noa? I can't say this is traditionally speaking a maculine name. It's unisex at best. And just look at Noah (https://www.behindthename.com/name/noah-2), even THAT has been used as a feminine name in the Old Testament.
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Yes, I've looked at the charts. They are what I was referring to. The blue line shown in Noah(2) is boy usage. First charted for girls in 2014, so it definitely trendy rather than something with traditional use in this country.
This message was edited 1/9/2019, 4:14 PM
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Maybe I was a bit unclear. I meant that Noa is really more popular for girls in most countries. Noah, I agree, gives of a more masculine vibe bc of its usage for boys, even though it strictly speaking isn't (acc. to the entry of Noah(2)). Noa without an -h can hardly be described as a masculine name turned feminine. Noa isn't even listed as a variant of Noah(1) and I thought the conversation was about Noa not Noah.
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If your point is just how it comes across in the US...A-ending names come across as feminine or unisex to some degree, in the US, whether you like it or not.
I understand with Joshua, why someone wouldn't want it to be unisex, but I don't think Noa is a good example to use in the "boys' names are only for boys" argument.
I understand with Joshua, why someone wouldn't want it to be unisex, but I don't think Noa is a good example to use in the "boys' names are only for boys" argument.
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Noah has always sounded feminine to me and it is an improper translation. I just don't like it on boys and it was never a very common name in the English-speaking world until recently. To me, a boys name shouldn't end in an -a. I just don't find it to be a masculine sound, maybe this is why I dislike a good majority of Biblical Hebrew names translated into English. I love Noa on a girl and that is saying a lot as I hate the boys names on girls name trend.
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