New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesTybel and Toibel
A friend of mine whose late mother was named Tybel has asked me to search out the derivation of the name. She was Jewish and her parents spoke Yiddish.
Toibe or Toiba is a Yiddish name meaning "dove". I have found examples of Toibel on lists of Jewish persons alongside example of Toibe. This makes sense because we can see from pairs like Feige & Feigel or Hode and Hodel that -l was a diminutive suffix in Yiddish.
I have found one reference on the web that says Tybel "probably" meant "dove". I've also been able to find a few examples of Jewish women named Tybe as well as Tybel. But I can't get confirmation from a reliable reference yet that Tybe and Tybel are just variations of Toibe and Toibel. Do any of you have knowledge of or access to works on Yiddish names that could confirm this?
Thanks!
Toibe or Toiba is a Yiddish name meaning "dove". I have found examples of Toibel on lists of Jewish persons alongside example of Toibe. This makes sense because we can see from pairs like Feige & Feigel or Hode and Hodel that -l was a diminutive suffix in Yiddish.
I have found one reference on the web that says Tybel "probably" meant "dove". I've also been able to find a few examples of Jewish women named Tybe as well as Tybel. But I can't get confirmation from a reliable reference yet that Tybe and Tybel are just variations of Toibe and Toibel. Do any of you have knowledge of or access to works on Yiddish names that could confirm this?
Thanks!
This message was edited 10/10/2010, 6:10 AM
1
Replies
Link to my column on Tybel
Thanks so much for your help.
Here is a link to the column I wrote about this name:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20101019/LIVING/710199948#cleveland-evans-name-s-origin-is-a-lesson-in-yiddish
Thanks so much for your help.
Here is a link to the column I wrote about this name:
http://www.omaha.com/article/20101019/LIVING/710199948#cleveland-evans-name-s-origin-is-a-lesson-in-yiddish
1
There was a Jewish actress here in South Africa whose name sounded like Toby but looked like Taubi; it was explained as the nickname form of Taube (= dove). As for the -l ending, I've been told that Yiddish was heavily influenced by German both morphologically and structurally, so your -l ending for a diminutive nickname would work perfectly. In German, the -au- would sound like OW! but when the diminutive suffix is added, the -au- changes its sound to OI as in boy. So, on balance, I think you've got it!
1
Well...
I own 2 of Sholom Aleichem's Tevye novels, and one of the daughters is named Teibel (in "Tevye The Dairyman" it is spelled Teibl but in "Tevye's Daughter's" it is Teibel) , which would have the same pronounciation as your friend's mother. The daughter is only named once, and there is nothing said about her name. I would say that is possible that it is a variant, but I can't be sure.
Sincerely,
Ilana
I own 2 of Sholom Aleichem's Tevye novels, and one of the daughters is named Teibel (in "Tevye The Dairyman" it is spelled Teibl but in "Tevye's Daughter's" it is Teibel) , which would have the same pronounciation as your friend's mother. The daughter is only named once, and there is nothing said about her name. I would say that is possible that it is a variant, but I can't be sure.
Sincerely,
Ilana
1