Semitic Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Semitic.
gender
usage
origin
Yochanan m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of John (and Johanan). This is a contracted form of the longer name יְהוֹחָנָן (Yehoḥanan).
Yoel m Hebrew, Spanish, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joel, as well as a Spanish variant.
Yohan m French
French form of Johann.
Yohanes m Indonesian
Indonesian form of John.
Yohann m French
French form of Johann.
Yohannes m Amharic
Amharic form of John.
Yona m & f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jonah. It is a unisex name in modern Hebrew.
Yonah m & f Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew יוֹנָה (see Yona).
Yoni m Hebrew
Diminutive of Yonatan.
Yonina f Hebrew
Feminine form of Yona.
Yonit f Hebrew
Feminine form of Yona.
Yora m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jorah.
Yoram m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Joram.
Yordan m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Jordan.
Yordana f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of Jordan.
Yordanka f Bulgarian
Bulgarian feminine form of Jordan.
Yosif m Bulgarian, Tatar
Bulgarian and Tatar form of Joseph.
Yossel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Joseph.
Yosyp m Ukrainian
Ukrainian form of Joseph.
Yotam m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jotham.
Youcef m Arabic (Maghrebi)
Alternate transcription of Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf) chiefly used in Algeria.
Younes m Arabic (Maghrebi), Persian
North African and Persian form of Yunus.
Younis m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يونس (see Yunus).
Younus m Urdu
Usual Urdu transcription of Yunus.
Yousaf m Urdu
Urdu form of Yusuf.
Yousef m Persian, Arabic
Persian form of Yusuf, as well as an alternate Arabic transcription.
Yousra f Arabic (Maghrebi), Arabic (Egyptian)
Alternate transcription of Arabic يسرى or يسرا (see Yusra) chiefly used in North Africa.
Youssef m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Ysabel f Spanish (Archaic)
Medieval Spanish form of Isabel.
Yudel m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Judah.
Yudes f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish short form of Judith.
Yudif f Russian (Rare)
Russian form of Judith.
Yuhanna m Arabic
Arabic form of Greek Ioannes (see John).
Yunis m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Jonah.
Yunus m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Malay
Arabic form of Yona (see Jonah). It appears in the Quran.
Yunus Emre m Turkish
Combination of Yunus and Emre, given in reference to the 13th-century poet.
Yusef m Persian, Arabic
Alternate transcription of Persian یوسف (see Yousef) or Arabic يوسف (see Yusuf).
Yusha m Arabic
Arabic form of Yehoshuaʿ (see Joshua).
Yusif m Azerbaijani
Azerbaijani form of Yusuf.
Yusof m Malay
Malay form of Yusuf.
Yusra f Arabic
Means "wealth, ease" in Arabic, a derivative of يسر (yasira) meaning "to be easy, to be rich".
Yusuf m Arabic, Turkish, Indonesian, Pashto, Tajik, Uzbek, Bengali
Arabic form of Yosef (see Joseph) appearing in the Quran. This is also the form used in several other languages.
Ýusup m Turkmen
Turkmen form of Yusuf.
Yusup m Uyghur
Uyghur and Avar form of Yusuf.
Yutke f Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish diminutive of Judith.
Yuusuf m Somali
Somali form of Yosef (see Joseph).
Yuval m & f Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Jubal. It is used as both a masculine and feminine name in modern Hebrew.
Yvan m French
French form of Ivan.
Yvelise f French
Feminine form of Yves (or an elaboration using Élise). It was (first?) borne by the title character in the Italian novel Yvelise (1923) by Guido da Verona. It later appeared in the photonovel Yvelise devant l'amour published in the French magazine Nous Deux in 1950.
Zabel f Armenian
Armenian form of Isabel. A 13th-century ruling queen of Cilician Armenia bore this name.
Zac m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zacarías m Spanish
Spanish form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zacarias m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zaccai m Biblical
From the Hebrew name זַכָּי (Zakkai) meaning "pure". This is the name of a minor character in the Old Testament.
Zaccaria m Italian
Italian form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zacchaeus m Biblical
From Ζακχαῖος (Zakchaios), the Greek form of Zaccai. According to the New Testament, Zacchaeus was a tax collector who climbed a tree in order to catch a glimpse of Jesus, then gave half of his possessions to charity.
Zaccharias m Biblical Latin
Form of Zacharias used in the Latin Bible.
Zaccheus m Biblical Latin
Latin form of Zakchaios (see Zacchaeus) used in the Vulgate.
Zach m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zachariah m English, Biblical
Variant of Zechariah. This spelling is used in the King James Version of the Old Testament to refer to one of the kings of Israel (called Zechariah in other versions).
Zacharias m Biblical, Biblical Greek, Greek
Greek form of Zechariah. This form of the name is used in most English translations of the New Testament to refer to the father of John the Baptist. It was also borne by an 8th-century pope (called Zachary in English).
Zacharie m French
French form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zachary m English, Biblical
Usual English form of Zacharias, used in some English versions of the New Testament. This form has been in use since the Middle Ages, though it did not become common until after the Protestant Reformation. It was borne by American military commander and president Zachary Taylor (1784-1850).
Zachery m English
Variant of Zachary.
Zack m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zackary m English
Variant of Zachary.
Zackery m English
Variant of Zachary.
Zadkiel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
Means "God is my righteousness" in Hebrew. This is the name of an archangel associated with mercy in Jewish and Christian tradition, sometimes said to be the angel who stops Abraham from sacrificing his son Isaac.
Zahari m Bulgarian
Bulgarian form of Zechariah.
Zaharina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian and Macedonian feminine form of Zechariah.
Zak m English
Short form of Zachary.
Zakaria m Georgian, Malay, Indonesian, Arabic
Georgian, Malay and Indonesian form of Zechariah and Zacharias, as well as an alternate transcription of Arabic زكريّا (see Zakariyya).
Zakariya m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic زكريّا (see Zakariyya).
Zakariyya m Arabic
Arabic form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
Zakchaios m Biblical Greek
Form of Zacchaeus used in the Greek New Testament.
Zakhar m Russian
Russian form of Zacharias.
Zakkai m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Zaccai.
Žaklina f Macedonian, Croatian, Serbian
Macedonian, Croatian and Serbian form of Jacqueline.
Zalman m Yiddish
Yiddish variant of Solomon.
Žan m Slovene
Slovene form of Zuan, Gian or Jean 1.
Žana f Slovene, Croatian
Slovene and Croatian form of Gianna.
Zane 2 f Latvian
Latvian form of Susanna.
Žaneta f Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian
Czech, Slovak and Lithuanian form of Jeannette.
Żaneta f Polish
Polish form of Jeannette.
Žanna f Latvian
Latvian form of Jeanne.
Zanna f English
Short form of Suzanna.
Zara 2 f Bulgarian
Diminutive of Zaharina.
Zarah m Biblical
Form of Zerah used in some translations of the Bible.
Zaxaria m Old Church Slavic
Old Church Slavic form of Zechariah and Zacharias.
m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of José.
Zeb m English
Short form of Zebulun or Zebedee.
Zebadiah m Biblical
Means "Yahweh has given" in Hebrew, derived from זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of several Old Testament characters.
Zebedaios m Biblical Greek
New Testament Greek form of Zebedee.
Zebedee m Biblical
From Ζεβεδαῖος (Zebedaios), the Greek form of Zebadiah used in the New Testament, where it refers to the father of the apostles James and John.
Zebidah f Biblical
Derived from Hebrew זָבַד (zavaḏ) meaning "to give". In the Old Testament she is a wife of King Josiah of Judah and the mother of Jehoiakim. Her name is spelled as Zebudah in some translations.
Zebudah f Biblical
Variant of Zebidah found in some versions of the Old Testament (including the King James Version).
Zebulon m Biblical
Variant of Zebulun.
Zebulun m Biblical
Derived from Hebrew זְבוּל (zevul) meaning "exalted house". In the Old Testament Zebulun is the tenth son of Jacob (his sixth son by Leah) and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Genesis 30:20 connects the name to the related verb זָבַל (zaval), translated as "exalt, honour" or "dwell with" in different versions of the Bible, when Leah says my husband will exalt/dwell with me.
Zechariah m Biblical, English
From the Hebrew name זְכַרְיָה (Zeḵarya) meaning "Yahweh remembers", from the roots זָכַר (zaḵar) meaning "to remember" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of many characters in the Old Testament, including the prophet Zechariah, the author of the Book of Zechariah. The name also appears in the New Testament belonging to the father of John the Baptist, who was temporarily made dumb because of his disbelief. He is regarded as a saint by Christians. In some versions of the New Testament his name is spelled in the Greek form Zacharias or the English form Zachary. As an English given name, Zechariah has been in occasional use since the Protestant Reformation.
Zed m English
Short form of Zedekiah.
Zedekiah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name צִדְקִיָּהוּ (Tsiḏqiyyahu) meaning "Yahweh is righteousness", from צֶדֶק (tseḏeq) meaning "justice, righteousness" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. In the Old Testament this is the name of the last king of Judah.
Zef m Albanian
Short form of Jozef.
Zeke m English
Short form of Ezekiel.
Zekeriya m Turkish
Turkish form of Zechariah.
Zelimkhan m Chechen
Combination of the name Salim and the Turkic title khan meaning "ruler, leader".
Zelpha f Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
Form of Zilpah used in the Greek and Latin Old Testament.
Zeph m English
Short form of Zephaniah.
Zephania m Southern African, Eastern African
Variant of Zephaniah. This form of the name appears to be used in southern and eastern Africa.
Zephaniah m Biblical
From the Hebrew name ץְפַןְיָה (Tsefanya) meaning "Yahweh has hidden", derived from צָפַן (tsafan) meaning "to hide" and יָהּ (yah) referring to the Hebrew God. This is the name of one of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament, the author of the Book of Zephaniah.
Zephaniel m Judeo-Christian-Islamic Legend
From Hebrew צָפַן (tsafan) meaning "to hide" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". This is the name of an angel in medieval Jewish mysticism.
Zerach m Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Zerah.
Zerah m Biblical
Means "dawning, shining" in Hebrew. This is the name of a son of Judah and the twin of Perez in the Old Testament.
Zeresh f Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Meaning unknown, probably of Persian origin. In the Book of Esther in the Old Testament she is the wife of Haman the Agagite.
Zeruiah f Biblical
From Hebrew צֳרִי (tsori) meaning "balm, salve". In the Old Testament this name belongs to the sister of King David and the mother of Abishai, Joab and Asahel.
Zevida f Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Zebidah.
Zezé m Portuguese
Portuguese diminutive of José.
Zhaklina f Bulgarian, Macedonian
Bulgarian form of Jacqueline, as well as an alternate transcription of Macedonian Жаклина (see Žaklina).
Zhanna f Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian
Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian form of Jeanne.
Zhannochka f Russian
Diminutive of Zhanna.
Ziba 2 m Biblical
Means "station" in Hebrew. This is the name of a servant of Saul in the Old Testament.
Zibiah f Biblical
Means "female gazelle" in Hebrew, the feminine form of the word ץְבִי (tsevi). In the Old Testament this is the name of the mother of King Joash of Judah.
Zillah f Biblical
Means "shade" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament she is the second wife of Lamech.
Zilpa f Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Spanish, Biblical French, Biblical Italian, Biblical Dutch
Biblical Hebrew form of Zilpah, as well as the form in several other languages.
Zilpah f Biblical
Means "frailty" in Hebrew. In the Old Testament this is the name of the handmaid who was given to Jacob by Leah.
Zimri m Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Probably means "my music" in Hebrew, a possessive form of זִםְרָה (zimra) meaning "music, song". This was the name of a king of Israel according to the Old Testament. He ruled for only seven days, when he was succeeded by the commander of the army Omri. Another Zimri in the Old Testament was the the lover of the Midianite woman Cozbi.
Zion m Jewish, Biblical
From the name of a citadel that was in the center of Jerusalem. Zion is also used to refer to a Jewish homeland and to heaven.
Zipporah f Biblical, Hebrew
From the Hebrew name צִפּוֹרָה (Tsippora), derived from צִפּוֹר (tsippor) meaning "bird". In the Old Testament this is the name of the Midianite wife of Moses. She was the daughter of the priest Jethro.
Zsanett f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Jeannette.
Zsóka f Hungarian
Diminutive of Erzsébet or Zsófia.
Zsuzsa f Hungarian
Diminutive of Zsuzsanna.
Zsuzsanna f Hungarian
Hungarian form of Susanna.
Zsuzsi f Hungarian
Diminutive of Zsuzsanna.
Zuan m Medieval Italian
Medieval Venetian form of John.
Zula 1 f Polish (Rare)
Polish diminutive of Zuzanna.
Zuleima f Spanish
Variant of Zulema.
Zulema f Spanish
Possibly a Spanish feminine form of Sulayman.
Zuriel m Biblical
Means "my rock is God" in Hebrew, derived from צוּר (tsur) meaning "rock" and אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God". In the Old Testament this name is borne by a chief of the Merarite Levites at the time of the Exodus.
Zuza f Slovak, Polish
Slovak and Polish diminutive of Susanna.
Zuzana f Czech, Slovak, Lithuanian
Czech, Slovak and Lithuanian form of Susanna.
Zuzanka f Czech, Slovak
Diminutive of Zuzana.
Zuzanna f Polish, Latvian (Rare)
Polish and Latvian form of Susanna.
Zuzia f Polish
Polish diminutive of Zuzanna.
Zuzka f Czech, Slovak
Diminutive of Zuzana.
Zvi m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew ץְבִי (see Tzvi).