Hebrew Names

A modernization of the Hebrew Rivka, which doesn't sound so modern anymore.

Ethereal combination of Arden and Edith, with a sweet naturey meaning.

An Israeli place-name as well as being the Hebrew form of Gabriel.

Nickname for the star Gamma Cassiopeiae given by the late astronaut Gus Grissom after his own middle name (Ivan) spelled backwards. Navi also relates to the prophets in the Hebrew Bible.

Amiel is a biblical name with lots of connections to those with a creative spirit, including director Jon Amiel, French pop singer Thierry Amiel, and medieval troubadour Gaubert Amiel. Ami (which means friend in French) is an obvious (and beautiful) nickname option.

Jotham is an Old Testament name that today would certainly be the only one in his class, having something of an urban feel via its similarity to the word 'gotham'. In the Bible one Jotham is the sole surviving son of Gideon after the massacre of his brothers, the other is a king of Judah who was an enthusiastic builder. Jotham Riddle is a character in James Fenimore Cooper's novel The Pioneers, while Jotham Powell appears in Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome.

Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.

Favored by first-generation Jewish families from the affluent Guggenheims to criminal-producing Lanskys; now Meyer is pretty much relegated to poolside gin games in Boca.

Malachi is one of the surprise Biblical hits of recent years, in the US Top 200, and now spelling variation Malaki is in the Top 1000 too. Both names are pronounced with a long final i, as in "eye," but the Irish variation Malachy is MAL-ah-kee, which Malaki might mimic instead.

Appealing crosscultural choice.

Although very rarely used for girls, its soft, gentle sound makes it a perfect candidate for crossing over to the female camp.

This Hebrew name deserves consideration by parents looking for a traditional by underused girls name with a gorgeous meaning.

Term for a native-born Israeli, first brought to notice in Edna Ferber's 1929 novel Cimarron. Prickly pear has neen interpreted to mean tough on the outside, soft and sweet within.

A cute nickname name that's risen high over the past decade or so, more especially as Kaylee, this name combines the attributes of Hailey and Kayla, Kylie and Callie.

Calah, also called Nimrud, is one of four ancient cities of Assyria, Noah's great-grandson. This unusual name suggests a woman open to opportunity.

The name of nine minor male biblical characters, this could easily make a gender switch as a singular substitution for the popular Mariah. It has also spawned the popular gender-neutral name Amaris, used for 300 baby girls and 100 baby boys last year, along with spelling variation Amarys.

Israeli-born singer Keren Ann introduced this traditional Hebrew name to this country, where it could well be mistaken for Karen.

Eleazar is a distinguished Biblical name--in which it appears several times-- ripe for the picking following the stardom of Eli, Elijah, and other similar names.

Zariza is a unique name sure to appeal to Z lovers.

An alternative transcription of Tzvi, the latter of which is a Top 100 pick in Israel. It's a cool, sharp-sounding micro name which would make for a great distinctive alternative to Levi.