Hebrew Names

  1. Lizzie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"
    • Description:

      Lizzie was commonly used as an independent name in the last half of the nineteenth century. Today Lizzie is still one of the most stylish short forms of Elizabeth, but few U.S. parents put it on the birth certificate.
  2. Yarden
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "to flow down, descend"
    • Description:

      The name from which Jordan arose, Yarden has a nice combination of river imagery and a sound connoting a garden. Like Jordan, used for both sexes.
  3. Lazer
    • Origin:

      Yiddish variation of Eliezer or Lazarus
    • Meaning:

      "God helps"
    • Description:

      Lazer has some biblical cred as a form of Eliezer, Eleazar, or Lazarus, all relatives, and it's also a modern bad boy name a la Ranger and Breaker. Our recommendation would be to use one of the biblical forms as the proper name and Lazer as a nickname.
  4. Nira
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "light, or furrow, plowed field"
    • Description:

      Symbolic name given to girls born on TuB'Shevat, the New Year of the Trees.
  5. Afra
    • Origin:

      Arabic; Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "color of earth; dust"
    • Description:

      Earthier version of the name of England's first female professional writer, Aphra Behn.
  6. Nasia
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God's miracle"
    • Description:

      Too close to nausea.
  7. Neila
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "locking, closing"
    • Description:

      This name of the final service on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is sometimes given symbolically to girls born on that day.
  8. Nima
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Arabic, and Hindi
    • Meaning:

      "thread, hair; blessing; margosa tree"
    • Description:

      Multicultural name often heard in the Near East. Also spelled Neema.
  9. Zamir
    • Origin:

      Hebrew, Arabic, Albanian
    • Meaning:

      "nightingale, song; heart, conscience, mind; good voice"
    • Description:

      An interesting bird name choice if you're seeking a nonbiblical Hebrew name. The zippy Z sound is appealing to more parents, and Zamir entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022 and was one of the fastest rising names in 2023.
  10. Dania
    • Origin:

      Italian, diminutive of Daniela, Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "God is my judge; close, near"
    • Description:

      Dania is a fun, offbeat name with international flair that would be a wonderful choice to honor a Danielle, Daniel, or a Dana. It is both an Italian diminutive of Daniela and a spelling variation of the Arabic Daniya.
  11. Ronja
    • Origin:

      Swedish literary name
    • Description:

      Pippi Longstocking author Astrid Lindgren invented the name Ronja for her book Ronja, the Robber's Daughter. She was inspired by the lake Juronjaure, located in Norrbotten, Sweden.
  12. Eliya
    • Origin:

      Variation of Elijah or Aliyah, Hebrew; Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "Yahweh is god; rising, to ascend; heavens, highborn, exalted"
    • Description:

      Eliya may be thought of as a female variation on the popular Biblical boys' name Elijah or a spelling variation of the popular girls' name Aliyah. It may not rank among the US Top 1000 and it may cause some spelling and pronunciation confusion, but it does have genuine roots as a name.
  13. Aviv
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "springtime, freshness, youth"
    • Description:

      Strongly associated with the city of Tel Aviv. For girls, may be lengthened to Aviva; for boys, might be better abbreviated to Avi.
  14. Koren
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "gleaming"
    • Description:

      An unusual, sensitive, and gently attractive Hebrew name.
  15. Zera
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "seeds, beginnings"
    • Description:

      More than zero, but perhaps too close to Vera.
  16. Abiel
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God is my father"
    • Description:

      Abiel is a biblical name (he was the grandfather of Saul) that was used by Puritans, particularly in Massachusetts, so it has a long pedigree. Parents are increasingly looking for underused traditional names, and this name, with the great nickname option of Abe, is ripe for more use!
  17. Mahala
    • Origin:

      Hebrew and Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "tender"
    • Description:

      An interesting and rhythmic name often heard in the Native American community; in fact,in the Gold Rush era in California and Nevada, it was so common that it became a generic English term for a Native American woman.
  18. Chasin
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "strong, mighty"
    • Description:

      Old World Jewish name that could travel to the New.
  19. Jaliyah
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name, from Hebrew or Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "God's ascent; lofty, exalted"
    • Description:

      Jaliyah seems to be a variation of the popular Aliyah, which has both Hebrew and Arabic origins. From Hebrew, the name means "ascent" while the Ja- beginning often connotes God, so the meaning might be "God's ascent." As an Arabic name, Aliyah means "lofty" or "exalted" while Ja- is a popular prefix used in the African American community, so Jaliyah might be a twist on a more popular choice, or a way to honor an Aliyah.
  20. Sariah
    • Origin:

      Variation of Sarah
    • Description:

      Sariah is the perfect compromise name for when you say Sarah, and your spouse says Mariah. Spelled Saria, it's a character in the video game The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.