Hebrew Names

Most modern parents would drop the Jo, leaving the superpopular Ella.

A son of Simeon in the Old Testament whose name is largely unknown in modern times -- though that may change as parents look for a substitute for the overused Jacob and Jadon.

If there are too many Jareds in your neighborhood, you might want to consider this Hebrew alternative.

Japhy Ryder was a hero of Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums. Compared with Moses and Noah, Japhy sounds downright adorable and eminently baby-worthy.

Anyone who ever saw "Seinfeld" wouldn't be able to resist adding a couple more "yada" 's. Also a bit too close to Yoda.

Hebrew name with a bright sheen.

Appreciated by religious Jews for its connection to "Hatikva," the Israeli national anthem.

The late actress Sada Thompson introduced this obscure but usable form.

This one may well be an undiscovered choice for many parents - it has a fabulous meaning, a sturdy surname-name appeal that is very on trend right now and several great namesakes including the Bartlett pear and the tome of quotations. Despite that third T, it could also be a favorite of The West Wing fans wanting to evoke fictional president Jed Bartlet.

An Old Testament name used by the Puritans, less well known than female relatives Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah and as deserving of revival.

Spelled this way, Adine could be a relative of either the Irish Aideen, which means jealousy, or the Arabic Adina, meaning slender. We'll go with the slender.

Hagar is an Old Testament name with an unfortunate association with comic strip character "Hagar the Horrible."

The kind of feminized male name that never caught on.

Sounds a bit like a nickname in a Dickens novel, but this short form was used in New England a few centuries ago, back when names like Micajah were popular. Both short and long forms are now ripe for revival.

Traditional Hebrew name that has never entered the American mainstream, though it is popular among Hasidic parents and was found to be the quirky favorite girls' names of New Jersey in our survey of baby names that enjoy outsized popularity in each state.

Unlike other place names, this one might be tied too tightly to a single locale -- the Maryland suburb of D. C. -- to work as a first name.

This is one of several Hebrew names with the beginning syllable Chaz.

Identified with a region famous for its gold, more commonly spelled Ophira.