Hebrew Names

With its appealing double-a configuration, this is the name of an Israeli kibbutz on the Galilee beach. For girls, Saar is a popular modern name in the Netherlands, a shortened form of Sarah.

Place-name of a settlement in Galilee in Israel.

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

A fast-rising variation of Abigail that was shooting up the popularity charts a few years ago, but whose star is now falling now that Abigail is not quite as hot as she once was.

Zibby is the adorable, zippy nickname for Elizabeth used for the lead female character in the film "Liberal Arts." Zibby can make a Libby for the 21st century.

This rare Biblical place name refers to a river bank in Jordan where Jacob wrestled with an angel and changed his name to Israel.

The name given to Jacob/Yaacov after wrestling with God's angel, most often used without the initial Y.

Biblical family with 323 children. That's a lot of eggs.

Biblical names are expanding (literally) as some parents move on from Isaiah and Elijah to more elaborate choices with simple short forms like Jed and Zeb.

Rebekka is a more creative spelling -- at least in some people's opinion -- of the biblical favorite Rebecca. Rebekka is also the usual German version. The Rebekkah spelling was commonly used in Early America.

This Hebrew form of Ethan is commonly heard in Israel. Other forms are Eitan and Eytan

Lisa was one of the first names to spawn a range of variations, and this is one, sometimes pronounced lee-sha. The original is simpler and prettier.

Unusual name that's close -- possibly too close -- to several more familiar choices.

Not one of the five hundred names of Muhammad, but that of his uncle.

What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.

A variation of the Old Testament Bithiah, Batya is a Hebrew variant of the name. Derived from bat meaning "daughter" and yah meaning "Yahweh", Batya (or Bithiah) is the name of one of Pharaoh's daughters, often depicted as the one to take Moses out of the Nile.

Love the popular Noah but want to make it more distinctive? You can vary it to Noam, and going all the way to Noaz takes it from distinctive to unique.

Jadon is the original Biblical form of this name, but Jayden is by far the most popular spelling, currently in the Top 20. Jaydon is borrowing from both versions, but not improving the name in the process. At Number 999 in 2015, it's in danger of dropping of the charts for good.

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.

Hillbilly twang.