415+ Hebrew Girl Names

Sources say that Bina, which is close to the word for bee in Yiddish, was once used as a translation for the Hebrew Deborah, which means bee. On its own, it also means "understanding" in Hebrew. Simple and sweet in itself, it could also be short for (or a nod to) many names including Sabina, Robina, Columbina, and Jacobina.

Author Toni Morrison is an acknowledged master of naming, and Sethe, the name of one of the main characters of Beloved, which can be pronounced as Seth or Seth-eh, relates to the male biblical name Seth but is also the name of the Egyptian god of confusion.

This is a streamlined spelling of the biblical Hephzibah. Hephzibah is an Old Testament name that came into use in the 17th century, but is not often used today. It does have less formal nicknames Eppie and Hepsie, which seem revivable. Hephzibah "Eppie" Cass/Marner is the heroine of George Eliot's novel Silas Marner and Hepzibah Smith is a witch in the Harry Potter series.

Arda is a simple gender-neutral name with several possible origins and meanings. As a Turkish name, it's usually used for males and means scepter. There is also a river in Turkey called the Arda. The Hebrew name Arda means bronze. And Arda may also be a variation of the English Arden, the name of a magical Shakespearean forest.

Lior connects with several factors stylish for Israeli names: It's short, it's unisex, and it has an uplifting nature theme. Lior might make a more modern spin on Leah.

Elula, female derivation of Elul, the name of the sixth month on the Hebrew calendar, was used by Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen for their second daughter. The couple kept their unusual choice under wraps for several months, perhaps to get a head start on the hordes of fans who might adopt the fashionable-yet-unusual double-l name for their own. Reminiscent of (though not actually related to) Eulala, the stylish pick of Marcia Gay Harden for her daughter. Lula, Lulu, or Lu could be short forms.

Pronounced a la Bette (Betty) Davis or Bette (Bet) Midler, a twentieth-century relic. Though if the equally vintage Betty comes back, Bette may be close behind.

Despite its Irish sound, this commonly used word name has usually been confined to Jewish families.

The archetypal diminutive, in every sense of the word. Bitsy enjoyed some use as a nickname in the era when children were named after family members and then called by a cute pet name: Chip, Skip, Babe, Bitsy. As a full name, it has made the US list only three times: in 1943, 1958 and 1962.

Most famously, the name of a 1920s alley cat.

Another rarely heard biblical name, with some possible pronunciation confusion.

Whether spelled Raffaela, Rafaela, Raffaella, or Raphaela, a euphonius name with a dark-eyed, long-flowing-haired image. Like Gabriella and Isabella, is beginning to be drawn into the American mainstream.

Well used in Israel, likely to be confused with Ramona here.

The Hebrew, Biblical form of Eve. While English speakers will likely find the forms Ava or Eve easier in everyday life, Chava is a lovely variation for a family that speaks Hebrew or Yiddish - plus, English speakers could always learn.

Tavora is an attractive option, based on the name of a mountain in northern Israel. But the meaning of Tavora and brother name Tavor is less than optimal.

The "Tz" beginning of Tzofia represents the Hebrew letter tzadi, which is pronounced more like ts. So Tzofia sounds like Sofia with a light t at the beginning — intriguing, but a difficult sound for a native English speaker to reproduce. While Tzofia is a distinct name from the megapopular Sophia and Sofia, many people will hear it as a cognate and pronounce it the same...or like Zofia.

Striking and glamorous, though perhaps just plain Zara is intriguing enough.

A girl named Liz on her birth certificate could feel deprived of her full identity. Call her Liz, but name her Elizabeth -- or at least Lizbeth or Eliza.

Nonbiblical Hebrew name used as an affectionate nickname since the Middle Ages.

Shoshanna is a variation of one of the best-known original Hebrew baby names for girls , the original of Susanna. This is the spelling used by Shoshanna Lonstein, a designer who creates the Shoshanna clothing line and also the name of one of the four leading characters on the TV show Girls, Shoshanna Shapiro.