Jewish Names

Italian form of Jeremiah, commonly used among Medieval Italian Jews.

Too close to yenta.

The German, Scandinavian and Czech variant of Joseph, borne by several notable European artists and athletes, as well as the brutal Soviet dictator Josef (or Iosif) Stalin.

Ronit is only used on girls in Israel, but last year in the US it was given to more male than female babies.

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.

Mottel, also spelled Motl or Motel, was once a common Yiddish name in Ashkenazi Jewish communities. It's never been recorded on the US charts, but the feminine variation, Mattel, is beginning to rise in religious families.

Older Biblical form of Jekuthiel.

In the Old Testament, Itamar (or Ithamar) was the youngest son of Aaron.

Elkan is derived from Elkanah, the name of Samuel's father in the Old Testament.

Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.

The name of the late husband of Naomi in the Bible.

Hebrew name with a bright sheen.

Derived from the Hebrew Halal Hallel is a Jewish prayer in which a series of Psalms are recited. As a name, it is predominantly used on girls, while its counterpart Hillel is favourited for boys. Hallel, however, is in fact a unisex name, popular in Israel in all its forms.

A modern Hebrew translation of Shayna, the Yiddish word for "beautiful," and commonly heard in Israel.