Favorite Hebrew Boy Names

This may be a legitimate Hebrew name denoting power, but to any American kid, it will evoke ruby slippers and a yellow brick road. The full Hebrew name is Ozni, who was a grandson of Jacob in the Bible.

Energetic, sunny, and slightly romantic, Rafael is a popular choice in Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Croatia. Used internationally, Rafael is a Spanish variation of Raphael, that lends itself easily to the nicknames Rafi, Rafa and Rafe.

One of the most familiar, and assertive, names found throughout the Middle East and India, with a macho soap opera aura in this country.

The original Hebrew form of Jacob is resurfacing in the US charts after a several-decade-long hiatus. The Old Testament figure is considered the founding father of the Jewish nation, whose twelve sons descended into the twelve tribes of Israel.

Both Jair and Yair have been in and out of the US Top 1000 since the 2000s, and while both are currently taking a break from the charts, Yair in particular is quietly gathering attention. Given to 182 babies in 2023, Yair is simple and distinctive and fits in with the recent interest in off-beat Biblical names.