Tag Archives: Jewish Names

Erez

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  • Origin: Hebrew אֶרֶז
  • Meaning: “cedar.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Pronunciation: ER-ehz

The name comes directly from the Hebrew word for the cedar tree אֶרֶז. This name did not come into use as a masculine given-name among Jews until after the creation of the State of Israel in 1945. It may have been popularized by Aleksander Zederbaum (1816-1893), a Polish-Jewish journalist who founded the Hebrew language newspaper, Ha-Melitz who often used “Erez” as a pseudonym in his writings.

It is also the name of a Kibbutz and of Erez Crossing, the latter being the name of a border crossing on the Israeli-Gaza border.

Sources

Katriel

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  • Origin: Hebrew כתריאל
  • Meaning: “God is my crown.”
  • Gender: Masculine

The name is a Medieval Ashkenazi creation, composed of the Hebrew words keter (כֶּתֶר) “crown” and el (אֵל) “god.” It may have been a masculinized form of the popular Yiddish female name Kreindel (crown) or the Hebrew female name Atarah (crown).

  • Kadriel
  • Kasriel
  • Katsriel
  • Katzriel

There are the modern Israeli feminized forms of Katrielle, Katriella & Katriela.

A notable bearer was Israeli ambassador to the Soviet Union, Katriel Katz (1908-1988).

Sources

Bezalel

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  • Origin: Hebrew בְּצַלְאֵל
  • Meaning: “in the shadow of God; under the protection of God.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Pronunciation Eng: beh-ZAH-lel

The name is borne in Exodus 31:1-6 by the chief artisan assigned by Moses to build the Tabernacle, Ark of the Covenant, priests’ vestments and other equipment with the assistance of Aholiab. In Exodus 31:1, he is listed as the son of Uri.

The name itself is believed to share a similar etymological construction with the Akkadian male names ina-ṣilli-Bēl and ina-ṣilli-Nabu (in the shadow of Baal or Nabu).

The name has always been used in the Jewish diaspora in Europe and the Middle East. It was borne by the 16th-century Ottoman rabbi and talmudist Bezalel Ashkenazi, and it was the name of the father of the Maharal of Prague,(Judah Loew ben Bezalel circ. 17th-century).

The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design & the Jewish art movement known as the Bezalel School both take their name from the character in the Bible.

Among Russian-Jews, Vasily would have been used as a Russified form, though the names do not share an etymological relationship.

Other forms include:

  • Bezaleël (Dutch)
  • Bezalel (English, German)
  • Béséléel (French)
  • Beseleel Βεσελεήλ (Greek)
  • Bezaleèl (Italian)
  • Becalel (Polish)
  • Besaliel (Portuguese)
  • Veseleíl Веселеи́л (Russian)
  • Becalél’, Becal’ї́l Бецале́ль, Бецал’ї́л (Ukrainian)

Sources

Cassiel

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  • Origin: Hebrew פצִיאֵל
  • Meaning: “God is my cover; cover of God; speed of God.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Pronunciation: Eng KAS-see-el

The name is derived from the Hebrew פצִיאֵל (Qaftzi’el), which is likely to mean “cover of God” or “God is my cover.” Other sources claim this name means “speed of God.” According to Judeo-Christian apocrypha, Cassiel is one of the 7 archangels. In the Hekhalot Rabbati, he is the one of the guardians of the doors of the 7th Heaven. In the Sefer Raziel, he is described as the Prince of Saturn, while in the Zohar, he is credited as being one of the aides of the Archangel Gabriel. He is also mentioned in the rabbinic literature of the Kabbalah. In Christian literature, he is mentioned in the grimoire known as The Sworn Book of Honorius as well as in Peter Abano’s Heptameron. He is mentioned in a Byzantine text regarding exorcism. He also appears as an archangel in mystic Islamic literature under the name كسفيائيل‎, Kasfiyāʼil.

Cassiel was traditionally believed to not have much input on the things that occur in the world of man, he was also considered the angel who presided over the death of kings as well as the angel of tears and the angel of temperance. His days are sometimes Thursday or Friday.

As a given-name, it has only come into occasional use the last century. It may have become even more widespread after its use in the Wim Wender 1987 film, Wings of Desire.

I could not find any strong evidence that this name has ever been used as a given-name among Jews or Muslims, though I don’t believe it is considered a forbidden name in either religion, more likely, the obscurity of the angel in the general populace of both religions has left the name obsolete.

Other forms include: Cafziel, Kafziel, Caphziel,Captiel, Cassael, Castiel, Qaspiel, Qephetzial, & Quaphsiel.

Forms in other languages include:

  • Kasfiyāʼil كسفيائيل‎, (Arabic)
  • Cassiël (Dutch)
  • Cassiel (English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish)
  • Qaftzi’el קפציאל‎ (Hebrew)

Feminine forms include: Kasiela, Casiel(l)a, Qaftiziela (modern Hebrew); Cassielle (English, French), Cassiëlle (Dutch), Casiele (Brazilian-Portuguese).

Sources

Lieba, Liba, Lieber

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Liba can have a few meanings, it is firstly a polonized form of the Yiddish ליבאַ Lieba (love), which is identical to the German word. It may have also been influenced by the Czech word libý (nice; pleasant). It was popular among Eastern-European Jews as it also coincided with the Czech-Slovak name Líba, which is a contracted form of names like Libuše & Liběna.

Also sometimes spelled Liebe.

It was sometimes anglicized by Jewish immigrants to Leeba.

A Yiddish masculine form is Liber or Lieber.

In Latvia, the designated name-day is April 19, though in this case, it is probably a borrowing from the Czech & Slovak use.

Sources

Nava

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  • Origin: Hebrew נָאוָה
  • Meaning: “pretty; pleasant; desirable; enticing.”
  • Gender: feminine
  • NAH-vah

The name comes directly from the Hebrew adjective meaning “pretty; pleasant,” and a Hebrew verb meaning “to want; to desire.”

It may be a direct translation of the traditional Ashkenazi name Shayna or the Mizrahi/Sephardi name, Jamila. However, the word has more of the meaning of someone who is “enticing” or “alluring” vs just “beautiful” as other sites have translated.

The term is found in the Song of Songs 2:14, but was not used as a given-name until after the creation of the modern state of Israel.

Sources

Eliel

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Finnish Architecht, Eliel Saarinen
  • Origin: Hebrew
  • Meaning: “my God is God.”
  • Gender: Masculine
  • Pronunciation: Eng (EL-ee-yel; ee-LYE-yel)

The name is composed of the same Hebrew word אל (‘el) meaning “God,” hence, some translate it to mean “my God is God.” The name is borne by several minor characters in the Old Testament.

A notable bearer was Finnish Architect, Eliel Saarinen (1873-1950).

Though an obscure Jewish name, it experienced a peak in popularity in Finland and other Scandinavian countries at the end of the 19th-century.

Eliel recently entered the U.S. Top 1000 Most Popular Male Names in 2019, currently ranking in at #664.

The designated name day in Finland is April 9th

A Dutch form is Eliël.

Sources

Ethan

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: “strong; enduring; solid.”
Eng (EE-then); Heb (ay-TAHN)

Currently the 3rd most popular male name in the United States, Ethan is a Biblical Hebrew name that is mentioned eight times in the Bible.

Not much is known about the Biblical Ethan, other than that it was the name of a possible magi or cymbal player of King David.

The name’s popularity is relatively recent. It was not used much outside the Jewish community until after the Protestant Reformation, even then, the name was still very uncommon.

In 1880, Ethan did not appear in the U.S. top 1000, in 1884, he suddenly appeared coming in at # 613, then fell out of the top 1000 the next year, coming in again at # 846 in 1886.

For the next 80 or so years, Ethan had had a history of disappearing from the top 1000 every few years, and then reappearing, but never ranking very high. It wasn’t until, starting in 1956, that Ethan remained steadily in the top 1000 each year.

For ’56, he was the 948th most popular male name.

Ethan jumped several places towards the end of the 1980s. He came in at # 236 in 1988 and then jumped a couple hundred spots the following year, cracking the top 100, he came in at # 87 for 1989.

In 2002, he hit the top 10, coming in at # 5.

His popularity in other countries are as follows:

  • # 10 (Australia, 2007)
  • # 36 (Belgium, 2006)
  • # 1 (Canada, B.C., 2008)
  • # 15 (England/Wales, 2008)
  • # 24 (France, 2006)
  • # 46 (Ireland, 2007)
  • # 31 (Scotland, 2008)

Other forms of the name include:

  • Etan (German/Polish)
  • Aithan Αιθαν (Greek: Biblical)
  • Eitan/Eytan אֵיתָן (Hebrew: Modern)

The name is also borne American revolutionary Ethan Allen (1738-1789) and by actor, Ethan Hawke (b. 1970).

It is also the name of the protagnostis in Edith Wharton’s novel Ethan Frome (1911)

Jacob, James, Jacqueline

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: debated
Eng: (JAKE-ub); (JAMEZ)

Since it is the beginning of the year, I thought I would start doing the most popular names of 2008.

In the United States, Jacob is currently the most popular male name, coming in at # 1 in 2008.

Actually, Jacob has held on to the number 1 spot, for the last decade, since 1999. The lowest that Jacob has ever ranked in U.S. naming history was back in 1967 ranking in at # 353.

Jacob’s rankings in other countries are as follows:

  • # 21 (Australia, 2007)
  • # 3 (Canada, B.C., 2008)
  • # 20 (England/Wales, 2008)
  • # 94 (Ireland, 2007)
  • # 122 (the Netherlands, 2008)
  • # 89 (Norway, 2007)
  • # 79 (Scotland, 2008)
  • # 29 (Sweden, 2007)

Jacob is a Biblical name of Hebrew origin, borne by an important Jewish patriarch, the meaning of the name is somewhat debated. Though many sources agree that it is derived from the Hebrew ‎עקב (aqab; aqav), which means “to seize by the heel”, “to circumvent” or ” to restrain” and may possibly be a word-play of the Hebrew עקבה‎ (iqqebah; iqqbah) meaning, “heel,” since in the Bible, Jacob was born holding onto the heel of his twin brother Esau. In Hebrew, the act of holding the heel was associated with deception, so the name has been suggested to take on the meaning of “deception.”

Other sources have suggested it to mean “may God protect”, being a derivative of the Hebrew יַעֲקֹבְאֵל (Ya’aqov’el).

In the Bible, Jacob was the younger twin son of Rebekah and Isaac, by deceiving his elder brother Esau into selling his birthright, Jacob received his father’s blessing before Isaac’s death.

Jacob later became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

His episode of dreaming of a ladder to heaven is called “Jacob’s Ladder” and his wrestling with the angel, after which God gave Jacob the name of Israel ,meaning, “struggles with God” or “God contended.”

The name later appears in the New Testament by several other characters, one of them being the name of the Apostle James, (also known as Jacob since both names are related).

In English, both Jacob and James are derived from the Biblical Greek, Ιακωβος (Iakobos) later being latinized to Iacomus, (from which James is an anglicized a corruption).

James and Jacob have been used in England interchangeably since the Middle Ages, James became a common name in English and Scottish royalty.

Currently, James is the 17th most popular male name in the United States, the highest he has peaked was between 1940 and 1952, coming in at # 1. The lowest he has peaked was at # 19 in 1999 and then again in 2001.

James has never detracted from the U.S. top 20.

In other countries, his rankings are as follows:

  • # 8 (Australia, 2007)
  • # 10 (Canada, B.C., 2008)
  • # 9 (England/Wales, 2008)
  • # 5 (Ireland, 2007)
  • # 332 (the Netherlands, 2008)
  • # 5 (Scotland, 2008)

The designated name-days for Jacob are December 20 (France), July 25.

Other forms of both names include:

  • Jakob (Afrikaans/Danish/Dutch/German/Norwegian/Slovene/Swedish: 12th most popular male name in Slovenia-2005; 39th most popular in Norway-2007 and the 3o9th most popular in the United States-2008)
  • Japku/Jakup/Jakub/Jakob/Jakov (Albanian)
  • Ya’eqob (Amharic/Ethiopian)
  • يعقوب Yaʿqūb/Yakub (Arabic)
  • Chaime (Aragonese)
  • Ya`iqob/Ukba/Ukva ያዕቆብ (Aramaic)
  • Hagop/Hakob/Jakob Հակոբ/Յակոբ (Armenian)
  • Aqob/Jakobos (Assyrian)
  • Yəqub (Azeri)
  • Jacobe/Jagoba/Jakes/Jakoma/Yaku/Yagoba/Xanti (Basque)
  • Jåggl (Bavarian)
  • Jakub/Jakaŭ/Jakuš (Bielorusian)
  • Jakub (Bosnian/Polish/Slovak/Slovene/Sorbian: common Polish diminutive forms are Kuba and Kubuś)
  • Jacut/Jagu/Jagut/Jak/Jakez/Jakezig/Jakou (Breton)
  • Yakov/Zhekov Жеков (Bulgarian)
  • Iacovo/Iacoviello/Coviello (Calabrian: Southern Italian dialect)
  • Jacob (Catalan/Dutch/English/Lexumburgish/Limburgish/Portuguese)
  • Jaume/Jaumet (Catalan)
  • Jacca/Jago/Jamma/Jammes (Cornish)
  • Giacumu (Corsican)
  • Jakov/Jako Јаков (Croatian/Serbian/Slovene)
  • Jákob (Czech/Hungarian: Kuba and Kubík are the diminutive forms)
  • Jacobus/Jakobus (Dutch/Limburgish: Jacobus is currently the 233rd most popular male name in the Netherlands-2008)
  • Coos/Kobe/Kobus/Jaap (Dutch: initially diminutive forms, used as independent given names)
  • Coby (English: originally a diminutive form, now used as an independent given name. He currently ranks in as the 832nd most popular male name-2008)
  • Jaagup/Jaak/Jakkab/Jakkob/Jakob (Estonian)
  • Jákup (Faroese)
  • Jaakob/Jaakoppi/Jaakko (Finnish: Jaska is the diminutive form)
  • Jacopo (Florentine: Northern Italian dialectical form, Lapo and Puccio are diminutives)
  • Jacques (French)
  • Iaquet/Jaco/Jacot/Jacquot/Jacquet (French: archaic, medieval forms)
  • Jacquemin/Jacqueminot (French: archaic, medieval forms)
  • Jabbo/Coob (Frisian)
  • Jakip (Frisian)
  • Iacun (Fruilian)
  • Sacun (Fruilian: literally meaning “Saint James.”)
  • Xacobe/Xaime (Galician)
  • Iakob იაკობ (Georgian)
  • Iákovos Ιακωβος/Iakóv Ιακώβ/Yángos Γιάγκος (Greek)
  • Iakopa/Iakopo/Kimo (Hawaiian)
  • Akiba/Akiva עֲקִיבָא (Hebrew)
  • Ya’akov יעקב (Hebrew)
  • Akkoobjee (Hindi)
  • Jakab (Hungarian)
  • Yakob/Yakobus (Indonesian)
  • Seamus/Séamus (Irish-Gaelic: SHAY-mus: Séimí and Séimín are diminutive forms. Currently the 748th most popular male name in the United States)
  • Giacobbe (Italian)
  • Giacomo (Italian: more common form)
  • Jacopo (Italian: archaic form)
  • Aqo/Ya’qub (Kurd)
  • Iacobus/Iacomus/Jacobus (Latin)
  • Jēkabs (Latvian)
  • Jaokob (Limburgish)
  • Cobus/Keub/Keube/Kuub/Kuèb (Limburgish: initially diminutive forms, now used as independent given names)
  • Zjaak/Jaco (Limburgish: initially diminutive forms, now used as independent given names)
  • Jokūbas (Lithuanian)
  • Jakov/Jakle/Jako (Macedonian)
  • Chacko/Yakob (Malayalam)
  • Ġakbu (Maltese)
  • Jayms (Manx)
  • Hemi (Maori)
  • Sak (Mohawk)
  • Jacuvo/Jacuviello/Cuviello (Neopolitan: Southern Italian dialect)
  • Gemme/Gemmes/Jacque (Norman)
  • Jacme (Occitanian/Provençal)
  • Jammes/Jaume (Occitanian)
  • Iakovu Іакѡвъ (Old Church Slavonic)
  • Yaghoub (Persian)
  • Giaco (Piedmontese: Northern Italian dialect)
  • Diogo (Portuguese: variation of Tiago)
  • Iago (Portuguese)
  • Jacó (Portuguese)
  • Jácomo (Portuguese)
  • Jaime (Portuguese/Spanish: Jaime is currently the 321st most popular male name in the United States-2008. He is the 97th most popular in Chile-2006 and the 33rd most popular in Spain-2006)
  • Thiago (Portuguese-Brazilian)
  • Tiago (Portuguese-European: a contraction of the Spanish Santiago, which literally means “Saint James”)
  • Köbes (Ripoarisch)
  • Iacob (Romanian)
  • Jacomo (Romanesque: a Northern Italian dialect spoken in the region of Tuscany)
  • Giachem/Giachen/Jachen (Romansch)
  • Giacumin (Romansch)
  • Yakov Иаков/Яков (Russian: Yasha is a diminutive form)
  • Iakopo (Samoan)
  • Hamish (Scottish-Gaelic: an anglicization of Seumas)
  • Jaikie (Scottish-Gaelic)
  • Jamie (Scottish: low lands Scots contraction, currently the 669th most popular male name in the United States; the 17th most popular male name in Scotland-2008; the 51st most popular in England and Wales-2008; 17th most popular in Ireland-2007; the 12st most popular in the Netherlands and the 96th most popular in Australia)
  • Seumas (Scottish-Gaelic)
  • Simidh (Scottish-Gaelic)
  • Jaka (Slovene: this was the 10th most popular male name in Slovenia-2005)
  • Diego (Spanish: a contraction of Santiago. Diego currently ranks in as the 68th most popular male name in the United States-2008. In Belgium he is the 48th-2006; in Chile, the 7th-2006; in France the 78-2006. In the Netherlands he comes in as the 189th most popular male name-2008 and in Spain he is the 10th most popular male name-2006 )
  • Jacobo (Spanish: archaic form: Jaime or Diego are the preferred forms)
  • Santiago (Spanish: literally meaning “Saint James” the name is usually bestowed in honour of St. James the Apostle. Currently, it is the 171st most popular male name in the United States. In Chile, he is the 55th most popular-2006 and in Spain, the 66th most popular-2006)
  • Yago (Spanish: archaic form)
  • Yakubu (Swahili)
  • Köbi (Swiss-German dialectical diminutive form, occasionally used as an independent given name)
  • Yaqub ܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ (Syrian)
  • Yakup (Turkish: Yascha is a diminutive form)
  • Yakiv Яків (Ukrainian)
  • Iago/Siam (Welsh)
  • Coppel/Kapel/Koppel (Yiddish)
  • Yankev/Yankl/Yankel/Yankele (Yiddish)

Older Polish forms include: Jakub, Jakób, Jakob, Jakow, Jekub, Jokob, Jokub and Jakusz.

Less common Polish diminutive forms include: Jakuszek, Jakubek, Jakubko, Kusz, Kuszęt, Kubek, (in modern Polish this means “cup” and has fallen out of usage as a diminutive form of Jacob), and Jaksa.

English diminutives of Jacob include: Jack, Jake, Jay, Cobb, Coby and Cubby. Diminutives for James include: Jack, Jamie, Jay, Jeb, Jem, Jemmy, Jim and Jimmy.

A Danish and Dutch diminutive form is Ib and Jeppe, Sjaak and Sjakie are also Dutch diminutives.

Slovene diminutive forms include: Jak, Jakec, Jaki, Jaša, Žak and Žaki.

Jacob has spawned various feminine forms that are worth noting.

There is the French, Jacqueline, (said like JACK-eh-lin), in English, but pronounced as (ZHAHK-e-LEEN) in French.

The name has a long history of usage in the English speaking world and is also used the German-speaking world and is occasionally used in Spanish-speaking countries.

Jacqueline is currently the 152nd most popular name for females in the United States. The highest she ranked was in 1961 coming in as the 37th most popular female name.

For Americans, a notable bearer is former First Lady and fashion trend-setter, Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis.

A common English diminutive form is Jackie.

Other feminine forms include:

  • Jakuba (Czech)
  • Bine (Danish/German)
  • Jacobine/Jakobine (Danish/Norwegian/German/Swedish)
  • Jacoba/Coba (Dutch)
  • Jacobien (Dutch)
  • Jacomina (Dutch)
  • Jacquetta (English)
  • Jacquemine (French: archaic form)
  • Jacquette (French)
  • Jakoba/Jakobe (German)
  • Yaakova (Hebrew)
  • Giachetta (Italian)
  • Giacobba (Italian)
  • Giacometta (Italian)
  • Giacoma/Giacomina (Italian)
  • Jacobella/Jacomella/Jacovella (Italian: obscure/archaic forms)
  • Iacobina (Latin)
  • Jakubina (P0lish)
  • Żaklina (Polish: corruption of the French, Jacqueline)
  • Jacobina (Romansch)
  • Jacobea (Romansch)
  • Jamesina/Jamesine (Scottish)
  • Jakoba/Jakobina (Slovene)
  • Jakica/Jakovica (Slovene: initially a diminutive forms, used as independent given names yah-KEET-sah, yah-koh-VEET-sah)
  • Žaklin/Žaklina (Slovene: corruptions of the French, Jacqueline zhahk-LEEN; zhahk-LEE-nah)
  • Jacquelina (Spanish: corruption of the French, Jacqueline)