About Hebrew Names

Hebrew names are some of the oldest names used today, with origins in Biblical times. Names of Hebrew origin are used by Christian, Jewish and Islamic people with slight variations. There have been many ancient and modern influences on traditional Hebrew names. There are Aramaic, Greek and Roman variations, as well as modern European variations of many names.

Identification

Hebrew is a language that originated from Biblical Aramaic, part of the Canaanite language group that developed in the Middle East. It is the only one of that group to survive, with Aramaic, Canaanite, and Phoenecian having gone extinct. Hebrew survived as the spoken and written language of Jewish people for centuries and was used to write many ancient texts, including the Bible. Hebrew names reflect the basic sounds, syllables and pronunciations that have been given to children for many generations.

Types

Hebrew names generally reflect three different meanings. The first is to praise and honor God, so many names include the suffix "-el," which is short for Elohim, or the name of God. Some examples of this can be seen in the names Gabriel and Ariel. Another common Hebrew name meaning reflects something memorable about a child's birth. Examples of this can be seen in the name Abigail (a father's joy) or Isaac (he laughs). Yet another name origin reflects a statement of praise and devotion to God, such as Jesse (God exists) or Tobias (God is good).

Significance

Jewish naming customs embrace certain naming traditions. Names are usually given to honor members of the family, usually deceased relatives. Or, a child may be given a name that has the same meaning as another relative, or they may share the same middle name. Jews feel that everyone must have a Hebrew name to participate in certain Jewish customs and rituals, so some parents give both a Hebrew name and a secular name to their children. However, Hebrew names have been used as commonplace names for centuries by Christians and Muslims as well, because the names are prominently featured in the Bible and the Koran.

Effects

Hebrew names have consistently ranked in the top baby names for more than a century. Top boy names for most of the 1900s and the 2000s are Michael, Jacob, Matthew, Daniel, David, Noah, Joseph and Ethan. Girl names of Hebrew origin are Abigail, Hannah, Samantha, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Mary, Sarah, Rachel, Anna and Gabriella.

Misconceptions

Just because a name is found in the Bible doesn't automatically mean it is a Hebrew name. Some common Biblical names borrow from other languages such as Egyptian, Aramaic, Greek, Arabic and Persian. Some examples of this are Abedneggo (Aramaic), Luke (Greek) and Mark (Latin). Also, the names in today's Bible have been anglicized to fit the English language better. Some examples are Jacob (Ya'akov) and John (Yochanan).

Resources

• Hebrew baby names and meanings