Comments on: How to Give Your Baby a Hebrew Name

on 8/8/2006 Shoshanna is a lily, not a rose (Lily of the Valley is Shoshannat Ha-Amakim in Hebrew). However, Shoshanna was used also as meaning any beauteous flower. Chaim is of course life.

on 8/8/2006 Sheera is a song, Chaim actually means life and Shoshana is a rose. Be careful that you know the meaning or origin of the name you choose. I have met many people who are named after evil people from the Bible, probably because their parents were unaware of the source of the name.

on 2/21/2006 Ariel is a male name that means "lion of God." It's only been used for girls in the past two decades or so, and is still not used for girls in Jewish circles. The feminine forms are Ariela, Ariella, and Arielle, but even feminizing the name doesn't make it mean "lioness of God." Ariela would means "lion of God."

on 11/22/2005 My wife's name (Ammi) is a wonderful Hebrew name. It is the first person common plural of "people." In the Old Testament, it is usually used to refer to the people of Israel. As such, it is a term of endearment - "my people" used by Adonai of His creation.

on 11/22/2005 Just wanted to let those considering Hebrew names know that Sephardic Jews do indeed name their children after living relatives, and that some Ashkenazic Jews have dropped the old custom. Another way to name a child after a relative is to give them a name that begins with the same letter, or is a derivative/alternate form of it. For example, your daughter could be Chava after Aunt Eve, or vice-versa.

on 11/22/2005 My name is Sheera and it means "poetry." My brother's name is Chaim which means "prince." My sisters' names are Shoshanna (another form of Susan) and Beenah, which means "understanding."