Nickname help!
We want to name our baby Penelope but we can’t decide on a nickname? Help!
Naming a baby boy is a rite of passage in Jewish culture, with Hebrew boy names given from the date of the baby’s circumcision. While many names have a deeply religious significance, many have been Westernized in terms of spelling and pronunciation.
You’ll find influences from Greek and Yiddish while exploring our list of Jewish names for boys, each with their own unique story. Choose from our list of popular Hebrew names below.
In this article: 📝
- What are some Hebrew boy names?
- What is the rarest boy name?
- What boy names mean gift from God?
- What are strong male names?
- Speak to other mamas for more Jewish boys’ names
What are some Hebrew boy names?
While many girls’ names refer to the father/daughter relationship or your child’s bond with God, Jewish boy names often pay tribute to God himself. For example:
- Ariel – while also another name for the holy town of Jerusalem, Ariel has connotations of strength – meaning ‘lion of God.’
- Daniel – another name we commonly see in other Western cultures, Daniel means ‘God is my judge’ and can also be spelt ‘Doniel.’
- Eliyahu – you may have seen this more commonly spelt as Elijah. It means ‘toward God.’
- Michael – with other variants including Micha, this asks us, ‘who is like God?’
- Shalom – this traditional greeting also means ‘God.’
What is the rarest boy name?
You might notice that there are many crossovers between cultures when choosing Hebrew baby boy names. For example, Emanuel is a common Hispanic boy name, usually shortened to Manuel. In Hebrew, this means ‘God is with us.’
Some more unique Hebrew names are less likely to have Westernized variants, often characterized by their spelling. For example, you may want to name your baby boy:
- Abdiel – meaning ‘servant of God’
- Hiram – meaning ‘exalted’ or ‘noble’
- Oren – meaning ‘pale-skinned’ or ‘pine tree’
- Abba – meaning ‘father’
- Elimelech – meaning ‘God is my king.’
What boy names mean gift from God?
We all think our baby boys are a gift from God, but in Hebrew, some baby boy names mean just that! You can go for a more Anglicized spelling with Matthew, which may also be spelt Mattiyahu, also linked to the Greek Matthaios.
In the same vein, we have Jonathan (gift of Jehovah) or Nathan – sometimes lengthened to Nathaneal or the Westernized spelling, Nathaniel.
What are strong male names?
If you’re just looking for a Hebrew boy name that will set your little one on the right path in life, there are many strong monikers with Jewish origins. Religious or not, choose from names such as:
- David – it’s not surprising to see this in our list of popular Hebrew boys’ names. In a biblical context, David was the second king of Israel and the ancestor of the messiah.
- Zev – meaning ‘wolf’ in Hebrew, this monosyllabic Hebrew name alludes to a strong and fearless warrior in the book of Genesis.
- Ethan – another Westernized variant, Ethan derives from Eitan and means strong and ‘firm.’ You may also consider Etan or Izan.
Need more inspiration?
For a mixture of Westernized, Hebrew and even Shakespearean influences, check out our comprehensive list of boys’ Hebrew names below.
- Aaron
- Abraham
- Abrahsa
- Adley
- Admon
- Adon
- Agrippa
- Ahab
- Ahmik
- Aitan
- Annas
- Arel
- Arion
- Azariah
- Barbaras
- Barnabas
- Bartholomew
- Baruch
- Bates
- Bela
- Benaiah
- Cain
- Caleb
- Carmelo
- Carpus
- Chaim
- Chatan
- Dagan
- Dalit
- Dekel
- Dov
- Eben
- Ebner
- Eden
- Edom
- Eran
- Esau
- Ezekiel
- Ezra
- Gabai
- Gian
- Giannes
- Gideon
- Giuseppe
- Goliath
- Haggai
- Haran
- Heber
- Heinz
- Hezekiah
- Hilel
- Hosea
- Hyman
- Ichabod
- Irin
- Isaac
- Isaiah
- Ishmael
- Israel
- Ithamar
- Jeremy
- Jesse
- Jesus
- Jethro
- Joachim
- Job
- Jody
- Joel
- John
- Jonas
- Joram
- Jordan
- Joseph
- Joshua
- Juan
- Kabos
- Kadmiel
- Kaniel
- Karmel
- Katzir
- Kedar
- Kenan
- Kobe
- Laban
- Label
- Lael
- Lavan
- Lazarus
- Lemuel
- Leor
- Leshem
- Levi
- Lot
- Madai
- Makayla
- Makis
- Malachi
- Mario
- Marlin
- Matai
- Mattison
- Mayer
- Moses
- Nahir
- Nahum
- Naum
- Nehemiah
- Nimrod
- Nirel
- Nisi
- Noah
- Noy
- Nuriel
- Obadiah
- Oded
- Oma
- Omar
- Omri
- Oralee
- Orli
- Orly
- Ornice
- Osaze
- Osip
- Oz
- Pallu
- Palti
- Pau
- Phinneaus
- Pontus
- Rafa
- Rafael
- Ranen
- Raphael
- Ravid
- Reuben
- Reuel
- Ruben
- Saad
- Sachiel
- Sagiv
- Saloman
- Sam
- Samson
- Samuel
- Saul
- Shimon
- Shulamith
- Shylock
Speak to other mamas for more Jewish boys’ names
The beauty of Hebrew boys’ names is that there is so much choice, both with original spellings and their Anglicized variants. Whether you’re looking for a Hebrew name or a lovable moniker from any culture, you’ll find plenty of inspiration on our blog. Or you could always ask the mamas of Peanut?
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