Popular Jewish names for boys and girls

Are you looking for a Jewish name for your baby? We’ve compiled a list of 200 traditional, popular, unusual and beautiful Hebrew names for both girls and boys with their origins and meanings, so you can choose the perfect name for your newborn

Close-up of a newborn baby girl peacefully sleeping in the crib.

Published: September 19, 2024 at 11:41 AM

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Choosing a name for your newborn is one of the most exciting and monumental decisions you'll make as an expectant parent. Whether you're drawn to tradition, inspired by your family's cultural heritage, or are simply in search of a name with a beautiful meaning, Jewish baby names offer a rich tapestry of options. From timeless classics to modern favourites, Jewish names for boys and girls are steeped in history, spirituality, and a deep sense of identity. In fact, many of them will be very familiar even if you don't have Jewish roots, having been in the top 100 names in the UK for many years.

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We know that making a final decision on a name for your baby is tricky, so we've done the hard work for you with our list of 200 Jewish baby names for both boys and girls. We've divided them into Jewish names that are traditional, unique, popular and common, plus each one is presented with its own unique meaning and origin, to help you find the perfect name for your little one.

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Jewish baby naming rituals

Naming a baby is an important ritual in Jewish culture and as a result there are many community-based traditions and rituals associated with the special act. Depending on their ancestry Jewish families may choose a name that commemorates a deceased relative (Ashkenazic Jews with European ancestry) or choose a name to honour a living relative (Sephardic Jews of Middle Eastern ancetry). 

These ceremonies are often followed by a seudat mitzvah, a celebratory meal where family and friends gather to celebrate the new baby. 

Here's our list of Jewish boy and girl names to inspire you...

Jewish names for boys | Jewish names for girls | Common Jewish names | Traditional Jewish names

Jewish names for boys

multiple generations of a family holding Jewish newborn baby

In Jewish culture, a name is so much more than just a label. In fact, the name you choose for your baby boy will give him an important connection to his heritage, faith and community, helping him to feel included and loved. Even if you don't have Jewish links, you'll recognise many of these names as much-loved and popular names for boys across the world and, with gorgeous meanings steeped in history and religion such as mountain of strength and father of peace, they're a wonderful choice to bestow upon your little boy.

1. Aaron

2. Abba

3. Abel

4. Abner

5. Absalom

6. Adam

7. Amos

8. Asa

9. Barnabas

10. Bartholomew

11. Caleb

12. Elias

13. Ezekiel

14. Ezra

15. Gabriel

16. Gideon

17. Isaiah

18. Ishmael

19. Jared

20. Jeremiah

21. Jordan

22. Jude

23. Malachi

24. Micah

25. Michael

26. Raphael

27. Reuben

28. Samson

29. Saul

30. Seth

31. Simeon

32. Simon

33. Tobias

Jewish names for girls

Newborn baby infant with dark hair smiling lying on side sleeping. Cute little Middle eastern child on blanket. Tranquil scene close up

Jewish languages and dialects such as Hebrew, Aramaic and Yiddish have produced some really beautiful girls' names with soft lyrical sounds that are loved by many parents whether they have Jewish connections of not. Unsurprisingly, many of these names have biblical and religious meanings such as God's promise and God is gracious so are the perfect choice if you're planning to bring your daughter up in a religious family too.

34. Adah

35. Aliza

36. Anne

37. Ariella

38. Ayala

39. Bethany

40. Bette

41. Dalia

42. Dana

43. Davina

44. Dinah

45. Edna

46. Gail

47. Gina

48. Jemima

49. Joan

50. Joanna

51. Jodie

52. Joni

53. Judith

54. Keren

55. Keziah

56. Libi

57. Mara

58. Martha

59. Mehetabel

60. Michaela

61. Miriam

62. Noa

63. Oprah

64. Sadie

65. Sally

66. Samantha

67. Sharon

68. Susan

69. Rae

70. Romi

71. Tabitha

Common Jewish names

You'll certainly recognise these Jewish names, because they are names that have consistently ranked in the Top 100 names as recorded by the Office for National Statistics in England and Wales as well as the The National Records of Scotland and the Nothern Irish Research Agency for many generations. In fact, the boy's name Noah is currently the top name for boys in the UK* (2024) and Jewish girls' names such as Ava and Evie consistently make it into the top 15 names each year, while names like Shira and Aliyah are very popular in Israel.

72. Anna

73. Aliyah/ Aaliyah

74. Ayala

75. Daniel

76. Delilah

77. Eden

78. Eleanor

79. Eliza

80. Elizabeth

81. Ethan

82. Ella

83. Ellie

84. Eva

85. Evie

86. Hannah

87. Isabella

88. Isabelle

89. Jacob

90. Jake

91. James

92. Jessica

93. Jonathan

94. Josephine

95. Joshua

96. Matthew

97. Mary

98. Maya

99. Nancy

100. Noah

101. Sara

102. Shira

103. Susannah

104. Zachary

Traditional Jewish names

Many of the names on this list have been used by Jewish families for many generations and have a lot of history and tradition attached to them. If you like the idea of giving your new baby a name that is instantly recognisable as having Jewish or biblical roots and that gives your child a strong sense of belonging to a religion, community and culture then this is the list for you.

105. Abigail

106. Abraham

107. Batya

108. Benjamin

109. David

110. Deborah

111. Eliezer

112. Elijah

113. Esther

114. Isaac

115. Joseph

116. Judah

117. Leah

118. Levi

119. Moses

120. Nathaniel

121. Naomi

122. Noam

123. Rachel

124. Rebecca

125. Ruth

126. Samuel

127. Solomon

128. Tamar

129. Zipporah

Unique Jewish names

mother holding newborn baby in hospital bed

Looking for something that has roots in Jewish culture but that still sounds unique and unusual? The names in this list all have Hebrew origins but sound modern, interesting and cool and will help your baby feel special and original. Some have gorgeous meanings like 'sweet singing bird' and 'made of gold', while others have lovely clear links to religion and the bible such as Psalm.

130. Addison

131. Adira

132. Ahava

134. Ari

135. Asher

136. Avi

137. Aviv

138. Ayelet

139. Carmel

140. Cephas

141. Chaim

142. Coby

143. Damira

144. Dov

145. Ebenezer

146. Efrona

147. Eitan

148. Eliana

149. Enoch

150. Ephraim

151. Esau

152. Golda

153. Hadar

154. Hiram

155. Hyam

156. Idra

157. Ira

158. Jaden

159. Jada

160. Janette

161. Jayla

162. Jedidiah

163. Jora

164. Kessy

165. Keyla

166. Lilah

167. Liora

168. Nava

169. Psalm

170. Naama

171. Naboth

172. Nahum

173. Nava

174. Nehemiah

175. Nir

176. Obadiah

177. Ofer

178. Oren

179. Rachamim

180. Salome

181. Sapphire

182. Seraphina

183. Selah

184. Shai

185. Shiloh

186. Talia

187. Tzipora

188. Uriah

189. Yakira

190. Yarden

191. Zabdi

192. Zacchaeus

193. Zahava

194. Zebedee

195. Zedekiah

196. Zeeva

197. Zeke

198. Zephaniah

199. Zev

200. Zion

Pics: Getty Images

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Authors

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Hollie BondSenior Digital Journalist

Hollie is Senior Digital Journalist at MadeForMums. She writes articles about pregnancy, parenting, child health and getting pregnant. She has written for a number of national lifestyle magazines and websites over the past 12 years including Family History Monthly, You and Your Wedding and Muddy Stilettos. She has two children aged 5 and 8 and hasn't slept since 2017!

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