Israeli Baby Name Help, February 2014

Several readers asked recently for baby name advice and suggestions:

twin baby boys

  1. Anonymous #1: We don’t know the sex yet, but trying to at least come up with a few choices for each so we’re not scrambling… Opinions/popularity (and among which ‘group’) for: Eden Alma, or Alma Eden? Our last name is very “German Jewish” (and we live in Germany), so I lean toward Eden, but I want to make sure it’s not associated with a certain ‘class’ or group in Israel since we have relatives there.
    For boys: Can Ido be spelled Edo? Idan/Edan? (looking to honor an “ED” name)- Adir? Gilad? Any other name with an “ed” sound that are either biblical but could be used in modern-day?
    I do like Biblical names (we have an Amiel David, also named for someone in the our family), but would like the names to also be ‘ok’ for modern Israeli baby names and sound ‘cute’/modern even though they may be from the Bible.
    Any thoughts would be much appreciated! Toda!
  2. Daria writes: Hi! I’m looking for an Israeli name for a baby boy. We live in the US, so I’m interested in something that would not be too difficult for people to pronounce.
    We like Ehud, Elad, Boaz and Matan – but are still searching for the final name. Any suggestions?
  3. Karen writes: Hi is the name Rut considered old-fashioned in Israel? We are looking for a name that works in English as well. We already have a Naomi, my husband thinks that’s another good reason to go for Rut but also it’s unique in his family unlike most of the popular names like Noa or Shira although I love those names too. I would like something that isn’t just confined to religious circles and is easy to pronounce in English – I have no issue if our English relatives pronounce it as Ruth I’m just worried the name may be old fashioned in Israel as we are making aliyah next year.
  4. Anonymous 2: We live in the US, and are having a boy in the spring and are hoping for a name that has something to do with nature. Doesn’t have to be biblical. Doesn’t matter if it’s “popular in Israel” or not. Cannot be too hard for us Americans to pronounce, though.
    Ideally we might honor my grandmother (Jeanne) somehow with a middle name, but we realize this may be hard given that it is a boy.
    I liked Oren, but my husband (a non-Jew) thought it was too similar to “Orion” and he thought it was too “hippy dippy.”

Thanks for any help you can provide.

More baby name posts:

Top 20 Israeli Baby Girl Names for 2012

Israeli Baby Girl Name Help, November 2013

Israeli Baby Name Help, June 2013

Modern Israeli Baby Girl Names, April 2013

Israeli Baby Boy Name Help–starting with “R”

Israeli Baby Name Queries, December 2012

Top 20 Israeli Baby Names for Boys, 2010

Top 20 Israeli Baby Names for Girls, 2010

Popular Israeli Names for Girls (October 2008)

Popular Israeli Names for Boys (October 2008)

Help This Reader Choose a Hebrew Baby Name (November 2009)

More Popular Israeli Baby Names (April 2010)

Help Readers Choose an Israeli Baby Name (June 2010)

Israeli Baby Name Help Needed (November 2010)

Needed: Israeli Baby Girl Name Suggestions (September 2010)

Unusual Israeli Baby Names

Get more baby name ideas at the Facebook page for A Mother in Israel.

 

Comments

  1. 1&2, we have an Avidan (I know, not quite an Ad/Ed name). I’ve never actually known anyone with the name but after the brit we got a lot of comments that it was a little unusual and very ‘cool’. We just liked the name and it had meaning for us. Plus you have a choice of nicknames – Avi or Dan/Dani. It is a Biblical name.

    3, I know a few little girls (3-4 years old) here in Israel named Rut. I can’t speak to exactly how popular it is but I figure that if in my small circle I know a few, then it can’t be that UNpopular. We have a Liat which is not unusual for Israel but is also not one of the super popular names. Talya, Ayelet both would go over well in an English-speaking country.

    • And #4, Jeanne would be a derivation of John, no? So then Yonatan/Jonathan would be a good boy’s alternative, going back to the original. Oren, Ilan, Yarden for nature names.

  2. I posted this in a private Facebook group. Avital writes: In response to #3 (Karen) – yes, Rut is considered old fashioned here in Israel if you’re not in religious circles. In response to #1 – I don’t think it matters, just a personal choice of which they like better (Eden Alma or Alma Eden). Both are fairly popular names here and not associated with any certain group or “class” in my opinion. I’ve never seen “Ido” spelled “Edo” but plenty of people use unusual spellings here so they can do whatever they want. The other questions are all pretty broad, there have been a ton of name discussions on here if you want to search, and of course all the Hebrew name websites.
    Leah: If Anonymous 2 likes tree names, what about Erez?

  3. To #1 – I know a boy named Idan (pronounced ee’-dan). I really don’t like the name Alma at all. Eden (like gan eden) is okay.
    To # 2 – Matan is a beautiful name.
    To #3 – Rut is not an extremely popular name right now but it is not rare, either.
    To # 4 – What about Eitan?

  4. More help needed for boy names, please!
    Opinions on Liad?
    Lamed Yud Ayin Daled? (is this used? old sounding? new-age-y sounding? just ‘ok’/somewhat popular?)
    Or Yaron?

  5. Please help me with feedback for a boy and a girl name…
    For a girl, what about Lena (like “dwelling”… Is this used as a name or does it sound odd?)
    For a boy, what about Sason?
    Thank you!!

    • Hi Immunora,
      Sorry I didn’t respond earlier. Leh-na is common among Russian immigrants. Leena with a long “e” is not commonly used in Israel. Sason for a boy is a traditional name that is not used much, but I like it!