I got this name request a while ago while I was having some trouble with my site and had to switch to a new host. I hope it’s not too late for this mom đ
Hi, I stumbled upon your blog when I was researching baby names. After reading for a bit I have come to understand that you seem to really be an expert on names in Israel ! I was wondering if I could ask for a tiny bit of direction.
I am about 6 weeks away from my due date to give birth to a baby girl (my first child) and I am having a bit of trouble with names (yes at this point in the game!!). I don’t mean to bother you, and if I don’t get a response I’ll completely understand, but I was wondering if you could offer some suggestions for a possible middle name to go with a very shaky first name choice (Tali). My husband is Israeli, I am American and we live in the U.S, but visit Israel as often as we can. We would like to name after a family member Asher, and I assumed that if my baby was a boy he would be Asher, nice and simple, works in both countries, right ? Then we found out she is a girl, which means having to figure out names. I could not find any girl names to honor him (I hated Oshrit, Oshri, etc) and I just liked the sound of Tali, short, sweet, and distinctly feminine …. I can’t find a proper middle name to go with it, though, it seems like nothing fits. I am not sure how many Israelis have middle names, I believe it is “trendy” not to have one in secular circles, but I do want to give her one, something that won’t sound crazy in the US but have a very Jewish feel to it. I liked Adina, my husband hated it and wants names like Zohar, Rinat or those names that end in -at or -it that I can’t get used to… He doesn’t like the sound of names he considers “Ashkenazi” like Adina, Ahuva, etc. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
The writer is correct about middle names not being trendy in secular circles, and I believe they are less popular in religious circles now too.
More baby name posts at A Mother in Israel:
Top 20 Israeli Baby Girl Names for 2012
Top 20 Israeli Baby Boy 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 Helpâstarting with âRâ
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)
I think for a long time, Israelis have seen middle names as the province of the super frum.
As to names like Asher–how about Ashira?
I don’t know anyone in Israel with middle names, but we did it to honor relatives. Short names are really in in Israel now so Tali would be great (or even just Tal)
For middle names, what about embracing the SH from Asher with a name like Shir, Shai, Shiri…
Otherwise, for an A name, I like Avigal, Aviva, Anat, Ayala, and Adi.
I don’t think for the super-frum only , but often couples give the first name – the name of their choice and the middle name is the name of the person or something similar to the deceased.
How about Serach (daughter of the Biblical Asher)?
Can you please help me find a baby girl’s name in loving memory of safta Pnina.
In US it’s hard for people to say Pnina but we rally want to have a name after her.
Thank you in advance.
Pam