Jewish Baby Boy Name Ideas

Hebrew and Yiddish names for baby boys and their meanings

Feb 22, 2007
Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Jewish Baby Boy - Diggerdanno, Morguefile.com

If you're looking for a Hebrew and Yiddish name for your baby boy, here's a helpful and diverse list to choose from.

Are you looking for a Hebrew name or Yiddish name for your baby boy with a special meaning? If you need some help, here is some information about Jewish baby naming traditions. Below, here's a list of Hebrew and Yiddish names for baby boys. The list includes names that are fairly unusual and that don't appear high on the Top 100 list. Thus, common Biblical names like David, Daniel,and Benjamin are excluded, as are trendy names like Ethan and Jacob.

Akiva-- Hebrew, "to hold by the heel"
Amir-- Hebrew, "treetop"
Ari-- Hebrew, "lion"
Asa-- Aramaic, "healer"
Asher-- Hebrew, "happy, lucky, blessed." In the Bible, Asher was a son of Jacob.
Avi-- Hebrew, "father of a might nation." Short for Avraham, which corresponds to Abraham.
Barak-- Hebrew, "lightning"
Boaz--Hebrew, "strength." In the Bible, Boaz was the second husband of Ruth.
Brit-- Hebrew, "covenant"
Dodi-- Hebrew, "my beloved" or "uncle"
Doron-- Hebrew, "gift." Corresponds roughly to the English name Dorian.
Dov-- Hebrew, "bear"
Ehud-- Hebrew, "love"
Eliyahu-- Hebrew, "the Lord is my God." Eliyahu was a Biblical prophet, and jews leave a cup out for him at their seders. The English translation is Elijah. Similar to Eli, Elias, and Elliott.
Ezra-- Hebrew, "help"
Feivel-- Yiddish, "bright one."
Fishel-- Yiddish, "fish"
Gavriel-- Hebrew, "God is my strength." A Biblical angel. The English translation is Gabriel.
Hadar-- Hebrew, "splendor, beauty ornament" or "citrus fruit"
Hersch-- Yiddish, "deer"
Hillel-- Hebrew, "to praise, glorify, shine." Hillel was a famous Talmudic scholar.
Ira-- Hebrew, "young donkey"
Koren-- Hebrew, "shining, beaming"
Lev-- Hebrew, "heart"
Levi-- "joined" or "attendant." Levi was a son of Jacob and Leah.
Malki-- Hebrew, "my king"
Micah-- Hebrew, "who is like God?"
Nissan-- Hebrew, "miracle"
Noam-- Hebrew, "loveliness, kindness, tenderness.'
Noaz-- Hebrew, "daring, bold, brave"
Ofer-- Hebrew, "young deer'
Oren-- Hebrew, "pine tree"
Peri-- Hebrew, "fruit"
Reuven-- Hebrew, 'behold, there is a son!" The English translation is Reuben.
Selig-- Yiddish, "happy" Another spelling is Zelig.
Sofer-- Hebrew, "author, writer, scribe"
Tamir-- Hebrew, "tall, upright like a palm tree'
Uriel-- Hebrew, "God is my flame, God is my light." Similar to Uri, "my flame, my light"
Velvel-- Yiddish, "wolf"
Yarden-- Hebrew, "to go down," as in the River Jordan. Corresponds to the popular boy and girl's name Jordan.
Zev-- Hebrew, "wolf"