Quick Reference for Ashkenazi Jewish Given Names
- Profile
- Images
Date:
2022
Surnames/tags: Ashkenazi Jewish Names
Surnames/tags: Ashkenazi Jewish Names
This page has been accessed 276 times.
This is not meant to be a comprehensive reference, but a listing of the most common names you might encounter on a tombstone (matseva), in a vital record in Europe, or a passenger list. Much of this is background material, but I also consulted Beider's book for Yiddish variants. [1]
| Hebrew Name Transliterated | Hebrew | English | Meaning/Derivation | Yiddish and Variants | Common Double Names | Common Anglicized Variants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aharon | אהרון | Aaron, Aron, Oren | Biblical, Brother of Moses | Oren, Aron, Urele | Arnold, Adolph, Albert | |
| Aryeh | אריה | Ari | Hebrew, "lion," symbol of the tribe of Judah | Aryeh Leib | ||
| Avraham | אברהם | Abraham | Biblical, patriarch | Avram, Avi | Abe, Arnold, Adolph, Albert | |
| Bentsion | כיפוף | Hebrew, "son of Zion" | Bents, Bentske, Tsiyen | Benny | ||
| Binyamin | בנימין | Benjamin | Biblical, son of Jacob | Wolf, Wulf, Bunem, Ze'ev, Vulf | Benjamin Wolf, Ze'ev Wolf | William, Ben |
| Chaim | חיים | Hebrew, "life" | Khayim | Hyman, Hymie, Herman, Harry | ||
| David | דוד | David | Biblical, a king of Israel | Duvid, Dovid, Tevel, Tevye | ||
| Dov | דוב | Hebrew, "bear" | Ben, Bernard | |||
| Eliezer | אליעזר | Biblical, son of Aaron | Lazer, Leyzor, Leizor | Eli, Louis, | ||
| Elijah | אליהו | Elias | Biblical, a prophet | Elya, Elyash, Ilye | Eli | |
| Emanuel | עמנואל | Emanuel | Biblical, son of Isaiah | Man, Manel, Mendel, Mandel | Menachem Mendel | Manny |
| Ishaye | ישאיי | Isaiah | Biblical, a prophet | Shaye, Izayas, Zayas | ||
| Issachar | יששכר | Biblical, son of Jacob and Leah | Isokher, Sakhar, Ber, Dov | Dov Ber | ||
| Menachem | מנחם | Biblical, a king of Israel | Menke, Menkl, Nochim | Menachem Mendel | ||
| Meyer | מאיר | Hebrew, "illuminated" | Maier, Mayer, Meier | Max, Martin, Marcus, Mark | ||
| Mordechai | מרדכי | Biblical, cousin of Queen Esther | Mordtke, Motel, Model, Motek | Max, Martin, Marcus, Mark | ||
| Moshe | משה | Moses | Biblical | Maishie, Moyshe, Moishe, Moshek, Movshe, Maushe | Morris, Morton | |
| Nachum | נחום | Biblical, a prophet | Nokhum | Nate, Nathan | ||
| Naftali | נפתלי | Naphtali | Biblical, son of Jacob | Hirs(c)h, Her(t)z, Cerf, Naftule | Naftali Hirsch, Tsvi Hirsch | Henry, Harry |
| Natan | נתן | Nathan | Biblical, a prophet | Nute, Nossen, Nota, Notek, Nusen | Nate, Nathan | |
| Pinchus | פינצ'וס | Biblical, grandson of Aaron | Pinkhas, Pinkhos | Philip | ||
| Rafael | רפאל | Raphael | Hebrew, "God has healed" | Refael, Refoel, Rafal, Rofl, Raf, Fole | ||
| Reuven | ראובן | Reuben | Biblical, son of Jacob | Ruvn, Rubin, Rubl, Rubinek | ||
| Shimon | שמעון | Simon | Biblical, Judah, son of Jacob and Leah | Shimen, Ziman, Shime, Shimek, Zimek | ||
| Shimshon | שמשון | Sampson | Biblical, hero known for his strength | Shimshn, Shamshl | Sam, Simon | |
| Shlomo | שלמה | Solomon | Biblical, King of Israel | Shloyme, Shlaman, Shlome, Zalman, Zelman | Sol | |
| Shmuel | שמואל | Samuel | Biblical, a prophet | Shemuel, Shmiel, Zanuel, Zanvel, Zabel | Sam | |
| Tsvi | צבי | Hebrew, "deer," symbol of the tribe of Naftali | Hirs(c)h, Her(t)z, Cerf | Naftali Hirsch, Tsvi Hirsch | Henry, Harry, | |
| Yakov | יעקב | Jacob | Biblical, patriarch | Yankel, Akiva, Koppel | Jack, Jake | |
| Yehuda | יהודה | Judah | Biblical, Judah, son of Jacob and Leah | Leib, Leyb, Judel, Yudel, Yude, Yidel, Yudke | Aryeh Leib, Yehuda Leib | Louis, Leo, Leon, Julius |
| Yisrael | ישראל | Israel | Biblical, name of Jacob after wrestling with angel | Yisroel, Izrael, Iser, Srul, Sroel, Isserl | Isadore, Izzy, Ignatz | |
| Yitzhak | יצחק | Isaac | Biblical, patriarch | Itzig, Itsik, Ayzik, Itske | Ike, Isadore, | |
| Yosef | יוסף | Joseph | Biblical, son of Jacob and Rachel | Yossel, Yossi, Jossel | Joe | |
| Yoshue | יושע | Joshua | Biblical, leader after Moses' death | Yehoshue, Heoshue, Heshel, Heshke, Ovsey, Ishie | Haskell |
Sources
- ↑ Beider, A. (2009). Handbook of Ashkenazic Given Names and Their Variants. Avotaynu, Inc.
Collaboration
- Login to edit this profile and add images.
- Private Messages: Send a private message to the Profile Manager. (Best when privacy is an issue.)
- Public Comments: Login to post. (Best for messages specifically directed to those editing this profile. Limit 20 per day.)
edited by W Koster