Yael?

[Anonymous]

Love it

[Anonymous]

It is definitely a common name but that is because it is a really lovely one. Nothing wrong with that!

[Anonymous]

I mean it’s unique but maybe too much.
Your DC would have to forever answer “How do you say your name?”

[Anonymous]

I liked it a lot but I am super-Gentile so it just didn't seem like a fit. My son already has a stereotypically Jewish name, it would have been too much.

[Anonymous]

I work with a woman named Yael. No one pronounces her name correctly. People just struggle with a syllable break between vowels, I think.

Fwiw, I live in DC and I know a fair amount of Jewish people, but I hadn’t met anyone named Yael before I met my coworker. And given how my other coworkers struggle with the pronunciation, I don’t know that many people that are not Jewish are very familiar with the name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I liked it a lot but I am super-Gentile so it just didn't seem like a fit. My son already has a stereotypically Jewish name, it would have been too much.

Just to add, pronunciation was not a concern. It's pretty apparent, and if not, easy to quickly explain.

[Anonymous]

Female name in Hebrew, male name in Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean it’s unique but maybe too much.
Your DC would have to forever answer “How do you say your name?”

This happens no matter what your name is.

— signed Sara (who has to correct people’s pronunciation at least half the time)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it’s unique but maybe too much.
Your DC would have to forever answer “How do you say your name?”

This happens no matter what your name is.

— signed Sara (who has to correct people’s pronunciation at least half the time)

No, I disagree. From a highly educated perspective (and someone who reads a lot, especially Jewish mysticism), I love the name, just like I love the name Avi. However, would I name my kid it? No, because most people won't know what it means, how to pronounce it and my kid would be forever correcting people that it's not Yale. You have to make the decision from the kid's perspective. Remember Endeavour Morse. Just because his mom was Quaker and wanted a "character" name meant he was forever humiliated, especially when in service to his country. Don't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is definitely a common name but that is because it is a really lovely one. Nothing wrong with that!

Agree

[Anonymous]

Interesting to read these replies - Jewish woman here who only knows two Yaels.
Regardless - it is a wonderful name, I love it.

[Anonymous]

I love the name but only if it’s pronounced as Yale. Even as a Jew, Ya-Elle is too much for me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean it’s unique but maybe too much.
Your DC would have to forever answer “How do you say your name?”

This happens no matter what your name is.

— signed Sara (who has to correct people’s pronunciation at least half the time)

No, I disagree. From a highly educated perspective (and someone who reads a lot, especially Jewish mysticism), I love the name, just like I love the name Avi. However, would I name my kid it? No, because most people won't know what it means, how to pronounce it and my kid would be forever correcting people that it's not Yale. You have to make the decision from the kid's perspective. Remember Endeavour Morse. Just because his mom was Quaker and wanted a "character" name meant he was forever humiliated, especially when in service to his country. Don't do it.

Disagree completely! First, it doesn’t matter what a name means. And absolutely ridiculous not to give a child a beautiful name because “most people won’t know what it means”. I’m a Catherine and have no clue what my own name means.

As for pronunciation of any name - you say it once and the listener gets it. My high school boyfriend’s name was Tadhg. “It’s pronounced Tige” and that was the end of the confusion.

I actually prefer the pronunciation of Yael as Yale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean it’s unique but maybe too much.
Your DC would have to forever answer “How do you say your name?”

I didn’t know until about a year ago that it’s a woman’s name.

[Anonymous]

It’s like any other name; it might be unfamiliar some people, but once you are told the pronunciation you never forget it. Frankly, if you live in a heavily Jewish area it’s a typical ethnic name. I am Jewish, and have friends with this name and know younger children with this name. I really like it. It was almost my daughters name (ended up going with a different ethnic name that flowed better with my last name).