Hebrew names for non-Jewish family?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love the Hebrew name Vered, which means rose.

Jewish PP - it is nice. Honestly I have never met anyone named Vered in all my life, and I spent time living in Israel. Where did you get the name from? Would you use it for a boy or a girl? What do you think you'd be conveying with that name?

I'm Jewish and knew one Vered. She was Israeli.

I love the name Yael, pronounced ya-EL.

I wouldn't care if someone used a name like Aviva or Yael, but I would assume they were Jewish. So she might encounter that her whole life.

[Anonymous]

And there’s this, if you are ALL IN ...

[Anonymous]

I would stay away from names that are Yiddish or culturally Jewish: Shoshanna, Ari, Avi, Aviva, Rivka, Lev, Lieb.

Names in more common usage are fine - Edith, Judith, Asher, Sara, Rachel, Jacob, etc

I'm on the fence about Yael. I feel like it's rare enough in the US that it's not really that glaring but I
would still think you were Jewish. And it's Ya-el.

[Anonymous]

It's very weird. Like, when white people name their child Bodhi.

[Anonymous]

I am Jewish and wouldn't even recognize Eidel as a Jewish/Yiddish name. Now if you used a Yiddish name I recognized (Raizel, Fraydel, etc) I have to say I would find that pretty weird. Only ultra orthodox Jews use those names nowadays, and it would be obvious to me you weren't an ulta-orthodox Jew, so it wouldn't compute.

If you used a name more common among reform/conservative/secular Jews, like Shoshanna or Aviva, I would just assume you were Jewish. If or when I found out you weren't, I would be surprised. Not offended, but surprised. So, I guess my answer is that if it doesn't bother you that Jewish people will assume your daughter is Jewish, then go for it. But also consider that might get annoying for her over the course of a lifetime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yael (pronounced Yale) is one of my favorite names. We aren’t Jewish snd I’m still going to use it.

Pronounced as "Ya- ale" - not Yale. No one will say "Yale."

Ive never heard it pronounced as Yale. That’s really odd. It’s Yah-ehl. And yes I’m Jewish. And I would think it’s odd to use if you are not Jewish; same as I would think a Jewish person with the name Christina is odd.

[Anonymous]

I think you need to distinguish between Israeli names, Yiddish names, and Old Testament names.

Anyone can give their kid and Old Testament name. I mean some of them are hardly in use. I would be surprised to see a Zillah or Boaz running around, but if your family likes it, whatever.

On the other hand, I think without Jewish roots, an Israeli or Yiddish name is going to sound weird and I would think any family that did that was either evangelical or Messianic.

[Anonymous]

Similar to Yael, what about the name Lael? I’ve heard it pronounced “LAY-el.” It’s very rare and has been on my shortlist for a future DD for YEARS. I actually know of two non-Jewish girls with this name - one biracial, one AA. Also, Lael Brainerd of the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors (not sure if she’s Jewish)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yael (pronounced Yale) is one of my favorite names. We aren’t Jewish snd I’m still going to use it.

Pronounced as "Ya- ale" - not Yale. No one will say "Yale."

Ive never heard it pronounced as Yale. That’s really odd. It’s Yah-ehl. And yes I’m Jewish. And I would think it’s odd to use if you are not Jewish; same as I would think a Jewish person with the name Christina is odd.

We have a family friend who is Jewish and named Christopher. His parents just liked the name and when people pointed it out they just laughed and said they didn't care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Similar to Yael, what about the name Lael? I’ve heard it pronounced “LAY-el.” It’s very rare and has been on my shortlist for a future DD for YEARS. I actually know of two non-Jewish girls with this name - one biracial, one AA. Also, Lael Brainerd of the US Federal Reserve Board of Governors (not sure if she’s Jewish)

It's traditionally a boy's name and I've never actually heard anyone named this

Though evidently it's seeped into the mainstream as a girl's name, yay https://www.babycenter.com/baby-names-lael-2686.htm

Oy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yael (pronounced Yale) is one of my favorite names. We aren’t Jewish snd I’m still going to use it.

Pronounced as "Ya- ale" - not Yale. No one will say "Yale."

Ive never heard it pronounced as Yale. That’s really odd. It’s Yah-ehl. And yes I’m Jewish. And I would think it’s odd to use if you are not Jewish; same as I would think a Jewish person with the name Christina is odd.

We have a family friend who is Jewish and named Christopher. His parents just liked the name and when people pointed it out they just laughed and said they didn't care.

I grew up with a Jewish friend name Christopher, and every time it would come up (e.g. I'd come home and tell my Dad that Christopher couldn't come to play because of Hebrew School), my Dad would make a comment.

I also taught with a Jewish woman who wanted to find a P name for her baby. I suggested Patrick, and she told me it was "too Christian", so she was thinking of Peter or Paul, which are equally Christian in my opinion. It turned out that she had a girl, and she was named something I now can't remember, that I don't associate with religion like Penelope.

[Anonymous]

How do the Jewish people who think it’s weird feel when people use Irish names? Think: Sinead or Siobhan Rosenblatt. Ok? What about Sinead or Siobhan Jackson...and the Jacksons are black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love the Hebrew name Vered, which means rose.

Jewish PP - it is nice. Honestly I have never met anyone named Vered in all my life, and I spent time living in Israel. Where did you get the name from? Would you use it for a boy or a girl? What do you think you'd be conveying with that name?

I love the name Vered. Went to (Jewish) sleepaway camp with a lovely girl named Vered.

Also, it’s Ya-el. There’s no “modern” pronunciation. I mean we know only three (day school plus camp plus 2nd cousin). If you want Yale. Spell it that way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a jew and I think that's weird.

Me too. Why would you want a Hebrew name if you're not Jewish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do the Jewish people who think it’s weird feel when people use Irish names? Think: Sinead or Siobhan Rosenblatt. Ok? What about Sinead or Siobhan Jackson...and the Jacksons are black.

How many Siobhan Rosenblatt's do you think are out there? I'm guessing none. That's a deep cut Irish name. Ryan maybe, but Sinead?