Which spelling? Tzipora v Zipora

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a store in the mall

[Anonymous]

tse-tse is another example of the sound

[Anonymous]

Americans for the most part will pronounce Tziporah as "Tee-zip-or-ah) (t as in tee-shirt). I don't think that's what you want.


It is a very Jewy name for someone who isn't Jewish. Like being an upper class Brit and naming your daughter Saoirse. It is odd.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a cigarette lighter

[Anonymous]

Plz don't name your child this name!!!

[Anonymous]

Tziporah but I agree this is weird choice for a non Jewish family. And your other kid has an Asian name? This is going to be a strange combo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans for the most part will pronounce Tziporah as "Tee-zip-or-ah) (t as in tee-shirt). I don't think that's what you want.


It is a very Jewy name for someone who isn't Jewish. Like being an upper class Brit and naming your daughter Saoirse. It is odd.

Odd Tse-Tse would make a very interesting first and middle name combo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Americans for the most part will pronounce Tziporah as "Tee-zip-or-ah) (t as in tee-shirt). I don't think that's what you want.

I don't think this is true of most reasonably well-educated people.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Jewish and Hebrew speaking NP here. OP, I vote Tziporah. I think the "h" makes it look like less of a pharmaceutical name/typo. The last letter of the name in Hebrew is hay, so it's 100% legit. As for the T, "pizza" and "tsunami" are great examples to give people who will give you/your little bird problems about the name.

I think Zipporah is a perfectly acceptable variant, but can see why you want to avoid it. It will induce people to get the pronunciation slightly wrong, like they do with Hanukkah. The initial sound of Hanukkah is really the "ch" so the "Chanuka" variants are more accurate transliterations. Any of the variants starting with Z will get you some version of "zipper-uh," at least with a Tz people might think to ask first.

Op- thanks! We are also in the process of learning more about judaism and i love learning languages too so this is very helpful.

glad to help. I think it is a lovely name. I'm also the DCUMer who's always encouraging people to choose names with stories and meanings behind them and not just words out of a book, bc I think kids really get a lot out of that, and your story is just what I mean. GL with your pregnancy.

Op - yes, names with meaning over pretty, assimilated names. I was adopted amd my parents changed a name that was a tie to my birth country and gave me a generic 80s american first and middle name. I understand why but with my kids i want them to be proud of their backgrounds!

I see what you're trying to do and I am really trying not to be unkind, but if the tie to their background is the baby's Jewish grandparents, none of whom had this actual name, there are hundreds of Hebrew names that are better than this one. And if your other kids don't have Hebrew names I think it will seem really weird.

Op- i think you missed the point that we really like this name and it happens to be hebrew which is great. And i don't really care if people "get" what we are doing. Just trying out reactions to different spellings... I should not have engaged the mean poster and told our story to an audience i don't know.

OP, either you want feedback or you don't. People are trying to be kind here, and telling you in advance how weird it MAY sound. But it's your decision, and YOUR KID'S name (not yours)

Op- yes i made the dcum newboe mistake of telling too much. All I wanted feedback on was spelling either tzipora v zipora. Not on how many generatioms back the jews are, my other kid having an asian name, whether it's an ugly name and other hebrew names are better... Sigh. I learned my lesson!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tziporah but I agree this is weird choice for a non Jewish family. And your other kid has an Asian name? This is going to be a strange combo.

I gather OP is Asian--I'm guessing Korean--and her husband's family is Jewish by heritage, and they are trying to honor the roots of both sides of the family. Makes as much sense to me as any other naming-related chain of thought. Being more of a conformist, I might pick Rebecca or Rachel, but if they like Tziporah, why not?

[Anonymous]

I've seen it spelled as Zipporah, but the named were not actually Jewish, so I guess that is an Americanization.

OP, you should use the Hebrew spelling if you want. Mom of an Adah here. Hebrew spelling, I'm not Jewish-it is the spelling in my Bible so I chose that. If Tzipora has meaning to you, use it that way!

[Anonymous]

If you're not adverse to slightly off-beat Hebrew names, I always liked Orly, but i couldn't quite bring myself to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tziporah but I agree this is weird choice for a non Jewish family. And your other kid has an Asian name? This is going to be a strange combo.

Tziporah.

Tziporah was the wife of Moses -- perhaps there are some non-Jews who have heard of him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tziporah but I agree this is weird choice for a non Jewish family. And your other kid has an Asian name? This is going to be a strange combo.

I gather OP is Asian--I'm guessing Korean--and her husband's family is Jewish by heritage, and they are trying to honor the roots of both sides of the family. Makes as much sense to me as any other naming-related chain of thought. Being more of a conformist, I might pick Rebecca or Rachel, but if they like Tziporah, why not?

Op- Thank you!!! And we are not especially conformist, we like that the name tzipora is offbeat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ruled out Zipporah? I thought that's how it's usually spelled.

+1 This is how the friend I had in high school spelled it.