Here are some common Jewish names.

Jewish names have a fascinating history. In some circles, it is customary to name children after a recently deceased relative. This is a way of keeping the dead person’s memory alive as well as honoring the dead. But there is an old superstition which maintains that you shouldn’t name a child after a living relative. This is bad luck because the angel of death, who is an easily confused spirit, might take the baby by mistake when coming for the older relative.

The top Jewish names are usually taken from the Bible. Here are some of the top Jewish names.

Male Names

Aaron – means “mountain of strength.” Moses’ brother, Aaron, was the first high priest of Israel.

Adam – Adam means “man.” In Genesis, he was the first man created from the earth in the land of Eden. He was the husband of Eve.

Benjamin – Benjamin means “son of the right.” He was the youngest son amongst Jacob and Rachel’s 12 children. His mother died in childbirth. While he was being born Rachel cried out “Ben-oni” which means “child of my pain.” The name stuck but Jacob later changed it to Ben-yamin, which means “son of my right hand.”
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Daniel – Daniel means “God is my judge.” As a teenager, he was taken to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 BC. He is known to survive a death sentence in a lion’s den.

David – David means “beloved.” David had many traits and he did many different things. He was a shepherd, a musician, poet, a soldier, statesman, prophet and king. He wrote many of the Psalms. He is also known as the slayer of giants, Goliath.

Female Names

Judith – Judith means “Jewess,” “Jewish woman” or “woman from Judea.” Judith is as much a name of determination as it is a character trait. In the Bible, Judith sleeps with the enemy in order to save her people from the invading Abyssinians. When their leader is asleep in her bed, she cuts off his head.

Deborah – Deborah was known as a female prophet and lawgiver. But her place in the Bible comes from the fact that she led the people of Israel to victory over the Canaanites. The name Deborah means “bee” and has connotations of hard work and usefulness. She is one of the most prominent women in the Bible.

Rebecca – In Genesis, Rebecca is the wife of Abraham’s son Isaac. She is a great beauty and is very clever. The name signifies a person with a captivating personality.