43 Jewish Boy Names with Meanings

Every Jewish boy name below comes with its meaning or origin — and 28 of the 43 names include the native spelling, drawn from Wikipedia. Jump to a letter, or play the duel game: choose between two names at a time until your personal top 10 remains.

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A C D F H I J M P R S T Y Z

Jewish boy names starting with A

AbbaAbba is a form of ab, meaning "father" in many Semitic languages. It is used as a given name, but was also used as a title or honorific for religious scholars or leaders.
Abu al-Farajأبو الفرجAbu al-Faraj is a title or given name, derived from the name Faraj, of Arabic origins. During the Middle Ages, the name Abu al-Faraj (Arabic: أبو الفرج, lit.
AkivaיעקבAkiva or Akiba is a Jewish-ethnic name, arising in Aramaic from Hebrew: יַעֲקֹב, and thus cognate to English Jacob.
AlkanAlkan is a surname and a masculine given name among the Turkish people. In Turkish, it means "red blood" and also refers to a commander of the Seljuk fleet based in İznik.
Aryeh LeibאריהAryeh-Leib (אריה־לייב) or Aryeh Loeb is a bilingual pleonasmic Jewish name doublet, literally 'lion-lion', traceable back to the Hebrew word אריה arye 'lion' and the Middle High German word lewe 'lion'.
AvigdorאביגדורAvigdor (Hebrew: אביגדור, also Abigdor, Awigdor, from I Chronicles 4.18, אבי גדור = Avi Gedor) is a Hebrew masculine given name.

Jewish boy names starting with C

Chananya Yom Tov LipaChananya Yom Tov Lipa is a Jewish given name, and may refer to: Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Teitelbaum, leader in the Satmar Hasidic dynasty Rabbi Chananya Yom Tov Lipa Goldman, a renowned Orthodox rabbi

Jewish boy names starting with D

DahnDahn is German surname, and may refer to: Alvin Dahn (born 1948), American musician Bernice Dahn (born 1965), Liberian politician Craig Dahn (born 1964), American pianist Daniela Dahn (born 1949), German writer Felix Dahn (1834–1912), German lawyer and writer…
DavidDavid is a common masculine given name of Hebrew origin. Its popularity derives from the initial oral tradition (Oral Torah) and recorded use related to King David, a central figure in the Tanakh, and foundational to Judaism, and subsequently significant in…

Jewish boy names starting with F

FarajFaraj is a name of Arabic origins, found in many locations including in Kuwait, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan, Iran, and others.

Jewish boy names starting with H

HillelהללHillel (Hebrew: הלל, lit. 'praise') is a Jewish masculine given name and a surname.
HiramחירםHiram ( HY-rəm; Phoenician "benevolent brother", Hebrew חִירָם "high-born", Standard Hebrew Ḥiram, Tiberian Hebrew Ḥîrām) is a biblical given name referring to Phoenician kings.

Jewish boy names starting with I

Ichabodאי כבודIchabod is a Biblical figure and (Hebrew: אִי כָבוֹד) a Hebrew word meaning "the glory has departed." It may also refer to:
IgnatzIgnatz is a masculine given name. It may refer to:
ItamarאיתמרItamar (Hebrew: אִיתָמָר, romanized: ʼĪṯāmār), also spelled Ithamar or Etamar, is a Hebrew masculine given name. The name means "isle of palms" in Hebrew, from the Hebrew i (Hebrew: אִי, romanized: 'î, lit.

Jewish boy names starting with J

JeremiahJeremiah ( JERR-ə-MY-ə) is a male given name meaning "Yahweh loosens", or "Yahweh will raise", or "God is high", and having its origin in ancient Hebrew. Jeremias is a form that it takes in some Romance languages.
JoelיואלJoel or Yoel is a male name derived from יוֹאֵל Standard Hebrew, Yoʾel, Tiberian Hebrew, or Yôʾēl, meaning "Yahu is El" (El being a Northwest Semitic word meaning 'god' or 'deity'), "YHWH is God", or the modern translation "Yahweh is God".
JonasJonas is a common male name in many countries in the Western world and Northeast Africa. It is primarily used as a first name, but also occurs as a surname.
JonathanיהונתןJonathan (Hebrew: יְהוֹנָתָן/יוֹנָתָן, Standard: Yehōnatan/Yōnatan, Tiberian: Yŏhōnāṯān/Yōnāṯān) is a common name given to males which means "YHWH has given" in Hebrew.
JudahיהודהJudah is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin. It is the English form of Yehudah (Hebrew: יְהוּדָה‎), the Hebrew name of the biblical figure Judah, founder of the Tribe of Judah and thus, the eponym of the Kingdom of Judah and the Jews.

Jewish boy names starting with M

MeirמאירMeir (Hebrew: מֵאִיר) is a Jewish male given name and an occasional surname. It means "one who shines".
MelechמלךMelech or Meilech (Hebrew מלך) is a given name of Hebrew origin which means king. It is a name used by Jewish people.
MeyerMeyer is a masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: Meyer (footballer), Meyer Carlos de Camargo, Júnior (born 1980), Brazilian football player Meyer Alterman (1891–1967), New York assemblyman Meyer R.
MosheMoshe is the Hebrew version of the masculine given name Moses, including of the Biblical figure Moses.

Jewish boy names starting with P

PinkhusPinkhus is a Jewish masculine given name often used among Ashkenazi Jews. Notable people with the name include: Pinkhus Rovner (1875–1919), Bolshevik revolutionary from Ukraine Pinkhus Turyan (1896–1976), Soviet military officer from Ukraine
ProfiatפרופייטProfiat (Hebrew: פרופייט, Occitan: Prophègue or Profag, Latin: Profatius, French: Profait) was a name used by Jews in Provence and northern Spain.

Jewish boy names starting with R

RaananרענןRaanan or Ra'anan (Hebrew: רענן), meaning "fresh", is a Jewish name that may refer to the following notable people: Given name Ra'anan Alexandrowicz (born 1969), Israeli film director, screenwriter and editor Ra'anan Cohen (born 1941), Israeli politician…

Jewish boy names starting with S

ShmuelShmuel or Schmuel is the Modern Hebrew form of the name Samuel. Shmuel and variations may refer to: Samuel (Bible), the Hebrew Bible prophet Books of Samuel, the book of the Tanach Shmuel Hakatan, the Tanna (Mishnaic sage) Samuel of Nehardea, the Amora…
Shneur Zalmanשניאור זלמןShneur Zalman (Hebrew: שניאור זלמן) refers to Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745–1812), the founder of the Chabad Lubavitch movement. The compound given name Shneur Zalman is common among people of Hasidic Chabad affiliation, derived from their founder's name.
SolomonṓSolomon is a masculine given name and surname of Hebrew origin, popularized by the biblical figure Solomon, Israelite monarch and son of David.
SzlamaSzlama (diminutive Szlamek) is a Polish Yiddish male given name of Š-L-M. Notable people with the name include: Szlama Ber Winer (1911–1942), Polish Jew from Izbica Kujawska, who escaped from the Chełmno extermination camp Szlama Grzywacz (1909-1944), member…

Jewish boy names starting with T

Tsvi-HirshצביTsvi Hirsh, Tzvi Hirsh, Zebi Hirsh, Zvi Hirsh, etc. (including "Hirsh" spelled as Hirsch or Hersh, inversions such as Hirsh Tsvi, and hyphenated forms) (Yiddish: צבי־הירש‎) is a bilingual pleonasmic Jewish name doublet, literally "deer-deer", traceable back…
TzviצביTzvi (Hebrew: צְבִי and צבי, Tzvi, Ṣvi, "gazelle") is a Jewish masculine given name.

Jewish boy names starting with Y

YaronירוןYaron (Hebrew: יָרוֹן) is a Hebrew name meaning "is full of joy", "will be full of joy", or "to shout, to sing". It is common in Israel as both a male first name and a surname.
YechielיחיאלYechiel (Hebrew: יְחִיאֵל) is a Hebrew masculine given name meaning "May God live" or "God shall live". Alternative spellings of Yechiel include Jehiel, Yehiel, Yechi'el, and Yiddish variants include Ichel, Ychel, Echiel, Cheil, and Chil.
YedidiaידידיהYedidia, Yedidya, Yedidiah, etc. (Hebrew: יְדִידְיָה, romanized: Yəḏīḏyāh) is both a given name and a surname, the original Hebrew of Jedediah.
YehoshuaYehoshua is a masculine given name related to Joshua. People named Yehoshua include: Gerónimo de Santa Fe (fl.

Jewish boy names starting with Z

ZabdielזבדיאלZabdiel is a male given name of Hebrew origin (זבדיאל), meaning "gift of God". Notable people with this name include: Zabdiel Adams (1739–1801), American theologian Zabdiel Boylston Adams (1829–1902), American surgeon Zabdiel Boylston (1679–1766), American…
ZalmanזלמןZalman (Yiddish: זלמן), occasionally Zalmen is a Yiddish-language variant of Solomon. The name was common among European Jews, and it still has usage in many Haredi and especially Hasidic communities.
Ze'evזאבZe'ev (Hebrew: זְאֵב, Zeév), also spelled Zeev or Zev, is a masculine given name of Hebrew origin meaning wolf. Diminutive forms of the name are Zevik and Ze'evik.
Zebi HirschẒZebi Hirsh or Zevi Hirsh is a Jewish masculine given name, a spelling variant of Tsvi-Hirsh.
Zev WolfזאבZev Wolf or Ze'ev Wolf (Yiddish: זאב־וואָלף) is a bilingual pleonasmic Jewish name doublet. "Ze'ev" (Hebrew: זאב, romanized: zeév) means "wolf", and "Wolf" has the same meaning in Yiddish and German.
ZviצביZvi (Hebrew: צְבִי and צבי, Tzvi, Ṣvi, "gazelle") is a Jewish masculine given name. It is sometimes paired with Hirsch, the German and Yiddish word for "deer", in a bilingual pleonasm.

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Frequently asked questions

How many Jewish boy names are in this list?

This list has 43 Jewish boy names, from Abba to Zvi, and 28 of them include the native spelling. Every entry comes with its meaning or origin, sourced from Wikipedia.

What are some well-known Jewish boy names?

Well-documented Jewish boy names include Dahn, Moshe, Tzvi, Aryeh Leib and Tsvi-Hirsh. Scroll the list above for the meaning and origin of each one.

How do I choose the best Jewish boy name?

Reading a list only gets you so far — comparing names head to head is faster. Play Name Duel with this set: it shows you two Jewish boy names at a time, and your choices eliminate names round by round until your personal top 10 remains.