Hebrew Baby Names
Explore 553 hebrew names, each with its own meaning, history, and pronunciation. Find one that carries the stories you want your child to grow up with.
Hebrew names underpin a surprising proportion of English and European naming. David, John, Mary, Daniel, Sarah, Elizabeth, Samuel, Rachel, and Rebecca are all Hebrew. The newer Hebrew names travelling internationally (Eliana, Ezra, Noam, Asher) return directly to those ancient roots.
A short history
Hebrew naming is one of the oldest continuous traditions on earth. The Hebrew Bible records names used 3,000 years ago that are still in active use today. Hebrew names fall into several types: theophoric (naming God, as in Daniel, 'God is my judge'), nature-based (Jonah, 'dove'), and virtue-based (Asher, 'happy').
Naming traditions
Ashkenazi Jewish families traditionally name children after deceased relatives (a first letter, a name, or the full name). Sephardi Jewish families often name after living relatives. Israeli naming has added a strong modern Hebrew layer: Liora, Amit, Ori, Shai.
Sound and style
Hebrew names tend to stress the final syllable in the original but are often anglicised to stress the first. The guttural 'ch' of names like Chaim or Chanukah is almost always softened in international use.
Keshet
“Rainbow”
Keshet is a Hebrew name meaning "rainbow," a symbol of beauty, hope, and divine promise. In the Hebrew Bible, the rainbow appears as a sign of the covenant between God and humanity after the great flood. The name carries powerful connotations of renewal, diversity, and the beauty that follows life's storms.
Keturah
“Incense, fragrance”
Keturah is a Hebrew name meaning 'incense' or 'fragrance', evoking the sweet-scented offerings of ancient worship. In the Bible, Keturah was the wife of Abraham after the death of Sarah, and she bore him six sons. The name carries an air of quiet elegance and ancient beauty.
Kineret
“Harp, Sea of Galilee”
From Hebrew, Kineret refers both to a harp-like shape and is the ancient Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee, Israel's largest freshwater lake. The lake's name is thought to derive from its harp or lyre shape as seen from above. A lyrical, geographic name with deep roots in the landscape and history of the Land of Israel.
Kinneret
“Harp-shaped sacred lake”
Kinneret is the Hebrew name for the Sea of Galilee, derived from the Hebrew word 'kinnor' meaning 'harp,' as the sea's shape resembles that instrument. The name carries connotations of beauty, music, and the sacred landscape of ancient Israel.
Kochava
“Star”
Kochava comes directly from the Hebrew word 'kochav' meaning 'star,' with the feminine ending '-a.' It is a name that evokes celestial brilliance, guidance, and the beauty of the night sky.
Lael
“Belonging to God”
Lael is a biblical Hebrew name meaning 'belonging to God' or 'devoted to God,' composed of the preposition 'le' (to/for) and 'El' (God). It expresses a life dedicated to the divine.
Lapid
“Torch or flame”
Lapid comes from the Hebrew word 'lapid' meaning 'torch' or 'flame,' symbolizing light, illumination, and fervent energy. It is a bold name evoking the image of a blazing torch cutting through darkness.
Leah
“Weary, meadow”
From the Hebrew Le'ah, most commonly interpreted as 'weary' or 'tired', though an alternative Akkadian derivation suggests 'cow' (a symbol of fertility), and an Assyrian connection gives 'mistress' or 'ruler'. Some scholars also link it to the Hebrew for 'meadow'.
Lev
“Heart”
From Hebrew meaning heart. In Jewish thought, the heart is the seat of wisdom, understanding, and moral intention, not merely emotion. A short, powerful name that goes directly to the essence of what it means to be human. Lev also exists as a Russian name meaning lion, adding further strength to its character.
Levana
“White, moon”
Levana is a Hebrew name meaning white or the moon, derived from the Hebrew root lavan meaning white. The moon holds deep significance in the Jewish tradition, where the lunar calendar governs religious festivals and the new moon, Rosh Chodesh, marks the beginning of each month. Levana is a luminous, celestial name that evokes purity, light in darkness, and the quiet beauty of the night sky.
Levi
“Joined, attached”
Levi comes from the Hebrew word meaning 'joined' or 'attached,' expressing a deep bond of connection. In the Bible, Leah names her third son Levi, hoping that her husband Jacob will at last feel joined to her.
Levona
“Frankincense”
Levona is derived from the Hebrew word 'levonah' meaning 'frankincense,' the fragrant resin used in ancient Temple worship and sacred rituals. The name evokes purity, holiness, and the sweet fragrance of devotion.
Liat
“You are mine”
Liat is a Hebrew name meaning you are mine, expressing the intimate bond and deep belonging between a parent and child. The name is distinctly Israeli and is rarely found outside Hebrew-speaking communities, which gives it a particular sense of authenticity and cultural rootedness. Its meaning is tender and possessive in the most loving sense, suggesting that a child is precious, claimed, and cherished. The name is short, strong, and melodic, with a clarity that makes it immediately striking.
Libi
“My heart”
Libi is a Hebrew name meaning my heart, derived from 'lev' or 'lib', the Hebrew word for heart, combined with the first-person possessive suffix 'i', meaning my. The heart in Hebrew culture represents not merely the physical organ but the seat of emotion, intention, and the deepest self. When parents name a daughter Libi, they are giving her a name that says, in its entirety: she is my heart, the centre of my love and my being. It is one of the most intimate and tender names in the Hebrew tradition, a direct declaration of the boundless love parents feel for their child. Short, sweet, and euphonious, Libi is gaining recognition beyond Jewish communities for its warmth and simplicity.
Lihi
“She is mine”
Lihi is a modern Hebrew name derived from the root 'li' (to me/mine) and 'hi' (she/her), or alternatively interpreted as meaning 'she is mine' or 'my vitality.' Some trace it to the Hebrew word for jawbone ('lechi'), though in modern usage it is simply embraced as a lyrical, distinctly Israeli name.
Lilli
“Lily flower, pledged to God”
Lilli is a German and Scandinavian variant of Lily, with two underlying threads: the lily flower itself, long a symbol of purity and beauty across Western art, and the Hebrew Elisheba meaning pledged to God, which gives Lilli its position as a short form of Elizabeth across Northern European traditions. The double-l spelling and the soft -i ending give it a clean modern look while preserving the classical roots of the wider Lily family.
Limor
“Myrrh, fragrant resin”
Limor comes from the Hebrew root meaning 'myrrh' or 'fragrant resin,' evoking sweetness and preciousness. It is a modern Hebrew name that emerged in Israel in the 20th century.
Lior
“My light”
Lior is a modern Hebrew name composed of the elements li, meaning mine or belonging to me, and or, meaning light, creating the intimate and poetic meaning of my light. It is one of Israel's most popular unisex names, appreciated for its simplicity, its warmth, and the personal tenderness of claiming light as one's own. The name belongs to a family of Hebrew names using or, light, as a core element, reflecting the profound significance of light in Jewish thought and tradition.
Liora
“My light”
Liora is a modern Hebrew name meaning "my light" or "light unto me." It is composed of the Hebrew elements li ("to me" or "my") and or ("light"), creating a name of intimate luminosity. Unlike more general light-related names, Liora carries a possessive warmth, suggesting a personal, cherished radiance. It is a name that feels both poetic and deeply tender.
Liraz
“I have a secret, my mystery”
Liraz is a modern Hebrew name combining 'li' (meaning 'for me' or 'I have') and 'raz' (meaning 'secret' or 'mystery'), thus conveying the sense of 'I have a secret' or 'my mystery.' It is a poetic, introspective name popular in contemporary Israel.
Liron
“My song, my joy”
Liron is a modern Hebrew name formed from 'li', meaning 'to me' or 'my', and 'ron', meaning song, joy, or exultation. Together the name expresses a deeply personal sense of delight: my song, my joy. It is a distinctly Israeli name that emerged in the 20th century as Hebrew was revived as a living language. The name's musicality and gender-neutral quality make it appealing to parents seeking something both meaningful and contemporary.
Lital
“Dew is mine, I have dew”
Lital is a modern Hebrew name meaning 'dew is mine' or 'I have dew,' combining 'li' (mine/I have) and 'tal' (dew). Dew in Hebrew tradition symbolizes freshness, renewal, and divine blessing.
Livnat
“White, pure”
Livnat derives from the Hebrew root 'lavan,' meaning 'white' or 'pure,' and is linguistically related to the name Lebanon and the word for the moon. It conveys purity, brightness, and clarity.
Maayan
“Spring, wellspring”
Maayan comes from the Hebrew word for a natural spring or wellspring of water. In the arid landscapes of the ancient Near East, springs were not merely geographical features but sources of life, sacred gathering points, and symbols of divine blessing. A wellspring sustains the land around it, flowing constantly and reliably. The name thus carries connotations of life-giving abundance, clarity, and an inexhaustible inner resource. As a unisex name, Maayan has a flowing, natural quality that transcends conventional gendering.
Mahalat
“Lyre, dance, or forgiveness”
Mahalat is an ancient Hebrew name of uncertain but debated etymology, possibly meaning 'lyre,' 'dance,' or 'sickness/forgiveness.' It appears in the Bible as the name of a daughter of Ishmael who became a wife of Esau, and also as a musical term in Psalm headings.
Mahli
“Weak, my dance”
Mahli is a biblical Hebrew name meaning 'weak,' 'sick,' or 'my dance,' derived from the root 'halah.' In the Bible, Mahli was a grandson of Levi and an ancestor of the Levitical clan of Mahlites, indicating priestly lineage.
Majken
“Beloved, wished-for child”
Majken is a Danish and Swedish girls' name, a Scandinavian short form of Mary related to the Latin and Hebrew Maria. The traditional reading interprets Majken through the broader Mary family meaning of beloved or wished-for child, with the soft Scandinavian phonetic shape giving it a distinctive Northern European register. The two clean syllables travel cleanly into English-speaking use without significant pronunciation friction.
Malachai
“My messenger, my angel”
Malachai is a variant spelling of Malachi, a Hebrew name meaning 'my messenger' or 'my angel,' from 'malach' (messenger/angel) and the possessive suffix 'i.' Malachi was the last of the Hebrew prophets, and the book bearing his name closes the Old Testament.
Malachi
“My messenger”
Malachi derives from the Hebrew mal'akhi, meaning 'my messenger' or 'my angel', carrying a sense of divine purpose and communication.
Malka
“Queen”
Malka is a Hebrew name meaning queen, from the root m-l-k, one of the most significant roots in Semitic languages, encompassing the concepts of kingship, sovereignty, and divine rule. The name has been used in Jewish communities for centuries, carrying an air of dignity and regal authority. It is associated with strong, celebrated women in Jewish tradition, and its simplicity and directness give it a timeless strength. In modern Israel the name remains in use, appreciated for its rootedness in the Hebrew language.
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