It's All In The
Name
Our
Sages tell us that the name of an individual reflects his character and essence. It is what connects him
to his spiritual soul, serving as the conduit to his spiritual sustenance and
nourishment. Therefore, the giving of a name is a serious undertaking and involves
a
great responsibility. The Kabbalist Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (known as the
An HaKadosh) writes, "When a person is born and his father and mother
give him his name...the Holy One puts into their mouth the particular name
required for that soul."
My
Hebrew Name is My Real Name
The
Torah tells us that one of the reasons why God delivered the
Jewish people from their bondage in
Egypt, was that they did not alter their Jewish identities, particularly, their Jewish
names. Indeed, throughout history, Jews have always taken pride in their Jewish
names.
Our Sages tell us that in the merit of maintaining our Hebrew names we will help hasten the final
redemption in our times.
Who
Gets to Choose?
The
parents of the child are the ones to choose the infant's name. The giving of the name should be by agreement
of both
parents. However,
if the parents disagree on a name and they live in a place where
there is no established custom, a common solution is for the name to be chosen in an alternating
order. The father chooses the name for the first child, the mother for the second, and
the father for the
third, etc.
Naming After Someone
Some
people name their child after a relative, such as a grandparent or
great-grandparent, to perpetuate the deceased person's memory. Some choose to name their child after a
great Jewish leader or a
Biblical figure. Still others choose a Hebrew name simply for its meaning, for example "Chaim" which means
"life" or "Simcha"
which means "happiness."
Customs
vary concerning naming a child after a relative who is
still
living. Sephardim (Jews of Spanish or Middle Eastern decent) readily name their children after
living relatives, whereas Ashkenazim (Jews of Polish, Russian, or German decent) name their children
only after someone who has passed away.
It
is the custom among Chassidim to name their children after their Rebbe and Rebbetzin. In such cases
no other names are appended.
In
all cases we do not announce the name of the child until after the Bris ceremony for a boy, or naming ceremony for a girl.
Click on the index below to see a list of some
common Hebrew names, their
meaning and origin.
