Israel's Top Baby Names

Posted on: June 27th, 2017\""by Ruth Fitzpatrick

Benjamin, Hannah, Sarah and Elijah: we love Old Testament Names here in the States, and that's before we even mention Noah! Given that we're always on the lookout for something a little new or unique, we thought it would be interesting today to have a look through Israel's top names and see if we can spot a new breakthrough name-star!

The Girls

Tamar Tamar would be an extremely special and exotic name to give your daughter. It means 'date palm tree', and has never yet made it into the US top 1000, where the Russian Tamara has seen more exposure. Still, we think this could be a hit!

Adele Adele has French origins and is the diminutive of the much less elegant Adelaide. It means 'noble, nobility', and now is inescapably associated with the British songstress.

Miriam Miriam means 'wished-for child', which could be an incredibly profound choice. It was relegated somewhat as an "old-fashioned" name, but it could make a comeback.

Sarah Meaning 'princess', Sarah has been a solid choice in America for over a century.

Avigail We absolutely love, love, love this name! A really sassy, playful and unique alternative to Abigail, we are totally ready to see this name in America!

Noa First made an appearance in the US top 1000 in 2014, and is currently ranked #728. It is an incredibly beautiful name, meaning 'movement, motion'. But given the popularity of its hyper-popular brother, Noah, we're not sure we're going to see Noa making too much of an impact over the next couple of years.

Shira We love this name and think it could definitely do well here. A more exotic alternative to Sarah, Shira means 'my song'.

Talia Talia is just about as sweet a name as you can find. It means 'gentle dew from heaven' and has seen some modest success in the US. It is much simpler and more playful than the longer (and more popular) Natalia, and we can really see this getting a lot more attention soon.

Yael Could provide some initial confusion here in the States, as it is pronounced as two syllables: yah-ehl. It has a beautiful meaning – 'to ascend' – but it is difficult to see it making much of an impact here.

Leah Leah means 'weary', but it doesn't look like American parents will be growing weary of this name any time soon. Although it has seen a slight drop in use over the last couple of years, it's still experiencing huge popularity and wide appeal.

The Boys

Mohammed Meaning 'greatly praised', this Arabic name is one of the most popular among Muslim parents. Last year in the States, just over 450 Mohammeds were born, but the name has no cross-cultural or cross-religious appeal at present.

Yosef / Yusef The Hebrew for Joseph, Yosef could find favor with American parents looking for something a little more exotic while still staying traditional. It was a much airier and intellectual feel compared to your usual Joe.

David Meaning 'beloved' in Hebrew, this name is also beloved in the US: it's been in our top 20 since 1928!

Daniel Daniel is another firm favorite in America and last year was our 13th most commonly chosen boy's name. It means 'God is my judge', and has a huge amount of cross-cultural appeal.

Uri / Ori Pronounced YOOR-ee or OO-ree, this boy's name could possibly make the crossover to the US. It means 'my flame, my light', and we at Nameslist have a slight preference for the Ori spelling. Ori could also be used as a unique girl's name too.

Omer Meaning 'sheaf of corn' in Hebrew is a highly symbolic name in Judaism, but it's unlikely to make much of an effect here in the US. It is too similar to Omar, and Arabic name meaning 'eloquent', and has been in the top 250 every year here since 1973.

Eitan Pronounced AY-than, Eitan is the Hebrew variant of Ethan. We could also see it making a brilliant and unusual alternative to the super-popular Aiden.

Ariel Ariel is #500 in the US, but it's hard to see it making too much more of an impact. It is a very beautiful name, meaning 'lion of God', but it is now primarily used as a girl's name here in the States.

Noam – Noam means 'pleasantness, charm, tenderness' in Hebrew, and is woefully underused here in the use. Given the megastar status of the similar sounding Noah, Noam could be a breath of fresh air.

Adam Adam has lost some of its appeal here in the States, but it is still a solid choice for many parents. It is the name of the Biblical first man, and means 'son of the red earth' in Hebrew.

Tags :
Baby Names Israel Baby Names Baby Naming Ideas Baby Naming Inspiration Israel Names
Perhaps These Names Deserve Some Attention?