Naming traditions of the Jewish people
by Elizabeth Henderson
The names that we give to our children help form part of their identity. Names have also been used to attract admirable characteristics in individuals. The Jewish culture attaches significance to the names picked for the infants. The culture provides guidelines for every Jewish family on how to come up with meaningful names for the babies. The Jewish race is one of the most spread out races in the world having been scared over Europe before the Holocaust. However, the community maintains its naming traditions and culture as part of its identity. The rules maybe a little different in form between the Jewish in diaspora and those who reside in the land of Israel; however, they follow the same pattern. The naming culture is an old-age tradition among the Jewish people and continues to be practiced even among those in Europe and America.
The Jewish people name their children after their relatives. The only difference is that one group gives names in honor of departed relatives while another group name after the living relatives. The Ashkenazic Jews, Jews of Eastern and Central Europe, name after the deceased relatives. On the other hand, the Sephardic Jews, Jews from Middle East, name after living relatives. In fact, the practice of naming after living relatives is so common among the Sephardic Jews that the older relatives would look forward to having children named after them while they still breath. The Jewish people believe that naming their children after senior family members would inspire desirable attributes and character. Furthermore, the soul of the individual, once departed, would live on through the child. This practice encouraged people to live honorable lives. I am sure no mother wanted to name her baby after a person with questionable character. Therefore, the senior members of the family would hold themselves the highest standards if they wanted their memories to live on even after they are gone. What a wonderful way to promote desirable cultural values. I think if the rest of the cultures would borrow this tradition, many of us would live out a life of value.
The root of these names is found in the personal attributes of the people to which they have been given. Even though the Jewish names are obtained from the relatives, they have inner meanings ascribed to them. The Jewish people developed this tradition from creation. According to the book of Midrash, equivalent of Genesis, Adam named animals and plants based on their attributes. These people follow this tradition keenly because of their close identity to the bible. For example, the names Abir and Abira are for male and female babies respectively. This name means strong. A mother would give this name to the baby after observing the nature of the baby. Her intention would be to encourage the baby to grow up to be a strong pillar for the family. Adina is a Hebrew name that means beautiful. Surely, a mother would choose this name to demonstrate the beauty of the baby. Similarly, Adina would be used for baby girls with long slender frames. This is because the name means slender.
The baby names are also picked based on the circumstance of birth. Women, and indeed the whole family, undergo different circumstances leading to the birth of new members. These circumstances also influence the choice of names. Some women have had to grapple with fertility issues that have for a long time denied them the opportunity to be mothers. You cannot imagine the joy of such a mother when she finally conceives. An example of such a woman in the Jewish history is Hannah. According to history, this woman remained barren for so long that her co-wife despised her. She spent several days in the Synagogue praying and seeking Yahweh to intervene in her situation. Finally, he responded and gave her a baby boy. She named him Samuel, meaning heard by God. Like Hannah Hebrew women have many choices of names to give to children who are born under special circumstances. The names Abbie, Abby, and Abbey all mean one thing; father rejoices. Their male counterparts include Abisha and Abijah both of which mean the Lord is my father. The significance of these names is such that they are mostly applicable in cases where families have had to seek the face of God for the miracle of a baby. Today, the name Abby is among the most popular names in the US and in the world even among the non-Jews. Indeed, it is a beautiful, simple, and elegant name. Nevertheless, I surely hope that all those who have picked this name for their children first took the time to understand its inner meaning.
The Jewish naming tradition has a strict timeline. The naming is done at different time for both the baby girls and baby boys. After birth, the baby girl is taken for Torah reading. This ceremony is presided over by the Rabbi in the presence of the family members. The grandparents and the Rabbi both have the duty to confess blessings upon the life of the little one. The baby boy is given the name during the covenant of circumcision. This means that the name is part of the covenant. The reverence for the God of Jacob is demonstrated by bringing the baby before him for blessing and guidance. In this culture, circumcision is a physical demonstration of the relationship that they have with the God of their fore fathers. The baby is given the name during this ceremony to invite God to affirm the desirable attributes that the name is supposed to bring. During the ceremony, they invite the spirit of God to descend and dwell upon the new member of the family. Other than the circumcision, the name is part of covenant between the boy and God.
The Jewish people have an elaborate naming system that spans centuries and centuries. Even though they were scared all over, the traditions have remained intact albeit with little variations. Even today, the still follow the same norms that were practice by their ancestors when it comes to naming. For example, circumcision is a concept that was practiced by Abraham after his encounter with God. His descendants have made it part of their culture as they continue to honor the covenant he made by God. Naming and circumcision ceremony are practice on the same day as they observe the covenant.
