Question about name - Menachem Mendel

amother

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 9:14 pm

We are having another boy b'h. We would like to name him after after my great grandfather Menachem Mendel who passed away in Auschwitz. Since we would add a name and didn't really want to give 3 names, I am wondering if the name is actually just Menachem and Mendel is the Yiddish version - or nickname- or would I be chopping off part of the name by removing Mendel?

Thanks!

mltjm

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 9:40 pm

As far as I know, they are two separate names. I've also always learned/heard/whatever that if you are naming after somebody, the best kibud is to use the exact name, with out chopping it up or 'translating' it. My brother also has Menachem Mendel plus another name. He goes by his other name. Never seemed like a big deal to him.

LiLIsraeli

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 10:13 pm

mltjm wrote:

However, when naming after somebody who died young or in an unnatural way, there is an inyan to either add or subtract a name. I think this is a question for a rav.

aidelmaidel

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 10:50 pm

They usually go together because one "tempers" the other. Also usually most are naming after the tzemach tzedek, the lubavitcher rebbe, or the kotsk rebbe. I would add something like chaim or alter, but ask a rov.

lovely1

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 11:32 pm

I have a cousin that was named Menachem at his bris, and he calls himself Mendel.

healthywoman

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 11:40 pm

I always thought it was a yiddish and hebrew version kinda like tzvi hersh or dov ber.

someoneoutthere

Mon, Jul 11 2011, 11:52 pm

It's the yiddish/hebrew equivalents, though they don't necessarily mean the same thing. There are a number of Menachems out there who go by Mendel. It's like the names Alexander Sender.

As for naming after one of the kedoshim from the war- There are various opinions. Some hold that you should add a name. Others hold that for a kadosh, even though they died in unnatural circumstances, you do not add a name.
I'd ask your Rav, or Rebbe, or Rosh Yeshiva what they say.

Raisin

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 5:24 am

aidelmaidel wrote:

not always after a rebbe. My dh's zaide was MM, and he was not chabad. It's a pretty common name, even among non chassidim.

Someone on imamother has a kid named menachem but she calls him Mendy.

aidelmaidel

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 10:56 am

Raisin wrote:

aidelmaidel wrote:

not always after a rebbe. My dh's zaide was MM, and he was not chabad. It's a pretty common name, even among non chassidim.

Someone on imamother has a kid named menachem but she calls him Mendy.

you are right that it's a common name, but I've seen many times that Zayde (or alter-zayde) is usually named for the Tzemach Tzedek or Menachem Mendel of Kotsk...

StrawberrySmoothie

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 11:00 am

someoneoutthere wrote:

Just curious, what does each name mean then?

Ruchel

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 1:44 pm

Menachem is comforter.
Mendel is little man.
Equivalent is by sound.

The combo is OLD, older than the rebbeim.

amother

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 1:44 pm

menachem mendel was my great-grandfather and we have/had no connections to chassidus. so there are lots of little menachem mendels in our family. a few of them did the nickname nachie.

amother

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 1:56 pm

OP here -
I was not aware that some do not add a name for kedoshim. I guess we will have to ask about that.

amother

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 2:00 pm

amother wrote:

OP here -
I was not aware that some do not add a name for kedoshim. I guess we will have to ask about that.

Another reason I heard that people don't add names to someone who died in the holocaust is that it wasn't due to his personal bad mazel, rather it was a general gezeirah on the klal. So his name doesn't have bad mazel.

Ruchel

Tue, Jul 12 2011, 2:34 pm

It is really a shaila in all cases. In my /dh's family we do not (have to) add ever.

Tal

Wed, Jul 13 2011, 9:25 am

Rav Schach's name was Elazar Menachem Man. I was told by someone who was very close to him (and named a son after him) that the original name was Menachem Mendel and his mother didn't want such a long name so it was shortened to man. (or Mon or Men whichever spelling u choose).

Alexander Sender are not 2 names. Alexander is usually shortened in 2 ways. Either the first half or second. Alex or Sender. (some even spell it Aleksander).

If you call a son Menachem Mendy or only Mendy most people will associate the name with Chabad. If you don't want that Menachem is a popular name among non chassidim.

Mazal tov! and good luck!!

amother

Wed, Jul 13 2011, 12:10 pm

My father's called Menachem (born rosh chodesh menachem av) He's called up to the torah as menachem but is known by everyone as mendel. I think it's a yiddish translation.