What would you put on the birth certificate? (US)

mommy3b2c

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 12:36 am

I would write whatever name I liked. The English name does not have to match the Jewish name. Mine doesn't.

agreer

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 1:32 am

I would do the Hebrew name plus an English name.

Chana Hannah Kohn (sample last name)
Chaya Cindy Kohn
Eta Edith/Elizabeth Kohn
Batya Beth/Betty Kohn

Or reverse the order of the names so English is first and hebrew is second. That way, if someone can't read the hebrew they can always say the english, or if your child chooses to go by the English later in life, they can.

amother

Royalblue

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 1:33 am

Another person with a "ch" name here - it's ridiculously annoying and frustrating. Spelling your name multiple times a day, no one at any doctors office, bank, airport, or anywhere has the slightest idea of how to pronounce it. English names please!!

amother

Purple

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 1:36 am

amother wrote:

Wouldn't a Hebrew name without a "ch" be just as good?

amother

Amber

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 1:48 am

amother wrote:

Wouldn't a Hebrew name without a "ch" be just as good?

I was thinking the same thing.

I "call" (and legally named my daughter) Rebecca. She's Rivka for 'all the Jewish stuff'.

If I was planning on calling her Rivka on a daily basis - I'd put that on her birth certificate.

I know some people feel very strongly about using the 'Jewish name' (something about Mitzrayim) so if that is a motivation, then using a different legal name seems 'off' to me.

etky

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 2:44 am

Hannah is not an anglicized version of חנה . It is the correct transliteration of the name into English according to the rules of the Hebrew Academy and it is used in all translations of Tanach that I am familiar with.
Using CH to represent the chet is a popular, but not standard method.

amother

Amber

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 3:03 am

etky wrote:

Point taken. Popular method. I think the transliteration under the Hebrew Academy method would be "Hanna" though.

etky

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 3:33 am

amother wrote:

Point taken. Popular method. I think the transliteration under the Hebrew Academy method would be "Hanna" though.

I'm not familiar with all the rules so I can't say why, but it's always spelled Hannah in the translations- Jewish and otherwise - that I am familiar with (NJPS, Artscroll, Chabad, NRSV etc.). Maybe to reflect the closing 'hey'?
Personally though I prefer Hanna and that is how we decided to spell our DD's name.

1091

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 7:11 am

amother wrote:

That would be Kaya. She's native American.

Maybe. Had a coworker whose daughter was definitely Caia and I thought was a great idea since they both start with C. She's Indonesian. Her husband was American.

Aylat

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 7:24 am

amother wrote:

Point taken. Popular method. I think the transliteration under the Hebrew Academy method would be "Hanna" though.

Don't think so because it ends with a 'ה' therefore 'h' at end.
Not an expert though.

greenfire

Sun, Jul 09 2017, 5:47 pm

I just use their names ... that's why I named them