Girls name for Zlata?

amother

Bronze

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 4:02 am

My husband and I are Gd willing expecting a little girl. We have decided on Hodaya as the first name, and are hoping that the middle name is named after his grandmother. Her Hebrew name was Zlata, which means golden. That name really doesn’t appeal to us and obviously Zehava would be a good alternative, but I feel like it might be too many “ah” sounds. Any other suggestions of how we can name after Zlata? We live in Israel and are in a DL community. We’re both baalei teshuvah.

salt

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 4:22 am

Are you planning on actually using the name. ie calling her by both names all the time? Because if so, I'm not sure Zehava will go down so well in dati-leumi Israeli circles.
I'm not sure the ah ending makes a difference. I just think Zehava is considered a little old fashioned.
If you're planning on going by Hodaya most of the time, and just her name officially being Hodaya Zehava, I think that's fine.

Other names I can think of, are Ziv, Ziva, Zohar - they all begin with Z, and mean bright or shining (maybe reminds one of gold, or is that a little far-fetched?)

Other names that sound a little like Zlata - Tali, Lital, Tal - similar letters, with the Z.

Teomima

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 5:05 am

Regarding salt's post, I'm also part of a DL community in Israel, and we named one of our daughters a VERY non-traditional name for our circles, though common in charedi ones, because it was appropriate to the situation and both we and people around us have gotten used to it. I wouldn't avoid a name just because it's uncommon to your circles.

Both our first children have three names that all end in "ah". It doesn't sound weird. The only time their full names are used anyways is by me, when I'm reprimanding them Smile

That's assuming you won't be calling her by both names regularly, which I wouldn't assume you plan on if you're DL.

So in short, I say if the name fits, and you can't think of anything else you like better, then just go for it!

salt

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 5:17 am

Teomima wrote:

OK you're right. I guess a name just grows with the person. So it just never sounds weird, because that's just them because it's always been them.

Teomima

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 5:19 am

salt wrote:

OK you're right. I guess a name just grows with the person. So it just never sounds weird, because that's just them because it's always been them.

Yup. I mean, I give you credit, it really is weird at first, people sometimes do a bit of a double-take and for a while dh and I would just turn to eachother and say, did we REALLY name our daughter that?? But it totally grows on her, and you, and now I could never dream of a more appropriate name for her.

salt

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 6:25 am

Teomima wrote:

Now I'm really curious as to what her name is. Something like Chaya or Nechama, or something mor 'charedi' than that?

Ruchel

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 7:38 am

Zahava.
ah isn't a bad sound.
Golda? Paz (I detest but...)?
I happen to like Zlata. I've seen Zlota.
Now Zahava isn't modern enough? Urgh. It's so modern.

Teomima

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 7:52 am

salt wrote:

Now I'm really curious as to what her name is. Something like Chaya or Nechama, or something mor 'charedi' than that?

Both those names (and the name Zahava as well) I actually consider more DL, albeit on the traditional side. In fact, one of those is the middle name of one of my daughters. But no, the first name of the daughter I was referring to I would consider more charedi than those, though still Hebrew (as opposed to Yiddish).

amother

Honeydew

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 7:56 am

I was told not to use a full name to reprimand, makes the kid hate their name (I am guilty nevertheless).

I've had a name picked out and then when the baby arrives it's just not "right", so it is a good idea to be flexible.

If Zehava is too old fashioned then I guess Goldie and Gilda would also be no good right?

amother

Bronze

Mon, Oct 23 2017, 8:03 am

Thank you everyone! I guess you're right, we will only be calling her by her first name, so it doesn't matter that much how they flow. Although I do wish it was one of those names that just flowed off the tongue. I happen to like the name Zahava, I just wasn't sure about the combination of the two. I also know that we pronounce it the American way rather than the Israeli way with a different emphasis on the syllables, so I hope it sounds ok to a native Hebrew speaker as well.