Modern Hebrew Name as an English Name?

amother

Brown

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 7:15 am

So we give our kids English names; however, as long as ots pronounceable and not unheard of in America we would have no problem using a Greek name, Russian name, French name, etc. That being said were extremely right wing and modern Hebrew names dont go in our society. We live the name Noa for a girl, which is not acceptable where we live and we name after relatives so were considering using it as a legal name. What do you think of that concept?

imasinger

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 7:32 am

So, you intend to give your child a Jewish name, but feel that s/he should also have an "English" name for the birth certificate, and the name you are considering is modern Israeli, which you would not use in your community IRL, correct?

The question I have is, why are you giving your kids a "birth certificate" name that there is no real intention of them using? If it's to avoid antisemitism when dealing with the secular world or some such, then you might not want to choose a name that's obviously Israeli? But maybe I'm missing something.

amother

Dodgerblue

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 7:36 am

Noa is not a modern Hebrew name. It's in Chumash.
Why give a different name on the birth certificate? It just causes confusion.

Ruchel

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 7:59 am

It's a tradition mamash in some circles for centuries if not more. http://judaisme.sdv.fr/histoir.....x.htm

That said, modern Hebrew names as civil and Yiddish etc as religious confuses me. I know a Shoshana whose Jewish name is Raizel. I know a few others. The worse for me is like, Judith as civil and Bracha as Hebrew - what?

Brownies

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 8:20 am

Noa is a name in Tanach so I don’t see how it can be called modern. Having said that a non-Jewish woman I know (Irish Catholic but not religious) recently called her daughter Noa. It’s not an uncommon girls’ name in Spain either so it’s not necessarily obviously Israeli to people who don’t know its origin.

grace413

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 8:23 am

I have a birth certificate name and a "real" name and it's a major pain.

And I know it was said already but Noa is a name from Chumash. IMHO not a great name for a girl in an English speaking country

amother

Seafoam

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 8:33 am

I think Noa is a fine name in English speaking circles. Miley Cyrus’s little sister is named Noah. I will say, many associate Noa as a boy’s name but so many parents are giving their daughters traditionally male names (Jessica Simpson named her daughter James and I personally know a little girl named Pattersyn) that I don’t think it’d be a “weird” name.

amother

Fuchsia

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 9:22 am

Any jewish name that is too difficult to pronounce, I give a legal name. Ex- moshe=marc. Chana=hanna. Tzvi=Steven. Rochel=Rachel.

nchr

Fri, Jan 11 2019, 9:35 am

I have a legal name and it's so useful. I use it even more than my actual name because I work so much. My legal name is totally part of my identity. Some frum ppl only use their Hebrew name for religious purposes as well. Anyways, I have a friend with a daughter named Ettel in English and Ettel is a Yiddish name but her Hebrew name is actually Esther. Btw Noa for a girl is totally fine in English speaking countries.

salt

Sun, Jan 13 2019, 4:38 am

Sounds silly to me to give a Hebrew biblical name as an English name, and then a different Hebrew name as a Hebrew name.
And if you're going to use the name Noa as a secular name, wouldn't Americans think that is Noah, as in Noah's Ark?
Then they'll wonder why you're giving her a male name?

Harried mama

Sun, Jan 13 2019, 8:27 am

What everyone else said.
1. Noa is in the Torah and is not modern.
2. As an English name, Noa(h) sounds like a boy's name (to me at least).

amother

Brown

Sun, Jan 13 2019, 9:24 am

I know Noa is a Torah name, but its unacceptable in my community. It's a very upcoming trendy girl name in the US and is hardly ever used for boys. That being said, I thought it may be funny to use a Hebrew name as a secular name and it sounds like many people here dont get it. Hope this clarifies a bit.

skee

Sun, Jan 13 2019, 9:31 am

amother wrote:

It really depends on your reason for giving a secular name. Most people I know who give a secular name do so because they want a name that is easy for people to pronounce and recognize in secular settings. If that is your reason and you think Noa is becoming a well-known secular name then I don't think the fact that it is Hebrew matters.