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Forum -> Pregnancy & Childbirth -> Baby Names
Naming after someone not Jewish



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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 9:37 am
Before I ask a rabbi I am curious and just want to make sure this isn't a crazy or complicated question to ask.

One of my family members is a convert. It would make them feel very good for the baby to be named after their (not jewish) parent. This was a good person who did many good things in their life and people speak very well of.

Can you name a child after a not-jewish person? There is a very hebrew/biblical version of the name that I would use but is it OK to use that name if my specific purpose is to use the name because of someone not Jewish?
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amother
Tanzanite


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 9:53 am
I would say absolutely.
Another option might be using the person’s name doe the English/legal birth certificate name.
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amother
Dustypink


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 10:07 am
I don't think it's so simple.
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amother
Gardenia


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 10:09 am
You need to ask as you are naming after a neshama.
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amother
Calendula


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 10:10 am
I’m a geyoris and I would not do this.

I might consider English name after them. For example relative is Donald, English name Donald, and Hebrew Dovid after Dovid HaMelech.

Like pp said I think it’s very complicated and it’s for sure a shailah
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amother
Bone


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 10:51 am
Definitely AYLOR, but there is at least one precedent for naming after a nonJew.
May I present...Alexander.
Granted, the circumstances were unusual, it was a matter of national security, and it was a kohen gadol who instituted it. See https://www.chabad.org/library.....e.htm
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amother
Cornsilk


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 12:20 pm
Alexander is probably the most known instance where Jews named after a non-Jew
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amother
Hyacinth


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 12:25 pm
I would do what someone else suggested - put a Hebrew name with a Biblical figure and then the English name of this person. So let’s say the name is Babette then you can do Batsheva - she’s a Biblical figure, bonus points you can do Batsheva Esther for Rebbetzin Kanievsky too. That way your daughter would be named after a Biblical figure, and a gadol, and a lovely person who wasn’t Jewish.
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amother
OP


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 4:49 pm
Thank you everyone. I will ask a rabbi. We don't give "english" names we just put the same names on the birth certificate as the ones we call them. So basically I would be giving a hebrew version of this person's english name...

I'll come back and update what the rabbi says G-d willing in case anyone else is curious.
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sushilover




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 4:55 pm
I named after my grandmother who wasn't Jewish, but our rav said to have in mind the original biblical woman at the time of naming. So let's say the name is Sarah, we had Sarah Imeinu in mind at the kiddush.
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amother
Razzmatazz


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 4:57 pm
amother [ Calendula ] wrote:
I’m a geyoris and I would not do this.

I might consider English name after them. For example relative is Donald, English name Donald, and Hebrew Dovid after Dovid HaMelech.

Like pp said I think it’s very complicated and it’s for sure a shailah


The English name and the Hebrew name don't have to be related like Donald and David.

You can do Donald and name him Shimon if you'd like.

My children's all have completely random names on their birth certificates.
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amother
Daphne


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 4:59 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Thank you everyone. I will ask a rabbi. We don't give "english" names we just put the same names on the birth certificate as the ones we call them. So basically I would be giving a hebrew version of this person's english name...

I'll come back and update what the rabbi says G-d willing in case anyone else is curious.


So can you name after a gadol with the same name? And mention that it's also in this person's memory?
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allthingsblue




 
 
    
 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 5:15 pm
amother [ Daphne ] wrote:
So can you name after a gadol with the same name? And mention that it's also in this person's memory?


This
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amother
Calendula


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 5:34 pm
amother [ Razzmatazz ] wrote:
The English name and the Hebrew name don't have to be related like Donald and David.

You can do Donald and name him Shimon if you'd like.

My children's all have completely random names on their birth certificates.


Sure, I don’t think Donald and dovid are related.
My son also has an English name unrelated to his Hebrew name because his Hebrew name doesn’t translate well into English (like his Hebrew is Baruch and his English is Ryan , just examples ).
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amother
Chestnut


 

Post Wed, Oct 13 2021, 5:40 pm
Sure. My daughter has the name Elisheva after a non-Jewish Betty (Betty —> Elizabeth—> Elisheva), but we also had in mind Elisheva from Tanach and indirectly named after my grandfather Aharon (ishto kegufo) and my grandmother (wife of my grandfather Aharon, though her name wasn’t Elisheva).
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