An important part of the Bris ceremony is the announcement of the Jewish (Hebrew, Yiddish or Ladino) name you have chosen for your child. Naming ceremonies for girls include the Zeved Ha-Bat (Gift of a Daughter) ceremony which consists of a few verses from the Song of Songs, the naming prayer and Psalm 128. Alternatively, one might celebrate the birth of a girl with a Simchat Bat (Joy of a Daughter) ceremony. It is said that in ancient times one of the reasons the Jews were redeemed from Egypt was because they did not give up their Hebrew names. Ashkenazic Jews (usually of Eastern or Central European descent) traditionally name their sons after someone who has passed on, thereby honoring the memory of the departed; Sephardic Jews (usually of Western European or Middle Eastern descent) traditionally name their sons after living grandparents.
There are only a few rules (very strong customs and/or superstitions) that should be followed when naming a baby:
Also, there is no "J" sound in Hebrew. Names that begin with a "J" in English will usually take a name that begins with "Y" in Hebrew. Similarly, Hebrew grammar does not permit a word to begin with an "F" sound. So if one is naming after a Francis, Frank or Fred, the choices are rather limited. In Hebrew, the closest sound-alike is Ephraim and in Yiddish, Fishel, Feitel, Feivish or Feivel could be used. There is no "W" sound in Hebrew; names that begin with a "W" in English will usually take a name that begins with "V" in Hebrew or Yiddish. For example, William, Will and Walter might be Velvel* or Volf*.
Among the most popular biblical Hebrew names for a boy are: Moshe, Chaim, Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov, Reuven, Daveed, Tzvi, Yosef and Shemuel.
Among the most popular biblical Hebrew names for a girl are: Sarah, Miriam, Chanah, Chaya, Esther, Leah, Rachel, Devorah, Yehudit and Rivka.
Transposed Names (Girls to Boys): Bat-Tziyon (Ben-Tziyon), Davida (Daveed) , Elana (Elan), Malka (Melech), Meira (Meir), Shelomit (Shelomo), Shemuela (Shemuel), Yaakova (Ya'akov), Yehudit, (Yehudah), Yisraela (Yisrael), Yosefa (Yosef)
There are many popular names today which were not common several years ago and many old-fashioned names which are enjoying a renaissance. Here are a list of these names with suggestions for what Hebrew/Jewish names they might take.
Alec: Alon (oak), Alter* (old one), Alexander (protector of men)
Blake, Brandon, Brett: Baruch (blessed), Barak (lightning), Ben-Tziyon (son of Zion), Ber* (bear), Berel* (little bear), Bezalel (in the shadow of G-d), Binyamin (son of the right hand), Boaz (fleetness)
Charles, Chase, Chandler: Chaim (life), Chanoch (dedicate), Chaviv (beloved), Chizkiya (strength of G-d)
Cody: Kalman (merciful), Kidor (generation)
Dylan: Dan (judge), Doron (gift), Dov (bear)
Gregory: Gershon (Moses' son), Gedalia (Greatness of G-d), Gavriel (Hero of G-d)
Harrison, Harry: Herschel* and Hirsh* (from Tzvi-deer), Hillel (praise), Hertzl* (from Naftali-my strife)
Jake, Jared, Justin: Yitzchak (Isaac; will laugh), Ya'akov and Yankel* (held by the heel), Yosef and Yossel* (G-d will increase), Yehoshua (Joshua; G-d's help), Yehudah (Judah; praised)
Jordan: Yarden (descend)
Kyle: Kalman (merciful), Kolonymus (gracious)
Logan: Lev (heart), Leib* and Leibel* (from Aryeh- lion), Levi (joined)
Max: Moshe (Moses; drawn out), Mordechai and Mottel* (warrior), Meir (enlighten)
Miles: Melech (king), Micha (who is like G-d),
Owen: Oren (cedar), Oded (encourage)
Paul: Pesach (passed over), Pinechas (dark complexion), Peretz (burst forth)
Ryan, Riley, Ross: Ra'anan (fresh), Reuven (behold a son), Ron (sing), Roni (my joy), Raphael (G-d heals)
Sawyer, Spencer: Sasson (joy), Sender* (from Alexander; protector of men), Simcha (joy)
Theo: Todros (gift)
Tyler: Tuvia, Tevye and Tobia (G-d's goodness), Tanchum (comfort)
Abby: Avigayil (father's joy), Aviva (spring)
Alexa: Alexandra--Alexandra (defender of men)
Alison, Allison, Allysa, Allisa: Elisha (Alisha-G-d is salvation), Elianna (my G-d has answered)
Alana: Elana (Alana, tree)
Amanda: Amalia (work of the Lord)
Ann, Anne, Anna: Chana (grace)
Ariel: Ariella (lioness of G-d)
Ashley: Adina (slender), Atara (crown), Ahuva (beloved), Aviva (spring)
Beth, Bettina: Batya (daughter of G-d), Batsheva (daughter of an oath), Bat-Tziyon (daughter of Zion)
Bailey, Blake: Baila* ( Bat-sheva-Basha*, Basya*- daughter of an oath)
Brooke: Bracha (blessed), Bruriah (chosen by G-d)
Caitlin, Cameron, Carly, Carleigh, Caroline, Casey: Kayla* (grey eyed), Kineret (harp), Carmella (garden), Clara* (clean), Cochava (star)
Charlotte: Zlote* (strong)
Diana: Dina (judged)
Danielle: Daniella (G-d's judge)
Ella: Ella (Elisheva-oath to G-d), Etta* (Ora-light)
Elissa, Elyse, Elizabeth: Elka* (Elisheva-oath to G-d)
Eliza: Aliza (joyous)
Emma: Emma, Emunah (faith)
Emily: Amalia (work of the Lord)
Faye, Faith: Faiga*, Faigel* (bird), Fruma* (pious)
Gabrielle: Gavriella (G-d is my strength)
Haley: Hadassah (myrtle), Hodel* (majesty)
Isabel: Elana (tree), Iris (name of a flower), Soibel* (sustaining)
Jade: Yocheved (glory of G-d)
Jessica: Yiska (covering)
Julie, Julia, Jillian: Yehudit (praised), Yisraela (Israel), Ya'el (mountain goat)
Kate, Kaitlin: Kady* (pure)
Kelly, Kaila, Kayla: Kayla* (gray eyed)
Kyra: Kinneret (harp)
Lauren, Louise: Leah (wearied), Levana (moon), Leeba*, Libby* (beloved), Liza (joy)
Lily: Lili (name of a flower)
Madeleine: Mindel* (Miriam)
Max: Matana (gift), Masha* (brave)
Mariah: Meira (light), Marnina (sing), Miriam (Mirka*, Mirtza*, Minna*, Mindel*-Moses' sister)
Morgan: Margalit (pearl)
Michelle: Michal (small brook), Malkah (queen)
Natalie: Netanya (G-d has given)
Nicole, Nikki: Na'amah (pleasant), Nava (beautiful), Nurit (light)
Nina: Nina (great-granddaughter)
Olivia: Ora (light) , Orna (cedar), Ophrah (duet)
Paige: Peninah (Perel*, Pessa*, Pessia*-pearl), Perachia (flowered), Priva* (Peri-fruit)
Raina: Reina* (clean), Rina (song, joy)
Rose: Raizel*, Shoshana (rose)
Samantha, Samara: Sarah (princess), Smadar (berry), Shemuela
Skyler, Schuyler: Silka* (Sarah)
Sophie, Sophy: Sarah (princess), Tzipora (bird)
Stephanie: Sima (treasure), Simcha (joy)
Sylvia, Sylvie: Silka* (Sarah), Tzilla (protection)
Sydney: Shaindel* (Yaffa-beautiful),
Tess: Tehilla (praise), Tikva (hope), Tova (goodness), Tirtza (pleasantness)
Victoria: Vitka* (Chaya), Victoria (Sephardic), Varda (rose), Nili (Israel's triumph shall not fail)
Zoe: Zahava (golden), Ziva (splendor), Zelda* (rare), Chaya (life)
*Yiddish
Menachem Mendel, Tzvi Hirsh, Aryeh Leib, Shraga Feivel, Shneur Zalman, Zev Volf,
Ariel, Chana, Elisha, Simcha, Yonah
Esther--Eliezer, Ephraim, Elan
Rivka--Reuven
Sarah--Sar, Yisrael, Sar-el
Ruth--Reuven
Ada, Ayala, Esther, Gila, Hadassah, Levana, Matana, Mazal, Mazal Tov, Ophrah, Perachia, Rahel, Ruchama, Ruth, Sarah, Segulah, Temimah, Toba, Victoria
Ovadiah, Hayyim, Eliahu, Ezra, Matzliah, Nissim, Rahamim, Sa'adya, Sasson, Tzuriel, Uzziel, Yomtov, Zechariah