Hebrew Name Generator
Hebrew first names with their meanings
Generate authentic Hebrew names with meanings: biblical classics like Yonatan, Rivka and Eliyahu alongside modern Israeli favorites such as Noam, Noa, Lior and Shira, each paired with what the name actually means.
About Hebrew names
Hebrew names almost always mean something you can say out loud. A huge share are theophoric, meaning they contain a piece of God's name: El at the start or end (Eliyahu, Daniel, Ariel, Michael) or the Yeho-/Yo-/-ya endings (Yehonatan, Yoav, Nechemia, Zecharia). Many others are plain nouns: Tamar is a date palm, Dov is a bear, Tal is dew, Shira is a song, Keren is a ray of light. That is why a 'Hebrew name with meaning' list reads so differently from an English one, where most meanings are buried in Old English or Latin.
There are really two registers. Biblical names (Avraham, Sarah, Moshe, Rivka, Shmuel, Devora) are still common and feel classic or religious. Modern Israeli names, many coined after 1948, are short, often unisex and drawn from nature and landscape: Noam, Noa, Alon, Oren, Rotem, Shaked, Maayan, Yarden, Nofar, Ofek. Secular Israelis lean heavily on the second group; observant families lean on the first, sometimes with Yiddish-inflected forms like Chaim, Zalman or Shraga.
Spellings here are standard modern Hebrew transliterations (Yonatan rather than Jonathan, Yitzhak rather than Isaac), with ch standing for the guttural chet and tz for the letter tzadi.
How to choose Hebrew names
- If you want 'your' Hebrew name, start with meaning, not sound: an English Jonathan is Yonatan, but a Joy could just as naturally be Gila, Rina or Simcha, and a Grace could be Chen or Chana.
- Decide on a register first. Biblical names (Rivka, Shmuel, Elisheva) read as traditional or religious; nature names (Alon, Rotem, Maayan, Ofek) read as secular, modern Israeli.
- Many modern Hebrew names are unisex: Noam, Tal, Shachar, Yuval, Gal, Adi and Omer are given to both boys and girls, so check usage if gender matters to your character or child.
- For an Israeli full name, pair a given name with a surname like Cohen, Levi, Peretz, Mizrachi, Dahan, Friedman, Ben-David or a Hebraized nature name such as Peled, Shaked, Golan or Barak.
- Keep transliteration consistent: Chaim/Haim, Yitzhak/Itzhak and Tzvi/Zvi are the same name, and mixing styles in one story or document looks careless.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my Hebrew name?
Jewish children are given a Hebrew name at birth or at a naming ceremony, usually recorded on a ketubah or with a synagogue. If you never received one, the usual routes are to take the Hebrew form of your English name (Jonathan to Yonatan, Elizabeth to Elisheva, Michael to Michael), to choose a Hebrew name with the same meaning (Joy to Simcha, Rose to Vered), or to pick a name that starts with the same letter or honors a relative. Use the meanings in this list to shortlist candidates.
What is the difference between Hebrew and Jewish names?
Hebrew names are names in the Hebrew language, like Noam or Tamar, and are used by Israelis of every background. Jewish names are a broader category that also includes Yiddish names (Zalman, Feige), Ladino names (Reina) and diaspora surnames like Goldberg or Azoulay. Every name here is Hebrew; most are also common Jewish names.
What do common Hebrew name endings mean?
Names ending in -el (Daniel, Ariel, Gavriel) and beginning with Eli- contain El, a name of God. Endings in -ya or -yahu (Nechemia, Eliyahu, Uziyahu) contain a shortened form of the four-letter divine name. The prefix Ben- means son of, Bat- means daughter of, and Li- means 'I have' or 'mine', as in Lior (I have light) and Liat (you are mine).
Are these names suitable for Israeli characters in fiction?
Yes. A secular Tel Aviv character in their twenties would plausibly be Noam, Rotem, Omer, Shir or Yuval; an older or religious character fits Moshe, Miriam, Shlomo, Rivka or Chaim. Add a surname from the tips above and the name will pass as authentic.
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All 500 Hebrew names
A: 69 names
- Achiezer – my brother is help
- Achikam – my brother has risen
- Achimaatz – my brother is counsel
- Achimelech – my brother is king
- Achinoam – my brother is pleasant
- Achiya – God is my brother
- Achsa – anklet
- Ada – adornment
- Adam – man, earth
- Adi – jewel, ornament
- Adiel – ornament of God
- Adin – delicate, gentle
- Adina – gentle, delicate
A, continued
- Adir – mighty, noble
- Adlai – my ornament, refuge of God
- Adoniyahu – my lord is God
- Adva – small wave, ripple
- Aharon – mountain of strength, exalted
- Ahuva – beloved
- Ahuvia – beloved of God
- Akiva – to protect, shelter
- Aliza – joyful
- Alma – young woman, maiden
- Alon – oak
- Alona – oak tree
- Amalia – work of God
- Amatzya – strength of God
A, continued
- Ami – my people
- Amichai – my people live
- Amiel – my people belong to God
- Aminadav – my people are generous
- Amir – treetop, prince
- Amit – friend, colleague
- Amitai – my truth
- Amnon – faithful
- Amos – carried, burdened
- Anat – to sing, answer
- Arbel – Mount Arbel, ambush of God
- Ariel – lion of God
- Ariela – lioness of God
- Aryeh – lion
A, continued
- Asa – healer, physician
- Asaf – gatherer, collector
- Asher – happy, blessed
- Atara – crown
- Avi – my father
- Aviad – my father is eternal
- Avidan – my father is judge
- Aviel – God is my father
- Aviezer – my father is help
- Avigail – my father's joy
- Avigdor – father of protection
- Avihu – he is my father
- Avinoam – my father is pleasant
- Aviram – my father is exalted
A, continued
- Avishag – my father strays, father's joy
- Avishai – gift of my father
- Avital – my father is dew
- Aviv – spring, renewal
- Aviva – springtime
- Aviya – God is my father
- Avner – father of light
- Avraham – father of many nations
- Avshalom – father of peace
- Ayal – stag, deer
- Ayala – doe, gazelle
- Ayalon – deer valley
- Ayelet – gazelle, morning star
- Azarya – God has helped
B: 15 names
- Bar – son, grain, pure
- Barak – lightning
- Baruch – blessed
- Basmat – spice, fragrant
- Bat-Sheva – daughter of the oath
- Batya – daughter of God
- Ben – son
- Ben-Tzion – son of Zion
- Benaya – God has built
- Benayahu – God has built
- Betzalel – in the shadow of God
- Bilha – bashful, troubled
- Binyamin – son of the right hand
- Boaz – swiftness, strength
- Bracha – blessing
C: 20 names
- Carmel – vineyard of God, orchard
- Carmela – garden, vineyard
- Carmit – vineyard
- Chabakuk – embrace
- Chagai – festive, born on a holiday
- Chagi – my festival
- Chagit – festive
- Chaim – life
- Chana – grace, favor
- Chanan – gracious
C, continued
- Chananel – God is gracious
- Chananya – God has been gracious
- Chanoch – dedicated, initiated
- Chava – life, living
- Chemed – charm, delight
- Chiram – exalted brother
- Chizkiyahu – God is my strength
- Chogla – partridge
- Chulda – weasel, mole
- Chur – noble, freeborn
D: 19 names
- Dafna – laurel
- Dalia – branch, flowering shrub
- Dan – judge
- Dana – judge
- Daniel – God is my judge
- Daniella – God is my judge
- David – beloved
- Dekel – palm tree
- Devora – bee
D, continued
- Dikla – palm tree
- Dina – judged, vindicated
- Dolev – plane tree
- Dor – generation
- Dorit – generation
- Doron – gift
- Dotan – law, custom
- Dov – bear
- Dror – freedom, sparrow
- Dvir – inner sanctuary
E: 42 names
- Eden – delight, paradise
- Eder – flock
- Edna – delight, pleasure
- Efraim – doubly fruitful
- Efrat – fruitful, honored
- Efron – fawn
- Eglah – heifer
- Ehud – united, strong
- Eilat – the southern port city
- Einat – spring, eye
- Eitan – strong, steadfast
- Elad – God is eternal
- Elazar – God has helped
- Elchanan – God is gracious
E, continued
- Eldad – beloved of God
- Eli – ascended, my God
- Eliana – my God has answered
- Eliav – my God is father
- Eliezer – my God is help
- Elihu – he is my God
- Elimelech – my God is king
- Elior – my God is light
- Eliora – my God is light
- Eliram – my God is exalted
- Eliran – my God is song
- Elisha – God is salvation
- Elisheva – my God is abundance
- Eliyahu – my God is the Lord
E, continued
- Elkana – God has acquired
- Ella – terebinth tree, goddess
- Elnatan – God has given
- Elon – oak tree
- Elyakim – God will establish
- Elyashiv – God will restore
- Emanuel – God is with us
- Emuna – faith
- Erez – cedar
- Eshel – tamarisk tree
- Esther – star, hidden
- Evyatar – father of abundance
- Eyal – strength, ram
- Ezra – helper
G: 24 names
- Gad – fortune, luck
- Gadi – my fortune
- Gal – wave
- Galia – wave of God
- Galil – Galilee, region
- Galit – wave
- Gavri – my strength
- Gavriel – God is my strength
- Gaya – valley
- Gedalia – God is great
- Gefen – grapevine
- Gershom – a stranger there
G, continued
- Gershon – stranger there
- Geula – redemption
- Gideon – feller, mighty warrior
- Gil – joy
- Gila – joy
- Gilad – monument of testimony
- Gilboa – Mount Gilboa, bubbling spring
- Gili – my joy
- Gilon – joy
- Golan – the Golan heights, passage
- Gur – cub
- Guy – valley
H: 11 names
- Hadar – glory, splendor
- Hadas – myrtle
- Hadassah – myrtle tree
- Hagar – flight, stranger
- Hallel – praise
- Harel – mountain of God
- Hila – halo, radiance
- Hillel – praise
- Hod – splendor, majesty
- Hodaya – praise of God
- Hoshea – salvation
I: 12 names
- Idan – era, time
- Idit – choicest, elite
- Ido – evaporate, timely
- Ilai – supreme, above
- Ilan – tree
- Ilana – tree
- Imri – my word, my saying
- Inbal – bell clapper, tongue of a bell
- Inbar – amber
- Irit – daffodil, asphodel
- Itai – with me, friendly
- Itamar – island of palms
K: 10 names
- Kalanit – anemone
- Kalev – wholehearted, faithful
- Kalil – crown, wreath
- Katriel – God is my crown
- Keren – ray of light, horn
- Keshet – rainbow
- Ketura – incense, fragrant
- Ketzia – cassia, cinnamon bark
- Kfir – young lion
- Kinneret – the Sea of Galilee, harp-shaped
L: 20 names
- Lavan – white
- Lavi – lion
- Leah – weary, gazelle
- Levana – moon, white
- Levi – joined, attached
- Li – mine, to me
- Lia – I am weary, mine
- Liad – I have eternity
- Liat – you are mine
- Libi – my heart
L, continued
- Liel – I have God
- Lihi – she is mine
- Lilach – lilac
- Linoy – mine is beauty
- Lior – I have light
- Liora – I have light
- Liraz – I have a secret
- Liron – I have song, song for me
- Lital – my dew
- Livnat – white, frankincense
M: 30 names
- Maayan – spring, fountain
- Machla – sickness, tenderness
- Malachi – my messenger
- Malka – queen
- Maor – light, luminary
- Matan – gift
- Matanya – gift of God
- Matityahu – gift of God
- Maya – water, spring
- Mazal – luck, star
- Meidad – beloved
- Meir – one who illuminates
- Meital – dew drop
- Menachem – comforter
- Menashe – causing to forget
M, continued
- Menucha – rest, tranquility
- Merav – great, abundant
- Metushelach – man of the dart
- Mevorach – blessed
- Micha – who is like God
- Michael – who is like God
- Michal – brook, who is like God
- Milka – queen, counsel
- Miriam – bitter sea, rebellion
- Mishael – who is what God is
- Mor – myrrh
- Moran – viburnum shrub
- Mordechai – warrior, servant of Marduk
- Moriah – God is my teacher
- Moshe – drawn out of the water
N: 34 names
- Naama – pleasant, beautiful
- Naaman – pleasantness
- Nachman – comforter
- Nachshon – diviner, daring one
- Nachum – comforter
- Nadav – generous, noble
- Naftali – my struggle
- Naomi – pleasantness
- Naor – enlightened
- Narkis – narcissus, daffodil
- Natan – he gave
N, continued
- Nava – beautiful, pleasant
- Nave – oasis, pleasant dwelling
- Nechama – comfort
- Nechemia – God comforts
- Neta – sapling, plant
- Netanel – God has given
- Nevo – Mount Nebo, prophet
- Nili – the eternity of Israel will not lie
- Nimrod – we will rebel, hunter
- Nir – plowed field
- Nira – plowed field
N, continued
- Nissan – the month of spring
- Nissim – miracles
- Nitza – bud
- Nitzan – bud, blossom
- Niv – expression, speech
- Noa – motion, movement
- Noach – rest, comfort
- Noam – pleasantness, grace
- Nofar – water lily
- Noga – brightness, Venus
- Noya – beauty of God
- Nurit – buttercup
O: 24 names
- Odeya – I will thank God
- Ofek – horizon
- Ofer – fawn
- Ofir – gold, land of gold
- Ofra – fawn
- Ofri – my fawn
- Omer – sheaf of grain
- Omri – my sheaf, servant
- Ophira – gold
- Or – light
- Ora – light
- Oren – pine tree
O, continued
- Ori – my light
- Oriel – my light is God
- Orit – small light
- Oriya – light of God
- Orli – light is mine
- Orna – pine tree, light
- Osher – happiness, wealth
- Osnat – belonging to the goddess Neith
- Otniel – lion of God, strength of God
- Ovadia – servant of God
- Oved – worshipper, servant
- Oz – strength, courage
P: 6 names
- Paz – pure gold
- Peleg – stream, division
- Penina – pearl
- Peretz – breach, breakthrough
- Pesach – Passover, passing over
- Pinchas – oracle, dark-skinned one
R: 27 names
- Raanan – fresh, flourishing
- Rachamim – mercy, compassion
- Rachav – broad, spacious
- Rachel – ewe
- Rafael – God has healed
- Rafi – God heals
- Rakefet – cyclamen
- Ram – exalted, lofty
- Raviv – rain drops, dew
- Raz – secret
- Razi – my secret
- Raziela – God is my secret
- Rechavam – the people are enlarged
R, continued
- Reuel – friend of God
- Reut – friendship
- Reuven – behold, a son
- Rimon – pomegranate
- Rina – joy, song
- Rivka – to bind, captivating
- Roee – my shepherd
- Romi – my height, exalted
- Ron – song, joy
- Ronen – joyful song
- Roni – my joy, my song
- Ronit – song, joy
- Rotem – broom shrub
- Ruth – friend, companion
S: 36 names
- Saar – storm
- Sagi – great, sublime
- Sagiv – mighty, exalted
- Sapir – sapphire
- Sarah – princess, noblewoman
- Savyon – groundsel flower
- Segev – majesty, exalted
- Serach – abundance, overflow
- Shabtai – born on the Sabbath
- Shachar – dawn
- Shai – gift
- Shaked – almond tree
S, continued
- Shalev – calm, tranquil
- Shalom – peace
- Shani – scarlet, crimson
- Shaul – asked for, prayed for
- Shem – name, renown
- Shimi – my name
- Shimon – he has heard
- Shimshon – little sun
- Shir – song
- Shira – song, poetry
- Shirel – song of God
- Shlomit – peaceful
S, continued
- Shlomo – his peace
- Shmarya – God has guarded
- Shmuel – God has heard
- Shoham – onyx
- Shraga – candle, light
- Shulamit – peaceful
- Sigal – violet
- Simcha – joy, gladness
- Sinai – the mountain of revelation
- Sivan – the third Hebrew month
- Smadar – grape blossom
- Stav – autumn
T: 25 names
- Tal – dew
- Tal-Or – dew of light
- Talia – dew from God
- Tamar – date palm
- Tamir – tall, upright
- Tavor – Mount Tabor
- Techiya – revival, rebirth
- Tehila – praise
- Tirtza – pleasing, delight
- Tohar – purity
- Tomer – date palm
- Tova – good
T, continued
- Tuvia – God is good
- Tzachi – clear, pure
- Tzadik – righteous one
- Tzadok – righteous
- Tzafrir – morning breeze
- Tzemach – sprout, plant
- Tzeruya – balsam, fragrant
- Tzfania – God has hidden
- Tzila – shade, shadow
- Tzion – Zion, landmark
- Tzipora – bird
- Tzofia – watchful, guardian
- Tzur – rock, fortress
U: 6 names
- Udi – my burning torch
- Uri – my light, my flame
- Uriel – God is my light
- Uzi – my strength
- Uziel – God is my strength
- Uziya – my strength is God
V: 1 name
- Vered – rose
Y: 56 names
- Yaakov – holder of the heel, supplanter
- Yaara – honeycomb, forest
- Yadin – he will judge
- Yael – mountain goat, ibex
- Yagel – he will rejoice
- Yahli – my God will lead me
- Yair – he will illuminate
- Yakir – precious, dear
- Yaniv – he will bear fruit
- Yarden – the Jordan, to descend
- Yarom – he will rise
- Yaron – he will sing
- Yechezkel – God strengthens
- Yechiel – God lives
Y, continued
- Yedida – beloved, friend
- Yedidya – beloved of God
- Yehonatan – God has given
- Yehoram – God is exalted
- Yehosheva – God's oath
- Yehoshua – God is salvation
- Yehoyachin – God will establish
- Yehoyakim – God will establish
- Yehuda – praised, thanksgiving
- Yehudit – woman of Judea, praised
- Yemima – dove
- Yeravam – the people will contend
- Yeshayahu – God is salvation
- Yeshua – salvation
Y, continued
- Yifat – beautiful, splendid
- Yiftach – he opens
- Yigal – he will redeem
- Yinon – flourish, he will endure
- Yirmiyahu – God will uplift
- Yishai – gift, God exists
- Yishmael – God will hear
- Yiska – to gaze, foresight
- Yisrael – he who struggles with God
- Yissachar – there is reward
- Yitro – his excellence, abundance
- Yitzhak – he will laugh
- Yoash – given by God
- Yoav – God is father
Y, continued
- Yochanan – God is gracious
- Yocheved – God's glory
- Yoel – the Lord is God
- Yom Tov – good day
- Yona – dove
- Yonatan – God has given
- Yoni – God has given
- Yonit – little dove
- Yoram – God is exalted
- Yosef – he will add
- Yoshiyahu – God supports
- Yossi – he will add
- Yotam – God is perfect
- Yuval – stream, brook