I’m writing a book that takes place in a Jewish town in [name]England[/name] in 1290, about the Jewish expulsion. I’ve looked at lists of names from that period, but nothing’s doing it for me. The character is supposed to be 13 and turns 14, gets married, and leaves [name]England[/name] as she’s pregnant with her first child. I’m thinking [name]Chava[/name], which is the Hebrew version of [name]Eve[/name] (and the CH is pronounced like challah and charoseth, not chair). Any suggestions?
So” I”m assuming you want Biblical female names? xD Anyhow, here”s a list:
[name]Abiah[/name] (Female and male, variant of [name]Abijah[/name].)
[name]Abigail[/name]
[name]Abilene[/name]
[name]Abital[/name]
[name]Adah[/name]
[name]Adina[/name] (male and female.)
[name]Agrippa[/name] (female and male.)
[name]Anah[/name] (female and male.)
[name]Anna[/name]
Apphia
[name]Aquila[/name]
Asenath
[name]Atarah[/name]
[name]Avital[/name]
[name]Bethel[/name]
[name]Carmel[/name]
[name]Chloe[/name]
[name]Claudia[/name]
[name]Dinah[/name]
[name]Dorcas[/name]
[name]Drusilla[/name]
[name]Edna[/name]
[name]Elisheba[/name]
[name]Esther[/name]
[name]Eunice[/name]
Iscah
[name]Ivah[/name]
[name]Jemima[/name]
[name]Jerusha[/name]
[name]Judith[/name]
[name]Julia[/name]
[name]Lois[/name]
[name]Leah[/name]
[name]Lydia[/name]
[name]Magdalene[/name]
[name]Martha[/name]
[name]Mary[/name]
[name]Miriam[/name]
[name]Moriah[/name]
[name]Naomi[/name]
[name]Noa[/name]/ [name]Noah[/name]
[name]Persis[/name]
[name]Prisca[/name]
[name]Ruth[/name]
[name]Sapphira[/name]
[name]Sela[/name]
[name]Selah[/name]
[name]Shiloh[/name]
[name]Susanna[/name]
[name]Tabitha[/name]
[name]Tamar[/name]
[name]Zelpha[/name]
[name]Hope[/name] that was a bit helpful. (:
Beware of some names in the above list, like [name]Drusilla[/name] and [name]Tabitha[/name] (they’re New Testament). I like [name]Columbia[/name] (see below), which has the same meaning as the Biblical [name]Jemima[/name].
[name]Rachel[/name] and [name]Miriam[/name] seemed particularly common among Anglo-Jewry at that time. As you’ll know, the community was French-speaking during its entire existence in [name]England[/name], and many followed [name]Norman[/name] French naming fashions, either taking versions of their Hebrew names for everyday use ( e.g. in at least one case, Belaset was derived from bella assez =fair to look upon; applied to [name]Rachel[/name] in [name]Genesis[/name] 29:17) or using such medieval French names as [name]Fleur[/name] de [name]Lys[/name].
Was [name]Chava[/name] used for Jewish girls then, or was the name as rare as [name]Adam[/name] was for boys? If I was you, I’d double-check.
I’m sure you’ve seen this, from a list of Jewish names in Angevin [name]England[/name]
Jewish Naming Practices in Angevin England :
Without the need for a lofty shem ha-kodesh, parents of Jewish girls were free to use whatever name they felt suitable. Some Biblical or Hebrew names were used: [name]Abigail[/name], [name]Zipporah[/name], [name]Esther[/name], [name]Anna[/name] or [name]Hanna[/name], [name]Judith[/name], [name]Miriam[/name] and [name]Sarah[/name]. Though few realized it, [name]Alexandria[/name] has also been a Hebrew name since the days of [name]Alexander[/name] the Great (remembered for his kindness to the Jews after he had conquered their Persian overlords). More common, however, were vernacular names: flowers ([name]Fleur[/name] de liz, [name]Fleur[/name], [name]Rose[/name]); things of value (Almonda, Chera (Greek: Iekara, precious stone), Licoricia); desirable traits: (Bona (good), [name]Belia[/name] (pretty), Genta (gentle)), or terms of endearment ([name]Columbia[/name] (dove), Comitessa (countess), Pucella (little girl); or simply the names their neighbors used (Elfid, Auntera, [name]Margaret[/name], Sweetecote).
Well, I’m not much of a bible reader, New Testament or Old Testament! (; So I really wouldn’t know. [name]Both[/name] are just gorgeous names.
I’m a bit of a biblical name nerd! I do agree with you about the beauty of some of those; I love [name]Claudia[/name], but had no idea it was in the Bible. Of course, some of the NT names are Greek rather than Hebrew.