Discovered these two names in my baby name book recently. I liked them and then looked up the pronunciation and it kind of ruined them for me. How would you pronounce:
Mazel
[name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f]
I thought [name_f]May[/name_f]-zelle and Meh-tah-belle, but a site I found says [name_f]English[/name_f] pronunciation is Maw-zuhl and Me-hit-uh-bell, those don’t seem as pretty or delicate to me. I love obscure Hebrew/Christian longer girls names. Anyone have reccomendations?
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The Mazel pronunciation is a bit disappointing. [name_f]May[/name_f]-zul is so much nicer
Tamar
[name_u]Yael[/name_u]
Sisera
[name_f]Batsheva[/name_f]
[name_f]Kinneret[/name_f]
[name_f]Raziela[/name_f]
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Having some experience with Hebrew, I would pronounce these as mah-zuhl and me-hit-uh-bell. I do agree that the way you thought they might be pronounced would make for prettier names!
I had actually never heard of [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f], but mazel is a common Hebrew word used regularly in the Jewish community. Mazel tov means “good luck” and is often used to congratulate and celebrate others. It’s pretty much the same as “congrats!” in [name_f]English[/name_f], and at least among Israelis, I have seen it used in place of “happy birthday!” as well.
Anyway, the mazel tov connection reminded me of the name [name_f]Tova[/name_f]/Tovah, which is another pretty Hebrew name! (not a particularly long one though, so maybe not quite what you are looking for). It means “good,” coming from its root, tov, which I explained as meaning “good” above (and “mazel” is the part that means “luck”).
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@Greyblue I know it. I love [name_f]Hazel[/name_f], but it’s too popular for me, when I found Mazel I thought [name_f]Hazel[/name_f] with a M. It makes total sense what @je_m_appelle is saying about Mazel tov. Of course I’ve heard that, I just didn’t place it with the name at the time. Maybe because I was pronouncing it May-zull in my head. Thanks for the reccomendations, [name_f]Tovah[/name_f] is nice and [name_f]Raziela[/name_f] is interesting!
Mazel definitely makes me think of the expression mazel tov.
I have seen [name_f]Mehetabel[/name_f] as a variant of [name_f]Mehitabel[/name_f] - perhaps you will like it better? I would also suggest [name_f]Mahalia[/name_f], which is an unusual name of Biblical origins.
@choupette Yes, now I can’t unsee Mazel tov. Wasn’t there a Netflix show semi recently with the name Mazel/Maizel in it? Fabulous something Mazel, maybe I’m thinking of something different. [name_f]Mahalia[/name_f] is unique, I hear Somalia when I say, but maybe I’m saying it wrong.
Mazel is Hebrew and very very Jewish. It’s actually my Hebrew middle name 
. It is pronounced mah-zuhl and as a name means miracle. I wouldn’t use it if you weren’t Jewish.
Mehitabel is nice but nms.
And the show you are thinking of is Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (pronounced [name_f]May[/name_f]-zelle) 
@MagnoliaE Yes, we aren’t Jewish and not trying to culturally appropriate in any way, of course. I just love ancient Biblical names. [name_f]My[/name_f] son is [name_m]Zebediah[/name_m], which I actually found though genealogy of my family and fell in love. Yes, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel thank you. I looked up Maisel, this is what ancestry website had to say:
"Maisel Name Meaning
German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant spelling of Meisel. This surname is widespread in eastern and central Europe. [name_u]French[/name_u]: from Old [name_u]French[/name_u] maisel ‘slaughterhouse’, ‘butcher’s shop’, hence a topographic name for someone who lived by a butcher’s shop or who worked in one."
So, not a real first name, so off the table for me.
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