Nehemie, Lem, or Avishai?

This is my boys’ shortlist:

[name_u]Sascha[/name_u] [name_m]Lev[/name_m]
[name_m]Eben[/name_m] [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m] (eh-[name_m]Ben[/name_m])
[name_m]Lem[/name_m] [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]
[name_m]Lem[/name_m] [name_u]Elisha[/name_u] (el-lee-shuh)
[name_m]Avidan[/name_m] [name_m]Ezra[/name_m] (ah-vee-dahn)
Avishai [name_m]Ezra[/name_m] (ah-vee-shy)
Netanel (neh-tahn-ell)
[name_m]Nehemie[/name_m] [name_m]Isaac[/name_m] (neh-hem-mee)
[name_u]Elie[/name_u] [name_u]Jude[/name_u]

But I don’t [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] any of them. My favorite is [name_u]Sascha[/name_u] [name_m]Lev[/name_m] because I love how they sound together, but I’m still not sold on [name_u]Sascha[/name_u]. I like [name_m]Avidan[/name_m] [name_m]Ezra[/name_m] and Avishai [name_m]Ezra[/name_m] but “A” names are really hard for me. It might seem stupid but I don’t find the letter “a” attractive in the first name spot, maybe because my name is an “a” name. I like [name_m]Eben[/name_m] [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m], in fact I think it’s a beautiful name but I’m not sure if [name_m]Eben[/name_m] is too boring for a son of mine. [name_m]Lem[/name_m] [name_m]Elijah[/name_m] and [name_m]Lem[/name_m] [name_u]Elisha[/name_u], I think they are adorable but I don’t [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_m]Lem[/name_m]. For a long time I loved the name [name_u]Elie[/name_u] [name_u]Jude[/name_u], as it sounds so perfect together but I don’t love either name.

A few other names I’m considering are [name_m]Gavri[/name_m] (gahv-ree), [name_m]Eliam[/name_m] (ell-lee-ahm), and [name_m]Esai[/name_m] (ee-sye). I would love some suggestions for OTHER names based off of all the names from above. I would ALSO like to hear your opinions on my short list combos.

KEEP IN MIND:
-I’d prefer a name with some Jewish
significance whether it be Hebrew or
have a Jewish history.

  • I’d prefer no “a” names.
  • I also like uncommon, I’m NOT a fan of super secularized/popularized names like [name_m]Daniel[/name_m], [name_u]Sam[/name_u], [name_m]Isaiah[/name_m].
  • Keep in mind baby’s last name starts with B and is one syllable.
  • Some middle names I’d like to use are: [name_m]Isaac[/name_m], [name_m]Ezra[/name_m], [name_m]Lev[/name_m], [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m], [name_m]Elijah[/name_m].

Thank you so much :slightly_smiling_face::slightly_smiling_face::raised_hands:

I’ve always loved your [name_m]Eben[/name_m] [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m]! I don’t think [name_m]Eben[/name_m] is boring at all.

[name_m]Nehemie[/name_m] is super interesting, but I admit I prefer [name_m]Nehemiah[/name_m] nn [name_m]Nemo[/name_m], although maybe that’s just because I’m more familiar with it, as a [name_m]Christian[/name_m]?

I’m not as familiar with “sweetspot” Hebrew names like I am for girls–[name_f]Aviva[/name_f], [name_f]Nechama[/name_f], (E)liora, [name_f]Elisheva[/name_f], [name_f]Aliza[/name_f], [name_u]Tali/name_u, [name_f]Maya[/name_f], etc., are all quite familiar, but still feel special and unusual, but I never seem to find the male equivalent? I do love [name_m]Noam[/name_m], [name_m]Noach[/name_m], [name_m]Zevulon[/name_m] (sp?), [name_m]Reuven[/name_m], [name_m]Zev[/name_m], [name_m]Lev[/name_m], etc., but they don’t seem as special as something like [name_f]Aviva[/name_f] or [name_u]Tali[/name_u] is.

I’ve always admired your [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f], though–such a fun name! If I remember correctly, the meaning isn’t as lovely as [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m], but it’s still really cool. I’ve always been fond of Kalev, though, although I don’t know if that’s too mainstream or whatever for you? I also [name_u]LOVE[/name_u] [name_m]Elihu[/name_m], but I don’t think that’s the direct Hebrew form.

[name_m]Boaz[/name_m]? [name_m]BOAZ[/name_m]. I don’t know how you feel about [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] but I’m minorly obsessed, lol, and would love to meet dozens of them! Maybe I can try again later, but hopefully my suggestions weren’t completely helpless to start? hahaha. I’m hoping to research some Hebrew names soon, so hopefully I’ll find some amazing ones!

([name_f]Every[/name_f] time I get ready to close this out, I think of another, lol–how do you feel about [name_m]Shlomo[/name_m] and [name_m]Shmuel[/name_m]? I always rather loved those, too!)

Good luck!

[name_m]How[/name_m] about [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m] [name_m]Eben[/name_m]? I think [name_m]Emmanuel[/name_m] is such a handsome name.

@ashthedreamer

I believe [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] was a character in the Old Testament/Torah. I also think of the name as short for [name_m]Eliyahu[/name_m], the Hebrew of [name_m]Elijah[/name_m]. Thank you so much for your comment about [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f]! I actually prefer the meaning to [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m] as [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f] means “son of my people” which I find very powerful. Problem is I don’t like the nicknames [name_m]Ben[/name_m] or [name_f]Ami[/name_f] and other people would have a hard time pronouncing that name especially, at least I think. [name_m]Nehemiah[/name_m] is okay but in English people pronounce it incorrectly. It should be pronounced Nih-hem-yuh or nih-hem-mih-yuh. I’m warming up to [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] and I fact I do need a “B” name at some point which has been very hard to find one I like. With [name_m]Shlomo[/name_m] and [name_m]Shmuel[/name_m], well, those name are seen a very old and somewhat silly in my modern Jewish community. However, I am definitely warming up to [name_m]Moshe[/name_m] which I think may have a comeback. :grinning::grinning: What are your thoughts on [name_m]Gavri[/name_m] or [name_m]Eliam[/name_m]?

I like [name_m]Immanuel[/name_m] but not enough for a first! It’s too formal for me haha

haha! Fair enough about [name_m]Shlomo[/name_m] and [name_m]Shmuel[/name_m]. Sometimes it’s hard to tell what has different generational connotations if you’re not a part of the community! One of my dearest friends was a [name_m]French[/name_m] Jew, and she gave her son the Hebrew name of [name_m]Feivel[/name_m] [name_m]Shlomo[/name_m], which I think is so cute! His birth name was [name_m]Jonas[/name_m].

And oof. I was confusing [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f] with [name_m]Benoni[/name_m] ([name_m]Ben[/name_m]-Oni?)–the name that [name_f]Rachel[/name_f] initially gave [name_m]Benjamin[/name_m]. I was hesitant about [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f] because I was thinking it didn’t have the best meaning, but [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f] has a really lovely meaning!

And I like [name_m]Eliam[/name_m] a lot! I went through a period of hardcore crushing on [name_m]Eliam[/name_m], [name_m]Eliab[/name_m], and [name_m]Elihu[/name_m]–I thought maybe [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] was a form of of [name_m]Eliyahu[/name_m]? I think of the friend of [name_m]Job[/name_m] in the [name_m]Christian[/name_m] Bible–is the story of [name_m]Job[/name_m] in the Torah, as well? And [name_m]Eliab[/name_m] was (I think!) [name_m]King[/name_m] [name_m]David[/name_m]'s older brother, but I’m not sure who [name_m]Eliam[/name_m] is. Either way, all three names are ridiculously awesome! I remember considering them all as middles for [name_m]Dashiell[/name_m], I think? My sister has the mn E!leen, so I think I thought that an [name_m]Eli[/name_m] name would be a great way to honor her on the opposite gender? Much like [name_m]Grayson[/name_m] for my grandma’s middle, [name_f]Grace[/name_f], or [name_m]Nathaniel[/name_m] for my other sister [name_m]Natal[/name_m]!e.

[name_m]Moshe[/name_m] and [name_m]Boaz[/name_m] ARE great, though; I’ve loved [name_m]Moshe[/name_m] since I first read it in a novel about Austrian Jews during WWII. I never thought I’d be able to conceivably use it, but I love it so much! Same with [name_m]Noam[/name_m], and later [name_m]Noach[/name_m].

And [name_m]Gavri[/name_m]–super interesting! A form of [name_m]Gavriel[/name_m], I suppose? It’s much more spunky and unexpected than [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m] or [name_m]Gavriel[/name_m] or even [name_m]Gabe[/name_m]! I really like [name_u]Gale[/name_u] or [name_m]Gable[/name_m] for [name_m]Gabriel[/name_m], but [name_m]Gavri[/name_m] has got to be the coolest form of the name, period!

You’ve got to tell me where you find all these awesome Hebrew names. :stuck_out_tongue:

@ashthedreamer

You are definitely convincing me on [name_m]Moshe[/name_m] and [name_m]Boaz[/name_m]! I mentioned [name_m]Moshe[/name_m] to my brother today, it’s still kind of an “old man” name and he just gave me a look but I’ll ignore him haha. And yes I think [name_m]Elihu[/name_m] is also a shorter version of [name_m]Eliyahu[/name_m] and yes it’s also [name_m]Job[/name_m]’s friend. I agree about [name_m]Benoni[/name_m]. I think the name is cool but the meaning bothers me.

I find a lot of names in “the new Jewish baby name book” or something of a similar title. I also look on Kveller, amotherinisrael.com, and bloodandfrogs.com I believe. You have to search a lot to find Israeli names and I spend too much time trying to sort through websites. Nameberry is also helpful for finding uncommon Hebrew names.

Another thing I’ve been think about recently is double barreled Hebrew names, [name_m]Ben[/name_m]-[name_f]Ami[/name_f] for example. There are some really cool combinations. I like Liyam, which unfortunately would be mistaken for [name_m]Liam[/name_m], but it is the combination of “Li” meaning “my” and “yam” meaning “sea”. Then you could always create a name such as [name_f]Chaya[/name_f]-Li or [name_u]Tali[/name_u]-[name_m]Dov[/name_m]. Various nickname names are also cool like instead of using [name_u]Gal[/name_u], you could use [name_f]Gali[/name_f]. Same with [name_m]Gavri[/name_m] and [name_m]Gavriel[/name_m]. Another cool name I came across today was [name_m]Nehorai[/name_m]!