oh dear… some of these are really terrible. if anyone reads this and has the origins of the names I asked about please let me know!
[name]Cohen[/name] - nms but it's ok
[name]Blade[/name] - sounds too violent
[name]Casen[/name] - interesting...could grow on me
[name]Ellee[/name] - [name]Ellie[/name] is ok but nms...[name]Ellee[/name] is just awful spelling
[name]Rylee[/name] - same on the spelling
Zakai - do you know the nationality of the baby and the origins of the name? this is a cool one.
[name]Krista[/name] - very 80's but there's nothing wrong with it, pretty
[name]Aspen[/name] - very pretty but I don't think I would use it (great for someone else?)
A'yana - no need for the random punctuation...I actually kind of like [name]Ayana[/name]
[name]Harley[/name] - I actually like this name
[name]Kelton[/name] - this is cool...I've never heard it before
[name]Kolby[/name] - cute but I don't think I would use it. and I definitely prefer [name]Colby[/name]
[name]Piper[/name] - cute
[name]Allie[/name] - it's very cute but not substantial enough for me
[name]Nels[/name] - I like this Norse name
Thunder - I think this is a little too much
Zylah - funny, I had never heard this name before a few hours ago. Apparently it's the name of a friend of my cousin. kind of pretty. any ideas of its origins?
[name]Jeremiah[/name] - nms but classic, nothing bad to say about the name, strong and substantial
[name]Javonte[/name] - not my favorite
[name]Kelton[/name] - again?
[name]Lia[/name] - cute, pretty
[name]Zailey[/name] - made up name? actually not bad... could grow on me
[name]Hadley[/name] - not sure if this is for a girl or boy. nms but not bad
[name]Margaret[/name] - pretty. always a classic.
[name]Chaucer[/name] - a little to upscale sounding for me
[name]Leo[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name]! always have loved it
[name]Melody[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name]! such a beautiful sound
[name]Sabrina[/name] - I've always liked the name [name]Sabrina[/name]. sounds spunky
[name]Samuel[/name] - I love this classic
[name]Stella[/name] - nms but very cute
[name]Winona[/name] - not my favorite but it's ok
[name]Alize[/name] - is this pronounced al-ee-zay? If so, I used to know a girl with this name. I like it.
Jaxxson - [name]Love[/name] [name]Jackson[/name]. [name]Jaxon[/name] is bearable. Jaxxon is bad.
[name]Jayden[/name] - honestly, I like this name
[name]Karston[/name] - not my favorite
[name]Kamren[/name] - don't like the spelling
[name]Landon[/name] - I like it
[name]Madisyn[/name] - nms no matter the spelling but it's ok (I prefer [name]Madeleine[/name] and [name]Madilyn[/name])
Tessah - I love [name]Tessa[/name] but the extra h is unnecessary
[name]Tucker[/name] - not my absolute favorite but I like it
[name]Ashlyn[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] [name]LOVE[/name] this name!
[name]Grey[/name] - not bad at all but I prefer [name]Greyson[/name]
[name]Makenna[/name] - didn't use to like it but it's growing on me
Sevilliante - any ideas on the origins and pronunciation? kind of a mouthful
[name]Adrienne[/name] - very pretty
[name]Brylee[/name] - not my favorite
[name]Carmine[/name] - not bad
[name]Antoinette[/name] - pretty but nms
[name]Carson[/name] - I kinda like it
[name]Adelyn[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] this, very pretty
Alona - kind of pretty, depends on the pronunciation
Brently - I like [name]Brantley[/name] but not Brently
CASYN - nms
[name]IVEY[/name] - I love [name]Ivy[/name] but not [name]Ivey[/name]
[name]Kaleb[/name] - love [name]Caleb[/name]
[name]Kash[/name] - don't like any spelling...sounds greedy
[name]Savannah[/name] - love this
Ambraya - could be pretty
[name]Asher[/name] - I like it
[name]Aspen[/name] - repeat
Camrynn - don't like the spelling
Jorgie - don't like
[name]Raya[/name] - kind of cool
[name]Reagan[/name] - I like it a lot!
[name]Daniella[/name] - gorgeous name! love it.
[name]Derrick[/name] - it's ok
[name]Ethan[/name] - not my personal favorite but very nice, great for someone else
Kaegan [name]Michael[/name] - I like [name]Michael[/name] but not Kaegan
[name]Marielle[/name] - pretty but nms
[name]Peyton[/name] - adorable
Reio - kind of cool...
Makya - seems to made up
[name]Paityn[/name] - much prefer [name]Peyton[/name]
[name]Victoria[/name] - gorgeous!!!
[name]Adalyn[/name] prefer [name]Adelyn[/name] but pretty either way
Avyn - seems too made up
Draiten - don't like it
[name]Stella[/name] - repeat
[name]Dean[/name] - I like it
[name]Norah[/name] - such a pretty name! (I do prefer [name]Nora[/name] though)
Sebastion - great name! I like [name]Sebastian[/name] better though
[name]Callie[/name] [name]Rae[/name] - not my favorite
Zakariah - nice
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Belle[/name]`- I love both of these names but they aren't my style together
[name]Brooklyn[/name] - very cute
[name]Lillian[/name] - beautiful!
Jenryn - don't like. boy or girl?
[name]Taryn[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name]!
[name]Flint[/name] - could grow on me maybe
[name]Haleigh[/name] - don't like the spelling
[name]Jaden[/name] - prefer [name]Jayden[/name]
[name]Kasen[/name] - don't really like
[name]Paige[/name] - a very cute name!
[name]Laticia[/name] - not sure how to pronounce but it seems pretty
[name]Lynnea[/name] - I don't like this spelling but I love [name]Linnea[/name]
[name]Nathan[/name] - I love this name!
[name]Treyton[/name] - don't really like
[name]Echo[/name] - this has always seemed interesting to me, I like it
[name]Eva[/name] - pretty
[name]Lucian[/name] - don't really like
[name]Cearra[/name] - don't really like
[name]Olivia[/name] - pretty
[name]Quinn[/name] - great name
Addilynn - prefer [name]Adelyn[/name]
[name]Erik[/name] [name]Jr[/name]. - I like this name but prefer [name]Eric[/name]
[name]Konner[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] [name]Connor[/name], don't like this spelling
[name]Kyle[/name] - great name
[name]Mila[/name] - pretty but causes pronunciation issues
[name]Nathan[/name] - repeat
Ryer - don't like
[name]Samuel[/name] - repeat
Therea - is this supposed to be [name]Theresa[/name]? If so, I love it! If not then I'm not sure...
[name]Eli[/name] - I like it
[name]Harrison[/name] - like it
[name]Nova[/name] - like it
[name]Summer[/name] - [name]LOVE[/name] IT!!!!!!!!!
[name]Zac[/name] - love it but only as a nickname to [name]Zachary[/name]
[name]Non[/name]-Jewish people have GOT to stop using [name]Cohen[/name]. Seriously. This makes me grit my teeth in rage every time I see it. If I met a kid named [name]Cohen[/name] who was not of the Cohenim [name]IRL[/name], I would think their parents were ignorant appropriators on top of being terrible namers.
ANYWAY.
The high points of this list for me were [name]Margaret[/name], [name]Nova[/name], and [name]Echo[/name]. The rest…oy.
I know everyone’s opinion is different, but why not just combine these kinds of names. Personally, I find it frustrating.
[name]Anna[/name] [name]Belle[/name]
My son’s name is [name]Cohen[/name]… I didn’t mean to upset anyone with his name and I certainly don’t consider myself ignorant. I am not Jewish but live in an area with lots of people of Jewish descent. My neighbors are Jewish, my son’s doctor is Jewish and my son went to a jewish camp this summer. So far nobody has expressed any bad feelings, on the contrary a [name]Rabbi[/name] told me a few months ago that he prefers people name their kids “[name]Cohen[/name]” than some other names that don’t carry as much meaning. Also, I know 2 other [name]Cohen[/name]/Kohen. So obviously, there are opposing opinions about this and it is exactly for that reason that it has been such a hot topic.
Tolerance is a virtue, I am all about being kind and good to others… And, if my choice of name upsets you personally, my sincere apology. I simply didn’t know. Please don’t call me names, it is abusive and insulting.
Can someone explain this? I have seen this topic discussed before, but no one has really explained why it is insulting, and I’m very interested to know. Any insight would be much appreciated. [name]TIA[/name]!
Its sacred to Jewish people and many consider it disrepectful to use as a baby name, I think AugustaLee would be the best person to explain it so hopefully she will reply but there are some interesting threads on it.
Thanks txbelle. I’ve seen several threads before that discussed it, but everyone just said it was sacred and I think maybe I recall something about [name]Cohen[/name] meaning something like priest? I could be wrong about that. But it was never clear what made it sacred or what it meant. Is it the only name that is so sacred, or are there others? This one seems to be the one most discussed at least. I also hope AugustaLee replies because I’ve wondered about this for a long time now.
Two stand out to me. [name]Kelton[/name]: we have a nephew by this name and I just don’t like it. I know it’s not made up, but it seems it to me. I guess it just has a trendy feel that I don’t like. Tessah: ugh. [name]Do[/name] not like this spelling. It changes the name for me.
I find it hard to believe that any rabbi would be pleased at the use of “cohen” as a first name on a non-jewish child or even on a jewish child. I have yet to meet one of my friends who is not (at the very least) irritated by this trend…The Cohenim are an inherited ritual priesthood in Judaism who perform certain sacred functions and are barred from performing others. When a person is called to read the blessings from the Torah, the Cohenim are called first, then the Levites, and then the rest of the population, [name]Israel[/name].
The only other name that I have seen used that is Jewish that is actually blasphemous (using “cohen” is not blasphemous, just in poor taste) is the name Shekhinah. I have a former student named this – she is Assembly of G-d or something – and to name a human being after an attribute of HaShem (G-d) is blasphemous in Judaism, especially when the Shechinah is the feminine aspect of HaShem. I like the girl very much and we have talked about why her name is upsetting…
It literally means you’re a priest of a sacred bloodline. Jews don’t use it as a first name, it’s not a matter of “we can, you can’t” sort of thing. Or of simply it being a Jewish last name at all, there are tons of others that are just names, no one is feeling defensive of Horowitz or Goldberg.
It was a title. Not a given name. [name]Levi[/name] is a name. [name]Abraham[/name], [name]Moses[/name], etc. are given names. Anyone can use those, though they are very important Biblical figures to Jews.
I’m trying to think of a [name]Christian[/name] parallel. There may not be one, such different cultures. But there’s a distinction between naming after a saint, and naming your kid Pope as their given name? The second is a lot more likely to seem “off” if you not of that background, or like you’re trying to be in-your-face?
miloowen – Exactly the explanation I was going to post, thank you! I don’t really think there’s a [name]Christian[/name] equivalent. [name]One[/name] pretty significant reason for that being that Christians are the dominant sociopolitical demographic in the United States, so a Jewish person naming their kid Pope would not have the same violating and appropriative resonance as a [name]Christian[/name] naming their kid [name]Cohen[/name].
Please understand that however insulted a non-Jewish person might be by a Jew criticizing their name choice, that insult is nothing compared to what a Jew (this Jew anyway, and just about every other Jew I’ve heard speak about the issue) feels when they hear a non-Jewish child called so thoughtlessly after one of our sacred institutions. I’m saying this as someone who is nonpracticing and an atheist. It still stings that badly.