I wanna start by saying that I’m not naming my baby [name_m]Rosh[/name_m], but I was looking at unused biblical names tonight and it came up.
[name_m]Rosh[/name_m] was one of the sons of [name_u]Benjamin[/name_u], and I thought genuinely that it’s a really cute name. Like an updated [name_m]Josh[/name_m]. But it’s also the name of a very popular Jewish holiday, [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah. ([name_u]New[/name_u] years)
[name_f]My[/name_f] family isn’t Jewish though, so if we were to name our son that, would it be disrespectful/inappropriate? I was just curious on opinions.
Im not Jewish but it might seem odd. I doubt it’s disrespectful… But the holiday is so well known that I think it would be the first thing people think about.
I’m not Jewish myself, so I don’t have an authentic say in this, but it’d seem a bit odd to me if you weren’t Jewish yourself. However, I wouldn’t think much of it.
Nooo I’m Jewish and know some Hebrew and [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] means head and it’s not pronounced like [name_m]Josh[/name_m] but more like (roe-sh). This would just be like naming a child “head” or another body part.
People have been using unusual Biblical names for their kids for hundreds of years. I don’t think anyone will associate it with [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah.
hello!! Thank you for tagging me @Spoondrift!! This is very funny because my cat is named Roshi (after [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah ) It wouldn’t be disrespectful or inappropriate, but the [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah association is there. [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah literally means “head of the year” because [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] means “head” and I’m not sure I can get past that, even though it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It also wouldn’t be pronounced raw-sh (I’m assuming you’re pronouncing it this way because you mentioned [name_m]Josh[/name_m]) it’s pronounced roe-sh. If you decided to pronounce it raw-sh, the [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah associations would be a bit less strong.
Overall, this name isn’t disrespectful if you’re mindful of the culture behind it, however it does have strong “head” associations
Thanks! I was just curious because it’s rarely listed in biblical names and I saw it and thought it looked a little more “modern” than, [name_m]Zacharia[/name_m] or [name_m]Ezekiel[/name_m] etc.
I mean I might find it weird because of the word (very fond memories of playing head shoulders knees and toes in Hebrew because I went to a Jewish preschool, but it is the word for head). I wouldn’t find it offensive, just odd. It would be very linked to [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah too. Maybe if you’d be okay with a lot of apple jokes?
i mean, i hold multiple citizenship? but i’m wasn’t born or raised israeli, my hebrew is still… sad.
but oh i know in english rosh gets butched along with many things so yes that’s a thing to consider, realistically if you like the pronunciations and knowing how others would pronounce it. i just wanted to make a point that it really is meant to be pronounced like josh?
I’m not sure. In Hebrew it’s spelling like Roesh and as the body part I’ve only even heard it pronounced like that. When people say [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah tho usually it sounds more like [name_m]Rush[/name_m].
I’ve never noticed that! I’m not Jewish and live in the south and there isn’t a large Jewish community here either. Maybe that explains my experience. I did live in Pittsburgh for a bit and I don’t recall hearing it said that way but maybe I just wasn’t really listening.
and it’s not pronounced like [name_m]Josh[/name_m] but more like (roe-sh). This would just be like naming a child “head” or another body part.
) It wouldn’t be disrespectful or inappropriate, but the [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah association is there. [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah literally means “head of the year” because [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] means “head” and I’m not sure I can get past that, even though it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It also wouldn’t be pronounced raw-sh (I’m assuming you’re pronouncing it this way because you mentioned [name_m]Josh[/name_m]) it’s pronounced roe-sh. If you decided to pronounce it raw-sh, the [name_m]Rosh[/name_m] Hashanah associations would be a bit less strong.
jewish and hebrew speaker, hi
so yes that’s a thing to consider, realistically if you like the pronunciations and knowing how others would pronounce it. i just wanted to make a point that it really is meant to be pronounced like josh?