i think we’re getting closer to picking our little guys name (yay)
i wanted to ask your opinion on which name sounds better
nathaniel cohen or cohen grey??
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Cohen[/name] is great! I love [name]Nathaniel[/name], AND [name]Grey[/name]. What about [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Grey[/name]?
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Grey[/name] is so cute!
I’d definitely go with [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Grey[/name] or [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Cohen[/name]. I know about 10 different families with the last name of [name]Cohen[/name], so that’s all I think of when I hear the name.
What about [name]Ezra[/name], [name]Gideon[/name], or [name]Levi[/name] (but not with [name]Nathaniel[/name]) instead of [name]Cohen[/name]?
Good luck!
I just want to add that I think [name]Colin[/name] would work well, too. I think [name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Colin[/name] sounds great!
my husband really likes cohen so i was trying to come up with a combo we both can agree on. we’ve narrowed our list down to 4 so thats exciting
A [name]Cohen[/name] is a Jewish priest and a religious name, so if you’re not Jewish, I’d stay away from it, but that’s just me. 
(It would pretty much be like a non-[name]Christian[/name] person naming their child [name]Jesus[/name], a non-Muslim person naming their child [name]Mohammed[/name], or a non-Catholic person wearing a rosary as jewelry simply because it looks cool, so if you’re not Jewish, please be aware that many Jewish people may be understandably offended by a non-Jewish [name]Cohen[/name].)
[name]Even[/name] if you are Jewish, I’d personally keep [name]Cohen[/name] as a middle name, as I can already hear the “Cone Head” and “Ice Cream Cone” jokes on the playground. 
I think [name]Nathaniel[/name] is fantastic, though!
jill, sorry, but naming your child cohen is not really like naming your child jesus. and, in any case, lots of non-strictly-practicing christians [name]DO[/name] name their children jesus – have you ever been to a spanish speaking country? : )
i’m not super fond of cohen. not because of the cohanim; just because it’s not my style. that said, i think if you and your husband feel a connection to leonard cohen’s work, that’s a waaayyy better reason to give when you’re asked, “mum, why’d you name me cohen?” than “well honey, we asked the people on this one website and they all suggested ___”
Sorry, but to me, a non-Jewish person naming their child [name]Cohen[/name] is very much the same as a non-[name]Christian[/name] person naming their child [name]Jesus[/name]. (Perhaps I shouldn’t have used the word [name]Christian[/name], as I intended to refer to all religions, including Catholicism, in which members pray to [name]Jesus[/name].)
I have been to Spanish speaking countries, and it’s safe to say that those named [name]Jesus[/name] are Catholic or Protestant, not Jewish. Children are named [name]Jesus[/name] because [name]Jesus[/name] holds deep religious meaning to their parents.
[name]Cohen[/name] isn’t just some random surname being used as a first name (such as [name]Beckett[/name], [name]Finn[/name], [name]Miller[/name], or [name]Preston[/name]), because it holds religious meaning to many Jewish people. I still strongly feel that using a name infused with religious meaning when not a member of the given religion, is offensive and disrespectful to those for whom the name does hold religious meaning.
I ran this name by some Jewish friends when this post first appeared, and they were quite offended that [name]Cohen[/name] is being viewed as “just another surname” by those who are unaware of its meaning. They thought it was very disrespectful. As one friend said, “That’s like a Jewish person naming their baby [name]Deacon[/name], [name]Bishop[/name], or Pope. It’s wrong.”
If I was pondering a name for my baby, and someone told me it may be viewed as disrespectful to a group of people, I’d appreciate being told this before I named my baby, as opposed to after. If I chose to ignore the information, that would be my right, but at least I’d be informed!
I thought (and still think) it was important that the original poster was made aware of the fact that many Jewish people would be (and were) offended by the name, and why.
The great thing about Nameberry, is that we all have different opinions, and people are free to disagree with others. 
I’m going to second the concerns about [name]Cohen[/name], unless the child will come from a Jewish background (which could very well be the case for your family; I don’t know you, of course). Not being Jewish, I’d feel VERY uncomfortable about using it.
I like [name]Nathaniel[/name], though!
well, i am jewish, and people speaking on behalf of an entire race (one of which they are not a part) is pretty irksome.
I am Jewish, too, which is why I was surprised to learn that this name has become so popular among non-Jewish people. I am not religious (I was raised in the practice of Reform Judaism), and I figured that if I was still offended, I wasn’t alone. This is why I decided to ask some Jewish friends (friends who are more religious than I am) what they thought of the name. They were quite offended, to say the least.
I didn’t think it was necessary to reveal my faith earlier (I don’t like giving out personal information on the Internet, something I’ve previously stated in other threads), because I think not using religious names from a religion to which one doesn’t belong is a pretty obvious concept. (I also mentioned the words of some Jewish friends, and thought that would suffice. I didn’t realize that I had to reveal my own faith to validate an already valid and logical point of view.)
As I was aware that not all Jewish people would take offense like I and my friends did, I was careful to state that “many Jewish people,” as opposed to “all Jewish people” may be offended by a non-Jewish [name]Cohen[/name] (“may,” as opposed to “will”), and I stand by what I’ve expressed.
The bottom line, is that while not all Jewish people will take offense at a non-Jewish [name]Cohen[/name], many will. I think this is valuable information to be shared before one names a baby, as opposed to after.
I respect your opinion on the matter, and I thank you for respecting mine. Different opinions make the world interesting!
I am not Jewish, and didn’t realize what a cohen was until this subject was brought up. I looked it up though, and I definitely see why Jewish people would be offended. I think if I were Jewish and a [name]Christian[/name] (or whatever other religion) person I knew named their baby [name]Cohen[/name], I would be offended. I mean I’m not actually in that position, so I don’t know for sure, but it certainly seems offensive to me. I know if I were unknowingly considering a name that might be offensive to a huge group of people, I would want to know about it. Naming a baby is serious business, and it’s important to know all the facts!
[name]Nathaniel[/name] [name]Grey[/name] is nice
i can’t believe what i’m reading. am i the only one that thinks this is absurd? how did religion get brought into this. i am not even religious so i could care less what the religious fanatics think . i’m not going to not name my baby something just because it might offend someone. what if the name has a deeper more personal meaning that what it actually means in a baby name book?? would your “jewish” friends be offended if i named my son after a mentor that was jewish and just so happen to have this name ?? isn’t it an honor to be named after someone?? last time i checked it was whether it was jewish, catholic etc. . besides wouldn’t that be the case of almost all our names???
and jill as you are entitled to say what you will please don’t ever refer to me as ignorant again because you know nothing about me.
If you can’t believe you’re reading this, perhaps you shouldn’t have asked for opinions on a name board, as not everyone is going to agree with you and your opinions.
I’m not religious, but am still Jewish, and still quite offended by a non-Jew being named [name]Cohen[/name]. My friends, while hardly religious fanatics, are simply more religious than I.
There’s no reason to be nasty, sacredrose, and certainly no need for personal attacks. If empathy and sensitivity aren’t important to you, and you don’t care about offending others, that’s your right, but there’s no need to belittle my friends or my religion by putting it in quotations.
As for how religion was brought into this, you chose a name with deep religious meaning to many Jewish people, akin to Pope, so the name itself introduced the topic.
Once again, I merely quoted [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name]'s reference to [name]Cohen[/name] on Namberry. As [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] wrote,
“A common last name among Jews and a royal name in the Jewish religion, who is the priest in a temple. Gaining an unlikely following as a first name among people ignorant of its religious heritage.”
Repeat: “…among people ignorant of its religious heritage.”
No, I don’t know you, but from what you’ve said, you don’t like opinions that differ from your own, and you could care less about offending others, especially on the basis of religion.
If you can’t believe you’re reading this, perhaps you shouldn’t have asked for opinions on a name board, as not everyone is going to agree with you and your opinions.
I’m not religious, but am still Jewish, and still quite offended by a non-Jew being named [name]Cohen[/name]. My friends, while hardly religious fanatics, are simply more religious than I.
There’s no reason to be nasty, sacredrose, and certainly no need for personal attacks. If empathy and sensitivity aren’t important to you, and you don’t care about offending others, that’s your right, but there’s no need to belittle my friends or my religion by putting it in quotations.
As for how religion was brought into this, you chose a name with deep religious meaning to many Jewish people, akin to Pope, so the name itself introduced the topic.[/quote]
oh jill poor you
you want to talk about personal attacks- whats this???“[name]How[/name]
ironic that your screen name contains the word “sacred,” as you’ve clearly lost sight of its meaning.” those were your words. i just asked for your opinion on a name. what you didn’t know was that i knew the meaning behind the name and to me it was more deeper than a jewish priest but you turned it into something a whole lot more and less meaning. so do me a favor get of your high horse.
Reply
If you can’t believe you’re reading this, perhaps you shouldn’t have asked for opinions on a name board, as not everyone is going to agree with you and your opinions.
I’m not religious, but am still Jewish, and still quite offended by a non-Jew being named [name]Cohen[/name]. My friends, while hardly religious fanatics, are simply more religious than I.
There’s no reason to be nasty, sacredrose, and certainly no need for personal attacks. If empathy and sensitivity aren’t important to you, and you don’t care about offending others, that’s your right, but there’s no need to belittle my friends or my religion by putting it in quotations.
As for how religion was brought into this, you chose a name with deep religious meaning to many Jewish people, akin to Pope, so the name itself introduced the topic.[/quote]
oh jill poor you
you want to talk about personal attacks- whats this???“[name]How[/name]
ironic that your screen name contains the word “sacred,” as you’ve clearly lost sight of its meaning.” those were your words. i just asked for your opinion on a name. what you didn’t know was that i knew the meaning behind the name and to me it was more deeper than a jewish priest but you turned it into something a whole lot more and less meaning. so do me a favor get of your high horse.
Reply[/quote]
Yep! I wrote that, indeed. I wrote that after I read about you not caring about offending people by using a sacred religious name. The irony wasn’t lost on me…
You asked for an opinion on a name, and I gave it. It was (and is) my opinion that [name]Cohen[/name] on a non-Jewish child is offensive. I proceeded to explain why, and nothing more.
You didn’t like what you read, and went ballistic in your post. No one that I’m aware of is on any high horses here.