Names Secular Israelis Give to Their Children |
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 Aug 7 2008, 10:06 PM
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#1
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 Rebbe  Group: Members Posts: 1,056 Joined: 5-June 05 From: New York, NY Member No.: 1,570  |
TO ALL-
Recently, thanks to Facebook, I got back in touch with a secular Israeli acquaintance I went to summer camp with years ago. He now has two children--a daughter named Elle and a son named Jamal. Now, I fully appreciate that Menachem Mendel is not going to be a popular boys' name in Tel Aviv. However, naming one's son Jamal--a name normally reserved for Arabs and NBA all-stars--seems a bit too much. With the Ashkenazic family name, it sounds even more incongruous. Also, I can just imagine when the boy has his mandatory army service. Anyway, is it common for secular Israelis to give their children names that are so unHebrew? |
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Aug 7 2008, 10:51 PM
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#2
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Shtark  Group: Members Posts: 359 Joined: 31-July 08 Member No.: 7,417 |
QUOTE (goyishrebbe @ Aug 7 2008, 10:06 PM)  TO ALL- Recently, thanks to Facebook, I got back in touch with a secular Israeli acquaintance I went to summer camp with years ago. He now has two children--a daughter named Elle and a son named Jamal. Now, I fully appreciate that Menachem Mendel is not going to be a popular boys' name in Tel Aviv. However, naming one's son Jamal--a name normally reserved for Arabs and NBA all-stars--seems a bit too much. With the Ashkenazic family name, it sounds even more incongruous. Also, I can just imagine when the boy has his mandatory army service. Anyway, is it common for secular Israelis to give their children names that are so unHebrew? whats wrong with arabic names, Hacham ovadia yosef was born Abdulla Yuseff |
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Aug 7 2008, 11:06 PM
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#3
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Godol Hador  Group: Members Posts: 4,190 Joined: 6-March 05 Member No.: 1,237 |
QUOTE (goyishrebbe @ Aug 7 2008, 10:06 PM) TO ALL- They have their particular names, but certainly Jamal is not one of them.Recently, thanks to Facebook, I got back in touch with a secular Israeli acquaintance I went to summer camp with years ago. He now has two children--a daughter named Elle and a son named Jamal. Now, I fully appreciate that Menachem Mendel is not going to be a popular boys' name in Tel Aviv. However, naming one's son Jamal--a name normally reserved for Arabs and NBA all-stars--seems a bit too much. With the Ashkenazic family name, it sounds even more incongruous. Also, I can just imagine when the boy has his mandatory army service. Anyway, is it common for secular Israelis to give their children names that are so unHebrew? Typical Secular Israeli names would include Asaf, Eyal, Sivan, Ronen, Shai and Amir for boys and Meital, Chagit, Ilanit, Efrat, and Anat for girls. |
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Aug 7 2008, 11:19 PM
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#4
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 Rebbe Group: Members Posts: 1,630 Joined: 17-September 07 Member No.: 6,891 |
QUOTE (goyishrebbe @ Aug 7 2008, 11:06 PM) Anyway, is it common for secular Israelis to give their children names that are so unHebrew? Not in my experience. Almost all of the ones I've met have Hebrew names. QUOTE (krumlikeapretzel @ Aug 8 2008, 12:06 AM) Typical Secular Israeli names would include Asaf, Eyal, Sivan, Ronen, Shai and Amir for boys and Meital, Chagit, Ilanit, Efrat, and Anat for girls. Yup |
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Aug 7 2008, 11:23 PM
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#5
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Shtark Group: Members Posts: 359 Joined: 31-July 08 Member No.: 7,417 |
QUOTE (krumlikeapretzel @ Aug 8 2008, 12:06 AM) They have their particular names, but certainly Jamal is not one of them. Typical Secular Israeli names would include Asaf, Eyal, Sivan, Ronen, Shai and Amir for boys and Meital, Chagit, Ilanit, Efrat, and Anat for girls. sivan for boys !?!?! ive known only female sivans |
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Aug 7 2008, 11:24 PM
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#6
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Rebbe Group: Members Posts: 1,630 Joined: 17-September 07 Member No.: 6,891 |
QUOTE (Jewcepticon @ Aug 8 2008, 12:23 AM) sivan for boys !?!?! ive known only female sivans I know a male Sivan. |
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Aug 8 2008, 06:59 AM
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#7
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Rebbe Group: Members Posts: 1,056 Joined: 5-June 05 From: New York, NY Member No.: 1,570 |
QUOTE (krumlikeapretzel @ Aug 8 2008, 12:06 AM) They have their particular names, but certainly Jamal is not one of them. Typical Secular Israeli names would include Asaf, Eyal, Sivan, Ronen, Shai and Amir for boys and Meital, Chagit, Ilanit, Efrat, and Anat for girls. Some Religious Zionist families use those names also. These names are more what I'd expect for the kids. BTW, my cousin married and divorced a woman named Sivan. |
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Aug 8 2008, 11:39 AM
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#8
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 Orthodox Ethiopian Hebrew Group: Members Posts: 3,401 Joined: 12-August 06 From: Bilad el-Sudan Member No.: 3,228 |
Maybe Jamal is short for Jamliel? (Temani accent, of course)
-------------------- QUOTE (err) To me the only constructive thing to come out of the "OTD phenomenon" is that most of them are really ignorant or have primitive ideas about Judaism, so if people were more introspective we could reflect on the shoddy state of the schools and what kids are learning |
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Aug 8 2008, 12:42 PM
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#9
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Godol Hador Group: Members Posts: 2,876 Joined: 2-August 05 Member No.: 1,698 |
QUOTE (goyishrebbe @ Aug 8 2008, 06:59 AM) Some Religious Zionist families use those names also. These names are more what I'd expect for the kids. BTW, my cousin married and divorced a woman named Sivan. Unisex names are very in style in Israel now. The same names for boys and girls: Amir, Amit, etc. |
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Aug 8 2008, 12:59 PM
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#10
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 Knows she doesn't know Group: Members Posts: 4,827 Joined: 19-July 04 Member No.: 583 |
QUOTE (goyishrebbe @ Aug 7 2008, 11:06 PM) TO ALL- Recently, thanks to Facebook, I got back in touch with a secular Israeli acquaintance I went to summer camp with years ago. He now has two children--a daughter named Elle and a son named Jamal. Now, I fully appreciate that Menachem Mendel is not going to be a popular boys' name in Tel Aviv. However, naming one's son Jamal--a name normally reserved for Arabs and NBA all-stars--seems a bit too much. With the Ashkenazic family name, it sounds even more incongruous. Also, I can just imagine when the boy has his mandatory army service. Anyway, is it common for secular Israelis to give their children names that are so unHebrew? I think it's similar to any 'anti' situation. QUOTE (Jewcepticon @ Aug 7 2008, 11:51 PM) whats wrong with arabic names, Hacham ovadia yosef was born Abdulla Yuseff That was in a different era, and methinks he wasn't born in Israel. Definitely not Israel of today. QUOTE (krumlikeapretzel @ Aug 8 2008, 12:06 AM) They have their particular names, but certainly Jamal is not one of them. Typical Secular Israeli names would include Asaf, Eyal, Sivan, Ronen, Shai and Amir for boys and Meital, Chagit, Ilanit, Efrat, and Anat for girls. The girl names you mentioned are rather for the frum. Names that come up for me is Inbal, Moriah, Nahar, Orit, Shelly etc... -------------------- Proud member of the "I don't always wait until I finish reading the thread to respond" club. ~~~~~~~~~~ As for me, I would rather be able to love things I cannot have, than to have things I'm not able to love. .~Merrit Malloy |
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Aug 8 2008, 01:01 PM
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#11
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Godol Hador Group: Members Posts: 4,190 Joined: 6-March 05 Member No.: 1,237 |
QUOTE (TheDuncePolice @ Aug 8 2008, 12:59 PM) Names that come up for me is Inbal, Moriah Aren't those hotel names? 
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Aug 8 2008, 01:10 PM
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#12
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Knows she doesn't know Group: Members Posts: 4,827 Joined: 19-July 04 Member No.: 583 |
QUOTE (krumlikeapretzel @ Aug 8 2008, 02:01 PM) Aren't those hotel names? Lol. Names of my friends' sisters. My friends' names are Zohar, Neriya, Hadas, Dana... -------------------- Proud member of the "I don't always wait until I finish reading the thread to respond" club. ~~~~~~~~~~ As for me, I would rather be able to love things I cannot have, than to have things I'm not able to love. .~Merrit Malloy |
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Aug 10 2008, 06:09 AM
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#13
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Rebbe Group: Members Posts: 1,056 Joined: 5-June 05 From: New York, NY Member No.: 1,570 |
Thanks everyone. So, those names picked by my old acquaintance and his wife are very unusual.
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Aug 10 2008, 11:30 PM
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#14
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Shtark Group: Members Posts: 359 Joined: 31-July 08 Member No.: 7,417 |
QUOTE (TheDuncePolice @ Aug 8 2008, 01:59 PM) I think it's similar to any 'anti' situation. That was in a different era, and methinks he wasn't born in Israel. Definitely not Israel of today. The girl names you mentioned are rather for the frum. Names that come up for me is Inbal, Moriah, Nahar, Orit, Shelly etc... if you can have a Frum Guy with a goyishe name as Morris or whatever I dont see why you cant have the Name Abdullah (a common name for iraqi jews) which is Arabic translation of Ovadia just as Joseph is english translation of Yosef, me thinks there are still many syrian women name Jamila (yafa in 3arabi) in flatbush no? there is acourding to a treasury of Sephardic laws and customs by dobrinsky |
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Aug 10 2008, 11:57 PM
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#15
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Knows she doesn't know Group: Members Posts: 4,827 Joined: 19-July 04 Member No.: 583 |
QUOTE (Jewcepticon @ Aug 11 2008, 12:30 AM) if you can have a Frum Guy with a goyishe name as Morris or whatever I dont see why you cant have the Name Abdullah (a common name for iraqi jews) which is Arabic translation of Ovadia just as Joseph is english translation of Yosef, me thinks there are still many syrian women name Jamila (yafa in 3arabi) in flatbush no? there is acourding to a treasury of Sephardic laws and customs by dobrinsky I don't think you'll find too many jamilas. But you might find Ferida's etc... -------------------- Proud member of the "I don't always wait until I finish reading the thread to respond" club. ~~~~~~~~~~ As for me, I would rather be able to love things I cannot have, than to have things I'm not able to love. .~Merrit Malloy |
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Aug 11 2008, 12:12 AM
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#16
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 Rebbe Group: Members Posts: 1,398 Joined: 6-August 05 From: עיר של שלום Member No.: 1,709 |
How about a female Shiloh? Kochava? Kesem?
All interesting names, if you ask me.... Obviously secular, obviously Israeli. -------------------- על כל אחד ואחת להוסיף בתורה ובמצוות כדי להכריע את עצמו ואת כל העולם כולו לכף זכות!
'It is every Jew's duty to add in Torah and mitzvot in order to bring the geula.' |
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