Recently, Nameberry came up with a list of the top baby names for 2016 thus far. Going with recent trends in the past few years, Jewish names dominated the lists. These were our top favorites:
1. Charlotte. Charlotte, while not of Jewish origins, was largely used by Jewish immigrants when emigrating to the U.S. The name itself means “free man” or “petite.” Personally, I love all the nicknames, like Lottie, Lola, and Charlie. Charlotte got the #3 spot for girls.
2. Ava. Ava is a female name that means “life” in Hebrew. How can you not love this name? Ava got the #4 spot for girls.
3. Ezra. Ezra means “help” in Hebrew, and was a scribe and leader of the people of Israel returning from Babylonian exile. The name got the #1 spot for boys.
4. Asher. Asher means “happy” in Hebrew, and was the eighth son of Jacob, so one of 12 tribes of Israel. Happiness is a pretty good thing to name your kid after–the name earned the #2 spot for boys.
5. Levi/Levy. Levi is a boys name that means “attached” in Hebrew. Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah, and one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Pretty cool, right? The name earned the #8 spot on the list for boys.
6. Elijah. Elijah means “the Lord is my God” in Hebrew, and was one of the most famous prophets in the bible.
7. Sadie. It’s a nickname for Sarah (meaning “princess”), a name made famous by the biblical wife of Abraham, also the mother of Isaac. It’s hard not to love this modern twist to Sarah.
8. Daniel. Daniel means “God is judge” in Hebrew, and was a wise man of Israel living in the Babylonian court. The Book of Daniel tells his life story. And of course, nicknames like Dan and Danny abound.
9. Gabriel. Gabriel, or Gabe for short, means “Strength of God,” and is the name of an angel in Judaism.
10. Samuel. Samuel means “God is heard” in Hebrew, and was the prophet anointed the first two kings of Israel.
11. Molly. Molly, like Charlotte, is not of Jewish origins, but was largely used by Jewish immigrants when emigrating to the U.S. The name means “wished-for child,” “rebellion,” and “bitter.”
Check out our baby name guide for more Jewish names.
Read More:
6 Jewish Baby Names for Girls You’re About to See More of This Year
This Is What It’s Like Working at an Adoption Agency
8 Jewish Baby Names for Boys That Will Be Popular This Year
