If you’re looking to find some baby name inspiration, celebrating your family is not just a traditional approach — it’s also an awesome one, considering grandparents are totally cool. This is why we rounded up the most popular Jewish baby names of the 1930s.
We took a look at the Social Security Administration’s official list of the 200 most popular names of 1930s (what a time to grow up!).
From this list, we rounded up some of the most popular Jewish names — and honestly, they’re clearly favorites for a reason. And if you’re in need of more inspiration, don’t forget to check out our baby naming guide and our breakdown traditional Jewish baby naming practices.
Boys
1. Joseph. Joseph is a Hebrew boy’s name that means “increase.” Joseph was one of the sons of Jacob and a leader of the Israelites in Egypt.
2. David. David is a Hebrew boy’s name that means “beloved.” David was the second king of Israel.
3. Harold. Harold is a non-Jewish name that was popular among Jewish people. It is Scandinavian and means “army ruler.” Hal or Harry are fun nicknames.
4. Michael. Michael is a Hebrew name meaning “who is like God.” Michael is also the name of an angel in Jewish tradition.
5. Daniel. Daniel means “God is my judge” in Hebrew.
6. Samuel. Samuel is a Hebrew name meaning “God has heard.” Samuel the prophet anointed the first two kings of Israel.
7. Benjamin. Benjamin means “son of the right hand” in Hebrew. Benjamin, the youngest son of Jacob, was one of the 12 tribes of Israel.
Girls
8. Barbara. Barbara is a girl’s name that means “stranger.” While it’s not a Hebrew name, it was popular among Jewish immigrants who came to the U.S.
9. Ruth. Ruth is a Hebrew name that means “friendship.” Ruth is the heroine of the Book of Ruth, who cares for Naomi, marries Boaz, and becomes an ancestor of King David.
10. Elizabeth. Elizabeth means “God is my oath” in Hebrew.
11. Martha/Matya. Martha is an Aramaic name that means “the lady.” Matya is a similar sounding name in Hebrew that means “God’s gift.”
12. Judith. Judith is a Hebrew name meaning “praised.”
13. Edna. Edna is Hebrew meaning “pleasure.” The Garden of Eden is the setting for the creation story.
14. Sarah/Sara. Sarah is a Hebrew name meaning “princess.” In the Bible, Sarah, the first matriarch, was the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
15. Sharon. Sharon is a Hebrew girl’s name meaning “the coastal plain of Israel.”
16. Alma. Alma is a Hebrew name meaning “young woman.” It’s also the name of our sister site, Alma.
Image: Flickr
Check out our Jewish baby name bank for more inspiration.
