This week, comedian John Mulaney released his new comedy special “Baby J.” Granted, I’m not here to talk about that. But isn’t it a weird coincidence that this week on our Jewish baby name journey, we’ve reached the letter “J”?! I think so.
Cosmic coincidences aside, the baby names below are joyful, jocund and absolutely Jewish. Read on for our list of beautiful Jewish baby names that begin with the letter “J.”
Girls:
1. Janine — With origins in Hebrew, English and French, Janine means “God is gracious.” It is derived from the name Yochanan, who was a Talmudic rabbi.
2. Jessica — This name is an anglicized version of the Hebrew name Yiska, which means “foresight.”
3. Joan — There have been a lot of great Joans throughout history – of Arc, Didion, Rivers. Why not add your daughter to the list? In Hebrew, Joan means “God has given.” It is an English and feminine version of the Hebrew names Yonatan and Yochanan.
4. Judith — Coming from the Hebrew name Yehuda, Judith means “praised.” This name is a great option for your daughter if you want to honor the biblical Judith, a badass Jewess who beheads a tyrannical Greek general. Plus, Judy is a great nickname for Judith, as it evokes iconic Jewish author Judy Blume.
Unisex:
5. Jay — Though Jay can serve as a nickname for any name on this list, it’s also a full, unisex name in its own right!
Boys:
6. Jacob — You simply can’t beat the classics! Jacob is a timeless Jewish name that honors the third biblical patriarch. In Hebrew, this name means “to follow.”
7. Jonas — A form of the name Jonah, Jonas means “dove.” It comes from both Hebrew and Greek. The most famous celebrities with this name are, of course, the (non-Jewish) Jonas Brothers. Swoon!
8. Jonathan — You should definitely name your baby after Jewish comedian Jonathan Leibowitz! Er, sorry, I mean Jon Stewart! In Hebrew, Jonathan or Yonatan means “God has given.”
9. Jonah — Beware of large fish! In the Hebrew bible, Jonah was an apprehensive prophet who was swallowed by a very big fish. The name means “dove” or “pigeon.”
10. Joseph — Naming your son Joseph ought to come with a complimentary, baby-sized coat of many colors, no? Biblically, Joseph was a son of the patriarch Jacob. In Hebrew, Joseph or Yosef means “increase.”
11. Joshua — Meaning “God is salvation,” Joshua or Yehoshua was the leader of the ancient Israelites after Moses.
Click here for a full list of Jewish baby names that start with the letter “J.”
