Whilst I'm still attempting at doing the Naming Styles and Individual Name Focus posts, I thought I'd also try and have a go at a new post idea, "Name Nationalities". The Name Nationalities posts focus on names from, well, various nationalities from across the globe. For the very first of these posts, let's talk about Hebrew names.
Zipporah
This quirky, unusual name appears in the Bible. The Biblical Zipporah was one of the seven daughters of Jethro, and can also be referred to as Reuel or Raguel. Zipporah has a dainty meaning of "a little bird; sparrow". The names of birds were traditionally used as terms of endearment by poets in Roman Times.
Ziva
This beautiful and rare name, which can also be spelt as Zivah, can either have a meaning of "radiance", "brilliance", "light" or "brightness".
Hadassah
Also known as Esther in the Bible, Hadassah was the Jewish Queen of the Persian King, Ahasuerus. It has a meaning of "myrtle" in Hebrew. In the United States, it ranked at #760 on the popularity charts in 2013, and is unusual in the United Kingdom also.
Miriam
The original Hebrew form of Mary, Miriam's exact meaning is unknown, though it has a number of suggested meanings, including the less positive "bitter". In the United States, it ranked at #292 on the popularity charts in 2013, whilst in the United Kingdom, 128 baby girls were given the name Miriam in 2013.
Abigail
In the Bible, Abigail was the wife of of David. Abigail has a beautiful meaning of "my father's joy". In the United States, Abigail was a very popular girls name in 2013, having ranked at #8 in the popularity charts, whilst in England and Wales, it ranked at #44 in 2012.
Abilene
A place name in the Bible, this pretty girls name has a suggested meaning of "grass" and is an unusual name in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Aliza
This exotic name has a charming meaning of "joyful". In England and Wales, it ranked at #350 on the popularity charts in 2012, whilst in the United States, it ranked at #931 on the popularity charts as of 2013.
Liora
Liora, or Leora, is a spunky and exotic name, which is also the feminisation of Lior, which as a beautiful meaning of "I have a light". Another alternative can be Orli, which is quite popular in Israel, whereas in the United States and the United Kingdom, both Liora and Orli are rare.
Adina
Even though Adina was known for his bravery in King David's army in the Bible, his name is usually the feminisation of the more masculine Adin, or Adi. It can have the beautiful meanings of "delicate", "slender", "refined", or "gentle". It is unusual in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
Amos
In the Old Testament, Amos was one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. Amos has a meaning of "carried", and it ranked at #778 in the popularity charts in the United States in 2013, whilst it is more unusual in the United Kingdom.
Binyamin
In the Bible, Benjamin, the Anglicized version of Binyamin, was the youngest of Jacob's children. It has a meaning of "son of the right hand". Benjamin has always been a popular name, ranking at #14 on the popularity charts for the United States in 2013, whilst in England and Wales, it had a rank of #32 in the popularity charts.
Ephraim
In the Book of Genesis, Ephraim is the second son of Joseph and Asenath. It's original Hebrew spelling is אֶפְרָיִם, which has a meaning of "fruitful". The name of the current Chief Rabbi (Ephraim Mirvis) in England, Ephraim's popularity in the United States ranked at #972 on the popularity charts.
Eliezer
Appearing as the name of three different Biblical figures, Eliezer has a meaning of "my God is help". In the United States, it last made an appearance on the popularity charts in 2010, where it ranked at #995, whilst it is an unusual name in the United Kingdom.
Immanuel
Also spelt as Emmanuel, Immanuel is another Biblical name which makes an appearance in chapters 7 and 8 of the Book of Isaiah. It has a meaning of "God with us", and in the United States, it ranked at #171 in 2013, whilst in England and Wales, it had a ranking of #230 on the popularity charts in 2012.
Mordecai
The son of Jair in the Book of Esther, Mordecai has a strong meaning of "warrior". It as an unusual name in both the United Kingdom and the United States. An alternative spelling can be Mordechai, and in the Yiddish language, Motke can be a diminutive of Mordecai.
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