Hebrew Girl Names
Hebrew has given English some of its most enduring girls’ names — Hannah, Sarah, Elizabeth and Abigail among them — and modern Israel keeps adding fresh ones like Shira, Noa and Maayan. Many carry meanings rooted in nature (dew, doe, date palm) or in faith, often with a trace of El or Yah, the Hebrew words for God.
Below are 100 Hebrew girl names grouped by style, with meanings and, for the biblical ones, the chapter where each woman appears. For the matching boys’ list see Hebrew boy names, or head back to our full guide to Hebrew names. If scripture is your starting point, our biblical girl names list goes deeper still.
Popular Hebrew girl names in the US
These Hebrew-origin names are consistently among the most popular girls’ names in the United States (SSA data), even if many parents don’t realize where they come from.
| Name | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Abigail | “My father’s joy” | Wife of King David, 1 Samuel 25 |
| Hannah | “Grace, favor” | Mother of the prophet Samuel |
| Elizabeth | From Elisheva, “my God is an oath” | Wife of Aaron in Exodus 6 |
| Leah | Possibly “weary” or “wild cow” | First wife of Jacob |
| Eliana | “My God has answered” | A modern favorite with nickname Ellie |
| Naomi | “Pleasantness” | Mother-in-law of Ruth |
| Delilah | Possibly “delicate” or “languishing” | Judges 16; now a chart-topping name |
| Eden | “Delight” | The garden in Genesis 2 |
| Ariel | “Lion of God” | A poetic name for Jerusalem in Isaiah 29 |
| Anna | Greek form of Hannah, “grace” | The prophetess in Luke 2 |
| Sarah | “Princess” | Wife of Abraham, Genesis 17 |
| Maya | Linked to Hebrew <em>mayim</em>, “water” | Also a Sanskrit name meaning “illusion” |
| Isabella | Spanish/Italian form of Elisheva, “pledged to God” | Hebrew roots behind a Latin sound |
| Rachel | “Ewe” | Jacob’s beloved wife, Genesis 29 |
| Gabriella | Feminine of Gabriel, “God is my strength” | The archangel’s name, softened |
| Josephine | Feminine of Joseph, “he will add” | French form of a Hebrew classic |
Biblical Hebrew girl names
Every name here belongs to a woman of the Hebrew Bible (or, for Susanna, the Gospels). Browse more in our biblical names collection.
| Name | Meaning | Where to find her |
|---|---|---|
| Eve | From Chava, “life, living” | Genesis 3:20 |
| Rebekah | Possibly “to tie, bind” or “captivating” | Genesis 24 |
| Miriam | Disputed: possibly “beloved” or “bitter” | Sister of Moses, Exodus 15:20 |
| Deborah | “Bee” | Prophet and judge, Judges 4–5 |
| Ruth | Possibly “friend, companion” | Book of Ruth |
| Esther | Likely Persian, “star” | Queen of Persia, Book of Esther |
| Hadassah | “Myrtle” | Esther’s Hebrew name, Esther 2:7 |
| Bathsheba | “Daughter of the oath” | Mother of Solomon, 2 Samuel 11 |
| Tamar | “Date palm” | Genesis 38 and 2 Samuel 13 |
| Zipporah | “Bird” | Wife of Moses, Exodus 2:21 |
| Dinah | “Judged, vindicated” | Daughter of Jacob, Genesis 30:21 |
| Huldah | “Weasel” or “mole” | Prophetess, 2 Kings 22:14 |
| Michal | “Who is like God?” | Daughter of Saul, 1 Samuel 18 |
| Jemima | “Dove” | Daughter of Job, Job 42:14 |
| Keziah | “Cassia” (a cinnamon-like spice) | Daughter of Job, Job 42:14 |
| Milcah | “Queen” | Genesis 11:29 |
| Tirzah | “Pleasantness, delight” | Daughter of Zelophehad, Numbers 26:33 |
| Susanna | “Lily” | Follower of Jesus, Luke 8:3 |
| Keturah | “Incense” | Wife of Abraham, Genesis 25:1 |
| Adah | “Adornment” | Genesis 4:19 |
| Zillah | “Shade, shadow” | Genesis 4:19 |
| Shiphrah | “Beautiful, fair” | Brave midwife, Exodus 1:15 |
Modern Israeli girl names (with pronunciation)
These are names you’ll hear in Tel Aviv playgrounds today. Many come from nature words revived with modern Hebrew; the stress usually falls on the last syllable.
| Name | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Noa | NO-ah | “Movement”; also a daughter of Zelophehad |
| Shira | SHEE-rah | “Song, poetry” |
| Yael | yah-EL | “Mountain goat, ibex”; heroine of Judges 4 |
| Maayan | mah-ah-YAHN | “Spring of water” |
| Talia | TAHL-yah | “Dew of God” |
| Agam | ah-GAHM | “Lake” |
| Romi | ROH-mee | “Height, exaltation” |
| Hila | hee-LAH | “Halo” |
| Ayala | ah-YAH-lah | “Doe, gazelle” |
| Neta | NEH-tah | “Sapling, plant” |
| Adi | ah-DEE | “Jewel, ornament” |
| Lior | lee-OR | “I have light”; used for boys too |
| Hadar | hah-DAR | “Splendor, glory” |
| Yarden | yar-DEN | The Jordan River; “to flow down” |
| Stav | STAHV | “Autumn” |
| Inbar | een-BAR | “Amber” |
| Galit | gah-LEET | “Little wave” |
| Rotem | ROH-tem | White broom, a desert shrub |
Hebrew girl names with beautiful meanings
Hebrew is rich in virtue and nature names. If a specific meaning matters to you, see our lists of names that mean light and names that mean hope.
| Name | Meaning | Why we like it |
|---|---|---|
| Ariella | “Lioness of God” | Ariel with extra softness |
| Aviva | “Springtime” | Bright and uncommon in the US |
| Ilana | “Tree” | Graceful, easy across languages |
| Liora | “Light is mine” | A luminous alternative to Leah |
| Orly | “My light” | Crisp and cheerful |
| Tova | “Good” | Simple virtue name |
| Yaffa | “Beautiful” | Also the Hebrew name of the port city Jaffa |
| Ahava | “Love” | Heartfelt, rarely used outside Israel |
| Nava | “Beautiful, pleasant” | Short and melodic |
| Simcha | “Joy” | Used for girls and boys |
| Batya | “Daughter of God” | Traditional name of Pharaoh’s daughter in Jewish lore |
| Chaya | “Life, alive” | Classic Jewish name, pronounced KHAI-ah |
| Dalia | “Branch” | Also evokes the dahlia flower |
| Shoshana | “Lily” (“rose” in modern Hebrew) | Nicknames Shana and Shoshi |
| Levana | “Moon, white” | Poetic and moonlit |
| Carmel | “Garden, orchard” | After Mount Carmel near Haifa |
| Kinneret | Sea of Galilee; possibly from <em>kinnor</em>, “harp” | A place name with music in it |
| Zahava | “Gold” | Warm and a little vintage |
| Rina | “Joy, song” | Short, bright, international |
| Tikva | “Hope” | The root of Israel’s anthem, Hatikvah |
Short Hebrew girl names
One- and two-syllable names are hugely popular in Israel. Most work just as well in English.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tal | “Dew” |
| Gal | “Wave” |
| Mor | “Myrrh” |
| Ora | “Light” |
| Ziva | “Radiance, splendor” |
| Tali | “My dew” |
| Roni | “My joy, sing out” |
| Yona | “Dove” |
| Keren | “Ray of light” or “horn” |
| Meira | “One who shines, light-giver” |
| Shai | “Gift” |
| Nili | Acronym of a verse in 1 Samuel 15:29, “the Eternal One of Israel will not lie” |
Classic English names with Hebrew roots
Plenty of familiar English names are Hebrew underneath, reshaped by Greek, Latin and French. Many are feminine forms of boys’ names you’ll find in our Hebrew boy names list.
| Name | Hebrew root and meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Mary | From Miriam | The most common English form of a Hebrew name |
| Judith | “Woman of Judea” or “praised” | Heroine of the Book of Judith |
| Joanna | “God is gracious” | Luke 8:3 |
| Jane | Feminine of John, “God is gracious” | A timeless English classic |
| Edna | “Pleasure, delight” | From the Book of Tobit |
| Bethany | Possibly “house of figs” | Village near Jerusalem in the Gospels |
| Martha | Aramaic, “lady, mistress” | Sister of Lazarus, Luke 10:38 |
| Salome | From <em>shalom</em>, “peace” | Mark 15:40 |
| Michaela | Feminine of Michael, “who is like God?” | Sporty nickname Mickey |
| Danielle | Feminine of Daniel, “God is my judge” | French feminine form |
| Raphaela | Feminine of Raphael, “God has healed” | Artistic and rare |
| Elise | Short form of Elisabeth | French polish on a Hebrew name |
| Emmanuelle | “God is with us” | From Isaiah 7:14 |
How to choose a Hebrew girl name
- Check the pronunciation you want. Israeli Hebrew often stresses the last syllable (Ta-MAR, No-A), while English speakers say TAM-ar and NO-ah. Both are fine; just pick one and be consistent.
- Think about the “ch” sound. Names like Chaya and Simcha use a throaty kh that many Americans soften to an H or a hard C. Hannah (from Channah) shows how that sound usually gets anglicized.
- Honor a relative the Ashkenazi way. Many Jewish families name a baby after a relative who has died, often keeping just the first letter — Rachel for Rivka, for example.
- Pair a Hebrew name with an English one. Many families give a Hebrew name used in religious life plus an everyday English name. Our Jewish last names page can help you test the full combination.
- Look up the story, not just the meaning. Biblical figures such as Delilah or Bathsheba have complicated stories; read the chapter before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular Hebrew girl name?
In the US, Abigail, Hannah, Elizabeth, Eliana and Naomi are among the most-used Hebrew-origin girls’ names. In Israel itself, Tamar, Maya, Noa and Yael have ranked near the top in recent years.
What is a Hebrew girl name that means “gift of God”?
Several Hebrew names carry the idea of a gift: Shai simply means “gift,” while Matana means “gift” too. Eliana (“my God has answered”) and Hannah (“grace”) are popular choices with a similar feeling of blessing.
What Hebrew girl names mean light?
Liora (“light is mine”), Orly (“my light”), Ora (“light”), Meira (“one who shines”) and Keren (“ray of light”) all come from Hebrew words for light.
Is Maya a Hebrew name?
Maya is used in several cultures. In Israel it is a very popular girls’ name, often linked to mayim, “water.” It is also a Sanskrit name and a Greek mythological name, so the meaning depends on the family’s background.
Are Hebrew names only for Jewish families?
No. Names like Sarah, Hannah, Abigail and Elizabeth have been used by Christian families for centuries, and many Hebrew names are simply loved for their sound and meaning.