Browse Names - Behind the Name

Alter אַלטער, אלתר m Yiddish
From Yiddish אַלט (alt) meaning "old". This name was traditionally given to a sickly newborn by Jewish parents in order to confuse the Angel of Death, in the hopes that he would go looking for somebody younger.

Asher אָשֵׁר m Hebrew, English, Biblical, Biblical Hebrew
Means "happy, blessed" in Hebrew, derived from אָשַׁר (ʾashar) meaning "to be happy, to be blessed". Asher in the Old Testament is a son of Jacob by Leah's handmaid Zilpah, and the ancestor of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The meaning of his name is explained in Genesis 30:13.

Avner אַבְנֵר m Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew form of Abner.

Ber בער, בֶר m Yiddish
Means "bear" in Yiddish, a vernacular form of Dov.

Eliezer אֱלִיעֶזֶר m Biblical, Hebrew, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֱלִיעֶזֶר (ʾEliʿezer) meaning "my God is help", derived from אֵל (ʾel) meaning "God" and עֵזֶר (ʿezer) meaning "help". This is the name of several characters in the Old Testament, including a servant of Abraham and one of the sons of Moses (see Exodus 18:4 for an explanation of the significance of the name). It also appears in the New Testament belonging to an ancestor of Jesus in the genealogy in the Gospel of Luke.

Ester אֶסְתֵר f Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Italian, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Icelandic, Finnish, Estonian, Hebrew
Form of Esther used in several languages.

Esther אֶסְתֵר f English, French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Jewish, Biblical, Biblical Latin, Biblical Greek
From the Hebrew name אֶסְתֵר (ʾEsṯer), which possibly means "star" in Persian. Alternatively it could be a derivative of the name of the Near Eastern goddess Ishtar. The Book of Esther in the Old Testament tells the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish wife of the king of Persia. The king's advisor Haman persuaded the king to exterminate all the Jews in the realm. Warned of this plot by her cousin Mordecai, Esther revealed her Jewish ancestry and convinced the king to execute Haman instead. Her original Hebrew name was Hadassah.... [more]

Iser איסר m Yiddish (Rare)
Yiddish variant of Israel.

Lazer לייזער m Yiddish
Yiddish variant of Eliezer. This is the name of a character in the musical Fiddler on the Roof (1964).

Lieber ליבער m Yiddish
From Yiddish ליבע (libe) meaning "love".

Meyer מֵאִיר m Hebrew
Alternate transcription of Hebrew מֵאִיר (see Meir). It also coincides with a German surname meaning "mayor, leader".

Ofer עֹפֶר, עוֹפֶר m Hebrew
Means "fawn" in Hebrew. This makes it a modern variant of the Classical Hebrew name Ophrah.

Omer עוֹמֶר m & f Hebrew
Means "sheaf of wheat" in Hebrew.

Osher אוֹשֶׁר, אֹשֶׁר m & f Hebrew
Means "happiness" in Hebrew.

Sender סענדער, סנדר m Yiddish
Yiddish form of Alexander.

Tomer תּוֹמֶר m Hebrew
Means "palm tree" in Hebrew.

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