Names; Naming

The who, what, when and where of Jewish names and the naming ceremony.

How do I choose a name? Do I need to confirm it with a rabbi or something?

The portion of Lech-Lecha begins with G-d calling Abraham to his destiny. Strangely, in the glowing promises of the glorious future awaiting him, the Torah specifically mentions a name change. But why would modifying something as external as a name be suc...

Who names the baby? After whom is the baby named? How is a name changed?

Why name an entire book after the seemingly coincidental use of a word in its opening line? But here lies an important lesson about the Jewish approach to the individual member of the community . . .

My daughter was pregnant when her father-in-law passed away. Is it okay for them to name the baby after his grandfather?

The sages of the Midrash wondered the same, and here are their answers . . .

Ashkenazi Jews do not name their children after someone who is alive at the time.

In Judaism, a person's Hebrew name is something that describes the deepest part of them. And when parents name their baby, it is the one time in their life that they are blessed with Divine Inspiration...