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Is the name "Yarden" ("Jordan" in English) a name that was ever used as a (Hebrew) name by Orthodox Jews? Is there any evidence of this?

The reason this is being asked is for 2 reasons. Someone died who had never had an "official" Hebrew name. (He wasn't religious.) His name was Jordan and the question now has arisen as to what name to put on the tombstone (matzaveh). As well, because his death was sudden and tragic, the family would like to donate an Aron Kodesh in his merit. (Some of the family is religious.) However there is some debate as to whether the name should be written anywhere on the curtain to the Aron Kodesh or in the shul itself as it's not a "Hebrew" name. What will be done in practice will be decided by a Rov; however, it's important to know what history there might be surrounding this name, as knowing the name is important for religious purposes.

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    You mean aside from the last 35 years? Because I definitely know some in that group.
    – Charles Koppelman
    Oct 23, 2013 at 21:04
  • @CharlesKoppelman Maybe asked them what caused their parents to give the name!
    – Yehoshua
    Oct 23, 2013 at 21:23
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    Is Tarfon a Hebrew name? Avdimi? Papa? Tivyomi? Who cares if his name was Hebrew?
    – Double AA ♦
    Oct 24, 2013 at 18:14
  • This also sounds like a Psak question, which would make it off-topic. Anyone else disagree?
    – Seth J
    Oct 24, 2013 at 18:24
  • @SethJ, its question is in its first paragraph. I don't see a request for p'sak there. Like judaism.stackexchange.com/q/2326, this is a question of "general knowledge (science, etc.) as it relates directly to Judaism".
    – msh210 ♦
    Oct 24, 2013 at 18:26

4 Answers 4

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My second name is Yarden (Giordano in Italian) and I am a Jew. It comes from my grandfather. I have been told, that Yarden is in use in Israel but mostly by females.

Let me also note that, as an Italian Jew occasionally in Israel, I have seen concerns for "Hebrew vs Non-Hebrew name" only by frum Ashkenazi Jews (mostly Americans). Here part of the religious Jews have an easily translatable name ("Davide", "Daniele"), part have an Israeli name ("Yaron"), part have two names ("Alberto Moshe") and some have only an Italian name, but it is not a cause of great concern. You just transliterate in Hebrew their name when you need.

So I am not sure that the concept of an Hebrew name is so significant and binding

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  • +1 ......regarding "So I am not sure that the concept of an Hebrew name is so significant and binding": see this question and its most recent answer
    – MTL
    Jul 23, 2014 at 22:35
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There is a Rabbi Yarden Blumstein who is part of Chabad in West Bloomfield, MI. There is also a dentist in Israel Dr. Yarden Goldstein. It is definitely in use today.

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In this video the Lubavitcher Rebbe is asked by an older individual the following question:

"I'm having my bris today, what Hebrew name should I take?"

The Rebbe asks what his name is now. He responds "Jordan", the Rebbe says to him "then should take the name Yarden".

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The name is used as a surname by some. For example, דב ירדן Dov Jarden who edited many Jewish medieval works, and his son משה ירדן Moshe Jarden a mathematician.

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  • Surname doesn’t address the OP.
    – DonielF
    Mar 6, 2018 at 16:28
  • @DonielF Why not?
    – Alex
    Mar 6, 2018 at 17:38
  • The wording of the question regarding tombstones strongly implies that he was asking regarding first names, as surnames don’t mean anything for that (first-name ben father’s-name).
    – DonielF
    Mar 6, 2018 at 17:53
  • @DonielF The surname came from somewhere. It is possible that it was derived from a given name (e.g. Ovadia Yosef) and thus might shed light on the general usage of the name.
    – Alex
    Mar 6, 2018 at 18:02
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    Then the crux of your answer is missing from your answer. Or, in yeshivish, עיקר חסר מן הספר.
    – DonielF
    Mar 6, 2018 at 18:53

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