All Questions
43 questions
2
votes
0
answers
73
views
Can a Sefardi name a baby after a living Ashkenazi?
I believe that Ashkenazim generally have a minhag that it is not allowed to name babies after a living person, whereas Sefardim do name after living people. Can a Sefardi name a baby after a living ...
- 3,184
0
votes
1
answer
126
views
Not naming a child "Akiva" - minhag?
I recently spoke to a person who said that their rabbi advised them against naming their child "Akiva" because of his ill-fated death; it was some sort of negative omen. Regardless, the ...
- 10.4k
5
votes
2
answers
231
views
What is the meaning of כמר used as an honorific before introducing one's name?
It is standard among Jews writing in Hebrew to attach the honorific כמר before introducing one's name. This custom is actually quite old dating back at least to the days of the earliest Acharonim, and ...
- 2,811
0
votes
1
answer
151
views
Why skip wife's name in invitations?
Although there is certainly a wide range of 'customs' regarding this question, why do some Orthodox communities skip the wife's first name in invitations saying:
"Mr. and Mrs. [Husband First and ...
- 14.7k
2
votes
1
answer
229
views
Naming after a person that dies from Coronavirus
Many people do not name after a person that passed away in an accident, was killed or died young.* Is there an issue with naming after someone who dies from the Coronavirus, which is an epidemic, and ...
- 140k
0
votes
2
answers
139
views
Which parent names the first child?
Which parent names the first child according to current custom?
- 5,420
2
votes
1
answer
71
views
Which names are given at burial?
The custom is for the Chevra Kadisha to name a baby who dies before being named.
What names are customarily used in this sad scenario?
- 5,420
6
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Is a female convert "bas Avraham" or "bas Sarah"?
...Or, I suppose, "bas Avraham v'Sarah?"
What is the most authoritative name to use: 1) In tefilo? 2) On a document such as a conversion certificate or ketubah?
If this varies by community, please ...
- 20.2k
2
votes
2
answers
551
views
Is it allowed to name your son with your name?
I wasn't sure if there exists an issur or minhag to not name your son with your personal name (e.g Shlomo Feivel). I don't think I've ever met a religious Jew with the same name of his father.
But I ...
- 925
2
votes
0
answers
88
views
Dropping a Vernacular Name
Many people, especially in previous generations, have names which contain a vernacular component (eg. Yiddish names et c.).
According to some shittot (see references to the Chattam Sofer here) one ...
- 13.3k
0
votes
4
answers
414
views
Looking for Pasuk for my son's name
My son's name is Kolunimus. I can't find a pasuk that starts with Kuf and end with Samech. Please help.
- 9
1
vote
1
answer
310
views
Learning or Dedicating for Leilu Nishmas: Sephardic vs. Ashkenazic
Just curious as to the differences between Sephardic/Mizrahi and Ashkenazic customs in regards to mentioning a deceased person's mother or father's name when dedicating something? I think Ashkenazim ...
- 97
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
Naming Children After Living People
It is a widespread Ashkenazi minhog not to name a child after someone who is living. From where can this custom be sourced? Why is this so?
I would assume it is because it has some negative ...
- 19.2k
3
votes
0
answers
77
views
Is it true that saying someone's full Jewish name is helpful for a long life?
Someone told me that in their family they have the minhag (practice) that at least once a day everyone is called by their full Jewish name.
For example, a girl is Chana Ester Riva. People call her ...
- 7,614
3
votes
2
answers
955
views
Source for spoon, feather, and candle used in bedikas chometz?
What is the original source for the Ashkenazic tradition to do--as is popularly taught--the final search for chometz with a spoon, a feather, and a candle?
It may not have an official source; in that ...
- 20.2k
1
vote
0
answers
38
views
Don't know name of a sick person's mother [duplicate]
I suspect that this is a fairly common problem, particularly in Orthodox schuls: one knows someone who is unwell, but comes the מי שברך לחולים, they don't know the choleh's mothers name.
In these ...
- 13.3k
0
votes
1
answer
190
views
Do you have to have a dead relative named Alexander to name your child Alexander?
Piggybacking on this question...
I am wondering if there are any names (such as Alexander, or other names for which Jews have a special tradition to name children) that supersede the Ashkenazic ...
- 20.2k
4
votes
1
answer
345
views
Why is the term שליט"א more commonly used for a rav than the term נ"י?
As a follow up to this answer to a M.Y. question, why is שליט"א more commonly used after a notable Rav's name than the term נירו יאיר (or נ"י, as an abbreviation)?
A wise person, such as a rav is ...
- 71.5k
4
votes
2
answers
301
views
Chol-Kreisch Ceremony
Danny Schoemmann mentions a ceremony called a chol-kreisch in this answer for giving the secular name of a child. Is this custom still observed, and if so, how is it practiced?
- 13.3k
9
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What's the source for naming children after Alexander the Great?
I know many Jews whose actual bris-given name is Alexander, and this has been a popular name even among great tzaddikim of the past (such as R. Alexander Ziskind). I've heard a legend (mentioned on ...
- 23.4k
5
votes
1
answer
300
views
Why were some Jews called Yishmael? [duplicate]
Why is it that we find Jews (and even sages) by the name Yishmael? It seems rather strange that we would choose to name our children after someone who was the progenitor of a nation seen to be an ...
- 1,096
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Giving a child the same name as a living distant relative
The Ashkenazi custom is not to give one's child a name shared by another living close relative. How close is too close? Can you give a child a name possessed by his/her (living) cousin? Second cousin?
- 8,313
2
votes
0
answers
322
views
Titles and prefixes for calling people up to the Torah
When people are called up to the Torah by name, often there is a title that goes with them, such as "ha-bachur" for a young man, "ha-rav" for a rabbi (and/or someone with semicha), and other such ...
- 19.3k
4
votes
0
answers
106
views
Are there any name combinations that may not be used?
Are there any combinations of names that may not be given? There are many names which aren't commonly paired together but is there any reason not to or just common practice and preference?
- 4,686
5
votes
0
answers
143
views
Why don't Ramaniote Jews use the hei in names?
I am named after my grandfather and great grandfather on my mother's side, both of whom were Ramaniote. My name, therefore, is "Avram Mosh" (אברם מוש) instead of "Avraham Moshe" (אברהם משה). I've been ...
- 1,890
4
votes
1
answer
185
views
Naming a baby after a living non-relative
As an Ashkenazi Jew, can I name my child after someone who is alive if they are not a relative or are you not supposed to name a child after the living, regardless of your relationship with them or ...
- 41
2
votes
1
answer
665
views
Feminizing Biblical names?
Masculine names such as Daniel, Joseph, and Michael have feminized forms: Danielle/Daniela, Josephine/Josephina, Michelle/Michaela/Mikayla.
I've heard that when choosing a name for a baby, you ...
- 253
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
Additional names for refuah shlema
When praying for someone's refuah shlema (fully recovered health), is it halakhically required to use their additional names on top of their first names? Is it simply custom?
If someone is named Ya'...
- 7,532
3
votes
1
answer
247
views
chassan/kallah signing the kesubah or tenaaim
I have seen bridegrooms and brides sign their names on their kesuba or tenaaim (prenup) before the chuppah (wedding ceremony). It seems maybe to be a chassidish custom, though I'm not sure.
Is there ...
- 42.7k
5
votes
1
answer
4k
views
Can a man marry a woman with the same name as his mother? (Or vice-versa?) How?
Rabbi Yehudah Hechassid wrote in his testament (Testament of R. Yehudah Hechassid, sec. 23) that a man should not marry a woman whose name is the same as his mother’s, and a woman should not marry a ...
- 16.3k
4
votes
2
answers
572
views
Naming a child after two relatives
I once heard Rabbi Shmuel Niman, Mashgiach Ruchani of the Chafeitz Chaim Yeshiva, say that he had "recently learned" that it is improper to give a child parts of the names of two relatives. For ...
- 16.3k
13
votes
3
answers
485
views
When/where did the practice of "recycling" names begin?
Perhaps this had never bothered anyone in the past, but for someone like myself who delves into genealogy, the fact that there are family naming patterns is a great boon. Of course, we can go only so ...
- 1,427
16
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Time-frame for naming a newborn girl
I have heard many differing Minhagim as to the time-frame for naming a newborn girl. There are those that name at the first possible opportunity and some that wait till the second Shabbos. Many others ...
- 140k
4
votes
3
answers
391
views
Conventions for derivation of Hebrew names
How is a Hebrew name chosen for a person whose legal name is English (or other vernacular)? Is the name chosen based on phonetic resemblance to one's English name, a resemblance in meaning, or mere ...
- 20.2k
13
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Why Do Converts Change Their Names?
Rabbi Avigdor Miller said that it used to be that gerim (converts) and baalei teshuvah (repentants) who had been given non-Jewish names did not change their names when they became part of the Jewish ...
- 6,059
21
votes
2
answers
655
views
Why is it considered bad to name children after the living?
This is a fairly straightforward question. I am under the impression that it is considered bad to name children after people who are still alive. This is why you don't see many people named Moishe ...
- 385
12
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Is it permissible to name one's child with a name from the opposite gender?
Is a person allowed to name a boy with a girl's name and vice versa?
I remember seeing that one musn't, although in Nach one finds these things a lot.
I understand it is not best practice for ...
- 6,071
8
votes
1
answer
362
views
Why is it considered respectful to capitalize G-d and its derivatives/pronouns?
I recognize that in English proper nouns are supposed to be capitalized, especially in the case where a proper noun is also a common noun (e.g. the mall vs. the Mall), but only when referring to G-d ...
- 939
36
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Is there any source for not sharing a baby's name before the bris?
For some reason, I have it ingrained in me that a baby boy's name before the bris is a secret and should not be shared. Are there any sources for this, or is it something made up?
user688
11
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Why do we comfort a mourner with Hamakom Yenachem Eschem?
Why, when comforting a mourner at the completion of a Shiva visit, do we refer to G-d as Hamakom? We say Hamakom Yanachem Eschem - why not Hashem Yenachem or Elokim Yenachem?
- 140k
3
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Changing a name for a sick person
Sometimes people add a name for a sick person. Can you just change it to an entirely different name? I know of a case where they kept the first name and changed the second name - originally the name ...
- 140k
9
votes
3
answers
376
views
Meforshim Nick"names
It has become common practice to refer to most meforshim by acronyms of their name (eg Rashi, Rosh, etc.). When and why did this practice start, and is it proper?
- 38.8k
8
votes
2
answers
7k
views
Naming your child using a dead relative's initial
Is there a Jewish tradition of naming your child using the first letter of the name of a recently deceased relative?
Lynne