Hebrew Bible Image by iStock

BERLIN (JTA) — Non-Jewish parents in Germany are picking names straight out of the Hebrew Bible for their newborns, and they might not even know it.

According to the Society for the German Language, Ben was the most popular name for boys in 2018, with Hannah, Lea, Noah and Jakob also showing up on the top ten lists for boys and girls, according to a report by Deutschlandradio. Four out of the top ten boys’ names, and five of the top ten girls names, have Hebrew origins.

But few non-Jewish parents actually know the meaning of such names – they just like how they sound, according to Frauke Rüdebusch, a linguist with the Society for the German Language, which has put out an annual list since 1977. The top ten lists through 2017 are available online.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

Rüdebusch told Deutschlandradio that Hebrew biblical first names grew in popularity after the end of World War II, but became especially noticeable in the 1970s, and again in the last decade or two.

It might not be very surprising for Jews to pick such names, but in fact there may also be a trend within that small population of approximately 200,000, educator Elena Pavda of Kassel told Deutschlandradio.

Some 90 percent of Jews here come from families that emigrated to Germany from the former Soviet Union, where Jewish names could be a liability, said Pavda, who is Jewish.

“You always had to expect some kind of harassment. … [But] here in Germany you can [choose Jewish names], of course. And many do.”

According to Rüdebusch, a survey done several years ago showed that most people chose names based on how they sounded, rather than their origin. 

But if they are curious, they might check the online magazine Wunderweib (“Wonder Woman”), which last summer listed its favorite Jewish biblical names complete with definitions.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

2X match on all Passover gifts!

$90 → $180 $180 → $360

$360 → $720

Other amount