Hebrew Neutral

Deep in the Bible, past Habbakuk, Isaachar, and Uriah, there are names that are equally as appealing for boys and girls, sometimes even used by both in the Bible. You guessed it! Hebrew neutral names are these names. Can you picture Nehemiah on girl? Well, good, that's because it has never once been used for a girl. I'm not talking about those names. I'm talking names that have had some usage on either side of the spectrum. So, with further ado, here are the Hebrew Neutrals:

Abijah - considered the truest unisex name in the Bible, it is given to numerous males in the bible, one of them the fourth king of Judah, as well as a few females. It was popularly used in the colonial era, where Moses, Eliphalet, and Micajah roamed the streets. Abijah has two usable nicknamse – Abe and Bige. For a girl, this might be a fun way to get to Abby. Masculine or feminine, this name is not popular but is easily accessible. Rhyming with Elijah, the name is pronounced uh-BY-yah. It means "God is my father" in Hebrew. 

Asa - I wouldn't normally put this name on this list because it has almost exclusively been a boys' name, but notice how I put "almost". Justin Bartha named his daughter Asa earlier this year. Shockingly sweet, Asa could make for a wonderful girls' name, though be warned. Many hold strong opinions whether or not this is an acceptable practice to give girls seemingly femininized boys' names. As for boys, this name is in the same field as Ezra. It is there for those experimental parents and for those who want to honor an ancestor named Asa. Keeping this name still mainstream and viable for boys is child actor Asa Butterfield who has been in numerous popular kids' TV shows and films. 

Elisha - following the trend of Noah and Joshua, Elisha is on the rise – and for good reasons. Despite the name's pronunciation problems (is it pronounced like Elijah or closer to an Alicia?), the name sounds oddly like Russian diminutive along the lines of Sasha, Masha, and Dasha. Elisha is a follower of Elijah. At it's highest, Elisha was #255 in 1883 for boys and #373 in 1980 for girls. Elisha has the popular yet quirky nickname Eli.

Hadar - popular name in Israel with almost equal usage for both boys and girls. The name means "ornament" or "glory" or "respect" in Hebrew. It is also a city near Tel Aviv. It has many variants that stem from it, including Hadaram, Hadarezer, Hadriel (which sounds similar to also unisex name Ariel), Hadur, and Heder.

Ira - with the zippy -ah/-a ending that is usually only found in Hebrew names for boys, Ira has only masculine use in the Bible, but for the past century has almost been used for girls. It means "watched one" in Hebrew. In Slavic countries, the name Ira is traditionally used as a nickname for Irina. The last time Ira was on the charts for girls was in 1947 at #971. She runs along the lines of Ada, Ava, and Ida: short but sassy. As a boys name, the name was popular in the early half the century but when on slow decline until 1992, when he fell off the charts. Famous bearers of the name include Ira Gershwin, an American lyrist and brother/partner to George Gershwin, who noted for writing some of the most popular jazz standards. Another namesake is Ira Allen, brother of Ethan Allen, leader of the Green Mountain Boys.

Jude - not technically a unisex name, but all the same, it has had a large amount of usage on both sides. Jude is a popular, surfer-dudish name many see has a masculine but soft Biblical choice for their son, as opposed to his variants Judah and Judas. Jude is one of those few names for boys that has never left the SSA Top 1000 since its beginning in 1880 and is currently popular in the US, England, and Scotland. As a girls' name, it is a diminutive of '50s chic Judith and new alternative to the retro diminutive Judy. As its own name, it has never reached into the top 1000

Paz - appealing Hebrew name, meaning "peace", has a Spanish vibe to it. As a girls' name, it originated as a title for Mary – Our Lady of Peace. For girls, other variants and similar-sounding names include Pazia, Paziah (meaning "the gold of Jehovah"), Pazit, and Pazya. The one male variant is Pazel, but Paz is seen as sleeker and more attractive than the longer former for boys. The Latin word for peace is Pax, as in Pax Romana. A famous namesake is Paz de la Huerta, an actress. A longer, unrelated form to Paz could be Topaz, an unused gem name used by Dodie Smith in her novel I Capture the Castle.

Shalom – along with Paz, Shalom means "peace". The city of Jerusalem stem from this root, meaning "abode of peace" or "city of peace". Salem is also a variant of Shalom, infamous here in the States for their witch-trials, but was rejuvenated with the humorous cat Salem in the 1990s sitcom "Sabrina the Teenage Witch". Shalom Aleichem is one of the famous people bearing name. He was the author of the stories that inspired the musicl Fiddler on the Roof. The name famous woman to bear the name was Shalom Harlow. The name is common greeting in Israel. Other male variants of the name include Absalom, meaning "father of peace", and Shlomo, meaning "his peace" (with the quirky nickname Mo). Female variants include seductive Salome (pronounced Sah-lowm in America, Sahl-low-mah in France) and Shulamit and its diminutive Shula, which is often used on its own is Israel. 


Honourable mentions: Emmet, which has never been used for girls and used exclusively for boys, but his cousin Emmett has had some usage for girls as a masculine variation to the classic Emma. Also, Noa (without the "h") is a girls name in her own right. Her name means "motion" in Hebrew, and she is extremely popular in Israel as well as Spain (#16) and the Netherlands (#15). Micah is also a unisex name, only given to a male in a Bible. Phonetically similar to German Meike, a variation of Mary, Micah can be an update to Michaela or Michael. It is short and sweet, equally usable for both guys and gals. Both uses have tremendous amount of usage in the past decade, rising every year. As of 2013, Micah is #107 for boys and #878 for girls. 

What names sparkle your interest? What names would you hate to see on a girl or on a boy?

Picture: Nery, Ismael. Andrógino. N.d. Coleção Luis Fernando Nazarian, São Paulo, Brazil. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 26 Aug. 2014. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ismael_Nery_-_Andrógino.jpg>.

Most Popular Biblical Names Throughout Time

In the Western world, Biblical names have become classics, withstanding all the trends and fads, past the unusual Gothic names, the long Greek and Roman appellations that end with the ever-popular -ia for girls and -ius for boys, and the beautiful floral names the Edwardian era. Names that are so synonymous with the word classic, as if they could be anything else but usual. Some are New Testament, some Old.

Listed in most popular to least, here are the most popular Biblical boys and girls name since 1890, when the US began to record names.

James - #1                                                         Mary - #1 (and Maria #51, Marie #70)
John - #2 (and Johnny #98)                          Elizabeth - #4 (and Betty #14)
Michael - #4                                                      Barbara - #6
David - #6                                                         Susan - #7
Joseph - #8                                                        Sarah - #11 (and Sara #78)
Thomas - #10                                                    Michelle - #22
Christopher - #11                                              Deborah - #26 (and Debra #46)
Daniel - #12                                                      Stephanie - #28
Matthew - #13                                                   Rebecca - #29
Paul - #16                                                          Ruth - #33
Mark - #17                                                        Anna - #34 (and Nancy #13, Ann #67)
Steven - #19 (and variant Stephen #35)       Janet - #45
Andrew - #21                                                    Samantha - #47
Joshua - #23                                                      Rachel - #49
Timothy - #27                                                   Martha - #58
Jacob - #34                                                        Joan - #59
Jonathan - #36                                                   Judith - #63 (and Judy #83)
Samuel - #44                                                     Jean - #68
Benjamin - #45                                                 Andrea - #73
Peter - #54                                                         Jacqueline - #74
Aaron - #55                                                       Hannah - #80
Adam - #58                                                       Danielle - #90
Zachary - #59                                                    Jane - #94
Nathan - #61
Jeremy - #70
Jesse - #75
Ethan - #84
Philip - #92 (and Phillip #99)


Considering our population has grown and that is should be expected that names popular name are overall higher in birth, the list reflect the popularity of the past decades. Trendy names like Sean and Brandon appeared on the list as well, but they have the longevity these names do. If you want something timeless and well-received, these names are always available. Could Jacob, Noah, and Sarah be destined to the 2000s? Quite possibly, but like Jennifer, they are still considered modern classics.

Surprised by any on this list? How about Jane? Did you expect little miss Jane to be so far down the list? Comment below about your opinions and these names, or if you're name is on this name.

All About Margaret

Etymology

There is an amount of certainity pertaining to the etymology of the name. Derived from the Latin Margarita, from the Greek margaritas, ultimately of uncertain origins. Although may be derived from the Sanskrit word मञ्जरी (mañjari), most believe the name is derived from Persian language marvârid (مروارید), meaning "pearl" or "daughter of the light". It's related to the Marg from Marq/Marka, "chicken". 

In French, marguerite is the word for "Daisy", making Daisy a viable nickname for Margaret.

History

Saint Margaret is the patron saint of expectant mothers. She was a martyr of 4th century Antioch. Legend says that escaped from a dragon, often depicted in Medieval art. She was a popular saint in the Middle Ages. There are a number of other saints named Margaret as well, including a queen of Scotland and a princess of Hungary. Since then, Margaret is widely considered a Christian name.

Margaret is also a royal name. Royals include:

• Margaret of Anjou [French: Marguerite d'Anjou], married to Henry VI of England, was a principal figure of the dynastic wars, the War of the Roses. She is a constant inspiration for literature and fiction, including Shakespeare's 1st Tetrology of history plays, the 1820 opera Margherita d'Anjou, and supposedly Cersei Lannister in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire.
• Queen Margaret of Denmark, the queen who united Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in the 14th century. The next female regent of Denmark is Margrethe II, the current queen who has ruled since 1972.
• Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, she was born Princess Margaret Rose of York in 1930 to parents the Duke of York (later George VI) and the former Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, sibling to Queen Elizabeth II. Margaret is a controversial member of the British Royal family due to her divorce, which earned her public negativity. Due to her heavy smoking, Princess Margaret had a lung operation in 1985, pneumonia in 1993, and a few strokes between 1998 to 2001. On 9 Feb. 2002, Princess Margaret passed away. To her family and friends, she was known as "Margot", a popular French diminutive of the name.

There have been several Margarets in literature. In addition to Margaret in Shakespeare's Henry VI, there is also a character named Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing and in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Margaret is also a Alexandre Dumas, fils, name in the novel La Dame aux camélias, story of love between a courtesan suffering from consumption and a bourgeoisie. 

Nicknames & Variants

Margaret hosts a wonderous number of nicknames. Everything for TV's Mad Men Peggy, girl-next-door Maggie, kitschy Madge, and continental Greta. Other nicknames include: Daisy, Maisie, Mamie, Marge, Meg, Meta, Pegan, and Rita. Margaret is also one of the most versatile names with many international variants. Celtic beauties include Mairéad, Margaid, Maighread, Mared, Marged, Margery, Megan, Mererid, and Pegeen. Their are also beautiful appelation given to us by the Slavs which include Gituska, Goska, Margaréta, and Marharyta. An inexhaustable list, any Margaret can make it her own.

Popularity

The name was first used in the 11th century and went into continued used during the Middle Ages. However, the name lost popularity from the 16th century to the 18th century. After this period, Margaret regained her status and became common again. In 1903, it was the fourth most popular name in the US, behind classics Mary, Helen, and Anna. In England and Wales, Maisie and Daisy are ahead of Margaret, placing at #22 and #30 respectively, as of 2012. Even Megan has some favor in the UK, now currently at #41. 

Not quite Elizabeth, but not quite Susannah, Margaret is a timeless classic that can be equally as quirk and invoking as any kr8tive name. She hosts numerous nicknames to truly make Margaret your own. What are your thoughts about Margaret? Are there any Margarets out there that dare to comment or advise us on the beautiful Margaret?

Picture: Mucha, Alfons. La Dame Aux Camélias. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 26 Aug. 2014.

Name of the Day: Hadassah

Millais, John E. Esther. 1865. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 13 Aug. 2014.
<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Esthermillais.jpg>.

Esther and her less popular sister Hester have been a classic in America, never staying out of the Top 500 but hasn't been in the Top 100 since the 1930s. Her Hebrew cousin Hadassah has yet to be discovered. Ranked at #761 as of 2012, Hadassah is gained a slow popularity, once considered ultra-religious. Hadassah has been popular with the Orthodox Jewish community, but is she ready to take on the rest of America?

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Etymology

While it is speculated whether Esther is derived from the Median word astra "Myrtle" or from the Proto-Semetic root "star/evening star", the etymology of Hadassah is simple. Her name comes from the Hebrew הדס, meaning "myrtle tree."

The first recorded use of Hadassah is in the Book of Esther. In the Talmud, she is called Hadassah because "the righteous are called myrtles." Also, "Just as myrtle has sweet smell and a bitter taste, so too Esther was good and listened to the righteous Mordecai, and was adverse to the wicked Haman." The name Hadassah symbolizes righteousness. She was the daughter of a Benjaminite Abihail. Her cousin Mordecai adopted her as his daughter. As the Queen of Persia, Hadassah changed her name to Esther. (For more information on Esther's story, see Mordecai.) Esther and her story is celebrated during Purim, the Jewish day of celebration for God's deliverence for his People.

Myrtle is the sacred tree of Venus. Because of its assocation with the Roman goddess of love, it has a special connection to lovers. The myrtle tree has long since thought to inspire love. The tree is also thought to bring good luck. 

Namesakes

Currently there are no famous people named Hadassah, which could work in its favor.

Only ranking #761, Hadassah is not an overwhelmingly popular name. She's only been in the Top 1000 in the US since 2008 and unheard of in the rest of the world. 

International variants of Hadassah: Hadasu (Czech), Hadassa (Danish, Dutch, German, French, Icelandic, Norwegian, Portuguese, Swedish), Hadassan (Finnish), Adasa (Haitian Creole), Hadassának (Hungarian), Hadàssa (Italian), Edessae (Latin), Haraha (Maori), Hadasa (Romanian), Hadasá (Spanish), Hodel (Yiddish)

Nickname Options:

Haddie, sounds similar to Hattie, popular nickname (for Harriet or even Henrietta) and a given name in the early twentieth century but went rapidly in decline during the World War II era and after. Now Hattie is on the revival march, currently at #570. To the American ear, Hattie and Haddie are the same. Another cutified version of Harriet is Hatsy, less of a given name than Hattie but equally as usable. Hatsy is reminiscent of names like Betsy and Patsy. Haddie is also rhymes with Maddie, an ever popular nickname for Madison and Madeline, both names ranked in Top 100 in the US (and Madison is extremely popular, currently ranking #9 in America, #75 in England, #100 in Ireland). So if Maddie and Hattie are can make it, why not Haddie?

Dasha, the spunky Russian diminutive of Dariya or Darya. Sasha, a nickname for Alexander or Alexandra, is currently a favorite in the Anglophone countries, though there is much debat about whether Sasha should be feminine or masculine. In America, it is most commonly seen as a feminine nickname, so if Sasha is working for little girls, so can the energetic Dasha.

Other options include Ada, Addie, Dassa, Dassie, Hadas, Hassie, Sadie, and Sasha.

People who like Mordecai also like...

Ishmael, Gideon, Frederick, Alexei, Shoshannah, Eudora, Louisa, Elspeth


If you are looking for a way to honor your Aunt Esther or your Grandma Myrtle, or a way to honor your Judeo-Christian heritage, the quirky yet zesty Hadassah might be the name for you. What do you think? Would you name your daughter Hadassah?

Historic and Quirky Hebrew Names

Blake, William. Jacob's Ladder. 1805. British Museum,
London. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 13 Aug. 2014. 

With Biblical names like Jacob, Elijah, and Noah on the rise, sadly their Hebrew originals have been left behind. These are the names transcribed from the Hebrew language into the Latin alphabet as a Hebrew speaker would pronounce it. They differ from the English classics in spelling and sound. The list includes the Hebrew original form of a popular Biblical name in the Top 1000 in the US.




Aharon                  Schmuel                                                 Avigail
Amos                    Tuvya                                                     Channah
Avner                    Tzion                                                      Chava
Avraham               Yaakov                                                    Devorah
Binyamin              Yael                                                        Elisheva
Efraim                   Yair                                                        Miriam
Eitan                     Yechezkiel                                              Rivka
Eliyyahu               Yehonatan                                               Sarit
Gavriel                  Yehoshua                                                Shoshannah
Gid'on                    Yishai
Hevel                     Yitzhak
Mattityahu             Yochanan
Mikha'el                Yoel
Moshe                   Yonah
Noach                    Yosef
Reuven
Shimon

There are, of course, many more this lovely, quirky Hebrew names that have an English equivalent, and I encourage you to check them out. They really have quite the antiquity!

The Great Migration - Puritan Ships

Halsall, William F. Arrival of the Winthrop’s Ships in Boston Harbor. 1880. N.p.

Besides the famous (or should I say infamous?) Mayflower carrying Separatist passengers, there was a series of ships that brought Puritans to America in the seventeenth century.

The Recovery

In the Spring of 1633 (31 March to be exact), the Recovery set sail from Weymouth, Dorsetshire for New England, captained by Master Gabriel Cornish. Among its passengers were six Thomases, six Johns, two Roberts, a David, a Jonathan, a Daniel, a Joseph, a William, an Anthony, an Elizabeth, a Mary, and a Sarah. The oddeset name on board this ship was Ezechia, which was a variant of the name Hezekiah. 

The Elizabeth

The ship left port in mid-April 1634 from Ipswich, Suffolk, bound for New England. It took the ship six months to reach its destination, and the ship was captained by Master William Andrewes. It's not surprising that the most popular names on board were John (x15) and Elizabeth (x11), followed by eight occurrences of Thomas and eight occurences of Mary. Other classics included Henry (x5), Richard (x4), Isaac (x3) [includes variation Isaacke], Robert (x3), William (x3), Samuel (x3), Joseph (x2), George (x2), Sarah (x5), Susan (x4), Martha (x4), Anne (x5) [includes variantion Anna], and Abigail (x2). Less common occurrences of one passenger were Edmond, Martin, Daniel, Edward, Philip, Rose, Elinor, Bridget, Katherine, Rebecca, and Lydia. The most eccentric names on board were Thurston, which occured twice in father and son, Humphry, Abraham, Ursula, and Phebe. 

Other passengers on Puritan ships:

Just (Houlding, 23), Darcas (Rose, 2), Ffayth (Newell, 14), Wilbroe (Cooper, 42), Barbarie (Ruggels, 30), Augustine (Clement, --), Hercules (Woodman, --), Zacheus (Courtis, --), Etenetus (Olney, --), Isbell (Tuttell, 70), Sycillie (Clark, 16), Palmer (Tingley, 21), Eglin (Hanford, 46), Randolphus (Elmes, 15), Clement (Bates, 40), Jervice (Gold, 30), Jersula (Greenoway, 32), Hopestill (Ffoster, 14), Philemon (Dalton, 45), Abram (Ffleming, 40), Aymes (Gladwell, 16), Josias (Cobbett, 21), Hilary (Carter, 27), Gamaliel (Bewmont, 21), Caleb (Carr, 11), Bennett (Morecock, 16), Merriall (Saltonstall, 22), Tomazin (Carpenter, 35), Dyonis (Taylor, 48), Constant (Wood, 12), Michelaliel (Monnings, 3), Cesara (Covell, 15), Annis (Almy, 8), Geo (Cocke, 25), Theophilus (Jones, 3), Thomaxin (Manson, 14), Remembrance (Tybott, 28), Salomon (Martin, 16), Ephraim (Howe, 9), Obediah (Hawes, 6mo)

Any of these names peak your interest? I'll do a follow up post for other passengers on other Puritan/Pilgrim ships and the origins of some of these names. 

Name of the Day: Lilith

Saddled in between Paulina and Saniyah in the 2012 Top 1000 for the US at #826, Lilith is quite different from the rest of names in her popularity rank. Neither a feminization, a creative spelling, an English typographic, nor a trendy made-up name, Lilith is unquestionably a different girl from Julianne, Nathaly, Sutton, and Maliah. But why are some parents attracted to those versus Lilith? Why did Lilith even make the Top 1000 in 
America?

Rossetti, Dante Gabriel. Lady Lilith. 1866. Bancroft Collecion. Wikimedia Commons. 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 13 Aug. 2014.

Etymology

The name comes from the semetic root L-Y-L layil in Hebrew, which comes from layl in Arabic, meaning "night". The words for "spirit" are lili and līlīu in Akkadian. Although the Akkadian lilu means "evening", it has no etymologic relationship to lili, Sumerian for she-devils. Charles Fossy states that לילית‎ literally translates to "female night being/demon".

The first identified use of Lilith is in the Epic of Gilgamesh written about 600 B.C. Samuel Noah Cramer translated ki-sikil-lil-la-ke as Lilith in "Tablet XII". However, "Tablet XII" is not part of the original Epic of Gilgamesh but is a later Akkadian translation of Bilgames and the Netherworld, a Sumerian poem. The serpent and the zu bird are associated with the ki-sikil-lil-la-ke. Lilith also occurs in the Bible, in the Book of Isaiah. The word lilit or lilith is listed as one of the eight unclean animals. The Greek translate the word as onokentauros (onocentaur), and 5th-century Vulgate translate the word as lamia. 

According to Medieval Jewish folklore, Lilith was the first wife of Adam but was soon rejected after refusing to obey him. She was then turned into a night demon.

Lilith first appeared in romantic literature in Faust: The First Part of the Tragedy (1808) by Goethe. Inspired by his work, the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood drew on Goethe's Lilith. In 1863, Dante Gabriel Rossetti began painting his rendition of Lady Lilith. Symbols in the painting do allude to her femme fatale disposition, such as poppies and white roses. Rossetti also wrote a sonnet entitled Lilith. In 1881, the sonnet was renamed Body's Beauty.

Namesakes

Other famous bearers of this name include Scarlet Lilith Eleida Page, daughter of Jimmy Page, and numerous characters on TV series that feature demons, vampires, or other frightening creatures.

Currently at #826, the name Lilith has not been in the Top 1000 long, only appearing in 2010 at #994, barely scrapping past the marking point. Seen as naming your son Lucifer in many countries, the name Lilith is not common in the Anglophone world. 

Nickname Options:

Lily, a floral name that's had a longer use in America and is now the highest its ever been. Popularly used in the nineteenth century, Lily lost popularity in the 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s, but has slowly been gaining a following. The name is also quite popular in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, according to their top charts in 2012. Seemingly in the opposite direction of demonic, lily is the symbol of purity and innocence and plays a role in Christian imagery. There are many more namesakes for Lily, including Lily Allen, an English singer, Lily Rabe, an American actress, and Lily Tomlin. There's also variants of Lily that could work just as well: Lys, Lili, and Li. 

People who like Lilith also like...

Lucifer, Narcissus, Salem, Vlad, Morgana, Circe, Jezebel, Lolita

Gothic or not, this name is sure to give you the chills. Obscurity and history make their mark on a beautiful name with a soft sound, a lovely nickname, but a harsh reality to the truth behind Lilith's demonic behavior. Can your daughter handle Lilith?

Name of the Day: Hezekiah

If you've never heard this name before, you might be surprised to learn that as of 2013, this name is #889. Not overwhelming high, but for a name of little known significance and obscurity in the Bible (as opposed to names like Noah and Jacob) in a more secular world, it can be surprising that Hezekiah even made the top SSA 1000 and has been in it consecutively since 2006. What makes the name Hezekiah so appealing to parents these days?

Etymology

The Hebrew name חִזְקִיָּ֫הוּ , which was trascribed as Hezekiah, or sometimes Ḥizkiyyahu or Ḥizkiyyah, is of Hebrew origins. The name stems from the verb root חַזֵּק "strengthen",  הַחֲזֵק "seize", הִתְחַזֵּק "take courage". As a noun, the root חֶזְקָה means "strength" or חֲזָקָה "seizing". The root חָזֵק as an adjective means "strong." Generally, the name mostly likely means something along the lines of "strengthened by YHWH" or "God gives me strength." 



López, Vincente. King Hezekiah Flaunting His Wealth. 1789. Museu De Belles Artes De València, Valencia. Delling in the Word. WordPress, 31 Jan. 2013. Web. 13 Aug. 2014.


The first recorded use of Hezekiah was in the 2 Kings in the Bible. His mother was Abijah (also called Abi), daughter of the high priest Zechariah, and his father was Ahaz, king of Judah and descendant of King David. When his father died, Hezekiah inherited the throne and became king at the age of 25. He ruled over Jerusalem for 29 years [2 Kings 18]. In accordance with David, he was faithful to the Lord. Hezekiah destroyed pagan places of worship and images of gods and goddess. He repaired the Temple as a his first act as king and then destroyed idolatrous worship. Because of his reign, Passover pilgrimages resumed, and he invited all the tribes of Israel to take part in the Passover festival. However, all but the tribes of Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun refused to come. Hezekiah is one of the few kings praised highly and is generally considered a good and just king. He married Hepzibah. 

Namesakes

Other famous bearers of this name include Hezekiah, American rapper and producer born Hezekiah Davis III in Pennsylvania, Hezekiah Niles, an American publisher of Balitmore weekly magazine Weekly Register in the nineteenth-century, and Chaim Hezekiah Medini, a rabbinical scholar also of the nineteenth century.

When the US government began recording the popularity of names, Hezekiah made the cut at #588 in 1880 and hit its peak at #436 in 1891. After that, it began to decrease after 1924, when it dropped completely out of the Top 1000. The name didn't come back into style until 2006. In the UK and Australia, Hezekiah has never received quite the same love as it has in this country, never even making the top lists. 

International variants of Hezekiah: Ezekia (Albanian), Ezechiáš (Czech), Hizkiha (Danish), Hizkia (Dutch), Hiskia (German, Finnish, Swedish), Ézéchias (French), Ezekyas (Hatian Creole), Ezékiás (Hungarian), Ezechia (Italian, Romanian), Hiskía (Icelandic), Ezechias (Latin), Hetekia (Maori), Eskias (Norwegian), Ezequias (Portuguese), Ezequías (Spanish)

Nickname Options:

Zeke, usually considered the nickname for the important prophet Ezekiel, a related name of a similar meaning ("God strengthens"), and a popular alternative to the trendy Zack. End-of-the-alphabet names are all the rage as of right now. Currently Zeke stands at #858 in the US but has only been in the charts since 2012. People like Zeke Moreno and Zeke Steggall have made the name more mainstream. With many parents feeling Zeke as a tired nickname for Ezekiel, could Zeke be revamped with Hezekiah? 

Kiah, never having quite the same popularity as Zeke, Kiah is an older nickname more popular during Puritan and colonial times. It is also a nickname for Zedekiah, an even rarer Biblical name. Kiah is a zippy but still substantial nickname for Hezekiah. Its a distinctive choice with an effeminate flare.

Other options include Easy, Hez, Hezie, Kai, Key, Kez, and Ky. 

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Hosea, Amos, Zephaniah, Amedeo, Keziah, Winifred, Johanna, Elisheba


Another beautifully quirky name that is becoming more mainstream. If you are looking for an offbeat-sounding name that has historic meaning, a name that is familiar without being overused, or a name that hosts an interesting collection of nicknames, Hezekiah might be one to keep in mind.

Tragic Concubines of the Bible

Lanfranco, Giovanni. Hagar in the Wilderness. Oil on canvas. Musée De Louvre, Paris.

The names are intriguing, but their backstory is a bit ... depressing. Let's explore some of those tragic women of the Bible.

Hagar
The first concubine mentioned in the Bible. She was the concubine of Abraham and the first to bring him the desired son. Her name means "stranger". Originally, she was an Egyptian slave girl but was never fully accepted by the Hebrew people. She belonged to Sarah. When Sarah could no longer conceive, she gave Hagar to her husband Abraham. Hagar became pregnant, and God promised that her son would be the ancestor of a great nation. Her son was named Ishmael. Despite being the mother of Abraham's desired son, Hagar was never fully accepted by the tribe and eventually was rejected and expelled into the desert. Yet God protected her and her son Ishmael from Sarah and her hatred for Abraham's first-born son. God sent an angel to protect Hagar and Ishmael. Hagar lived as a free woman, no longer a slave girl. Ishmael's name means "God hears" because twice God heard her cry out when Hagar was abandoned. Ishmael is believed to be the ancestor of the Muslim peoples, connecting Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike in an Abrahamic faith.

Bilhah
The maid of Rachel given to her by her father Laban when she married Jacob, Bilhah became a concubine of Jacob with Rachel's consent after she found herself barren. Although Jacob already had children through his first wife Leah, Rachel's sister, and Leah's maid Zilpah, Bilhah was given to Jacob because Rachel wanted to fulfill her promise to Jacob as his wife. When her first son is born, Rachel named him, showing her authority over Bilhah. Rachel said, "God has judged me and has heard my voice and given me a son." She names the boy Dan, meaning "he judged". Bilhah bears another son, and Rachel names him Naphtali, meaning "I have prevailed". Despite Rachel's claim over Dan and Naphtali, Dan and Naphtali are still considered Bilhah's sons, lowering their standing within the family. Bilhah's status is somewhat ambiguous. She is sometimes referred to as Jacob's wife and sometimes as his secondary wife, yet she is called "maid" in dangerous situations with Esau, Jacob's elder brother. In is stated in Genesis 35:22 that Bilhah had sex with Jacob's eldest son Reuben. This was considered a criminal offense to sleep with his father's wife in the Biblical laws. Jacob does nothing, but when he passes away, Reuben does not receive his extra inheritance as the first-born son. Her fate after this is unknown, but she is considerd the ancestress of two great tribes of Israel. In the Hebrew language, her name means "bashful."

Rizpah
Her name means "hot stone" in Hebrew. She was a concubine to Saul and bore him two sons: Armoni and Mephibosheth. After David lead a rebellion against King Saul and killed his three eldest sons and Saul, his fourth eldest son Ishbosheth became king. He was a weak king, therefore Saul's first cousin Abner backed him. Ishbosheth feared that Abner would one day dethrone him. Abner was accused of having sex with Saul's concubine Rizpah, but this had little significance since having sexual intercouse with a harem of a dead king was the same as claiming the throne. The Bible states that Abner took Rizpah against her will, but Rizpah could have been allying herself to Abner so that as king, her social position and her son's would improve. Ishbosheth believed the accusation (it is unknown whether or not Rizpah and Abner had sexual intercouse) and banished Abner from the court. Later, he was assinated after joining David, killed by Joab, the chief assistant of David. When Ishbosheth died, it was customary to kill the previous king's heirs – that meant Saul's heirs. This was a common practice in the ancient world. Rizpah's sons were executed, "hanged on the side of the mountain." Their bodies were left in the open air unburied. Rizpah stayed after their execution, guarding their bodies despite all weather conditions for about half a year. This created quite the scandal. David finally decided to let Rizpah's sons be buried.

Which name do you find tragically beautiful? Or, rather, what name are horribly unattracted to, both sound and Biblical story?