Jewish names are a diverse set, represented by Hebrew names, biblical names, Yiddish names, and gentile names that gained popularity among the American Jewish community.

　　A recent report by the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion's Jewish Language Project reveals the most popular Jewish names in the US. This was previously difficult to calculate, as the national data collected does not include demographic information beyond a child's sex.

　　The study authors surveyed American Jewish families and based their results on over 11,000 responses. They broke their data down by decade beginning in the 1950s to find the most common names among people born in each ten-year period.

　　

Top 1950s Jewish Names

Susan is the most popular name among Jewish women born in the 1950s, yet the name has no Jewish origins or ties. The desire to assimilate made gentile names a common choice among mid-century Jewish parents. Other common American Jewish names from this time without connections to Judaism include Ellen, Linda, Robin, Bonnie, Robert, Gary, Lawrence, and Richard.

　　

Girls

Heart1SusanChevron - RightHeart2DeborahChevron - RightHeart3EllenChevron - RightHeart4KarenChevron - RightHeart5BarbaraChevron - RightHeart6LindaChevron - RightHeart7RobinChevron - RightHeart8DebraChevron - RightHeart9BonnieChevron - RightHeart10JudithChevron - RightHeart11NancyChevron - RightHeart12RuthChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1MichaelChevron - RightHeart2DavidChevron - RightHeart3RobertChevron - RightHeart4GaryChevron - RightHeart5JonathanChevron - RightHeart6LawrenceChevron - RightHeart7StevenChevron - RightHeart8DanielChevron - RightHeart9HowardChevron - RightHeart10RichardChevron - Right

　　

Top 1960s Jewish Names

According to the study, the 1960s saw the beginning of a shift toward more Jewish names. Biblical names such as Rachel, Elizabeth, and Sharon rose for girls, while David, Daniel, and Jonathan ruled for boys.

　　

Girls

Heart1LisaChevron - RightHeart2SusanChevron - RightHeart3DeborahChevron - RightHeart4RachelChevron - RightHeart5KarenChevron - RightHeart6LauraChevron - RightHeart7AmyChevron - RightHeart8ElizabethChevron - RightHeart9JulieChevron - RightHeart10SharonChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1DavidChevron - RightHeart2MichaelChevron - RightHeart3DanielChevron - RightHeart4JonathanChevron - RightHeart5MarkChevron - RightHeart6RobertChevron - RightHeart7StevenChevron - RightHeart8ScottChevron - RightHeart9JosephChevron - RightHeart10MatthewChevron - Right

　　

Top 1970s Jewish Names

The 1970s and '80s feature the same top three Jewish girl names — Rachel, Sarah, and Rebecca — that now represent the most popular Jewish mom names. Jessica, the name of a Jewish Shakespearean character, was rising quickly at this time, while former favorite Deborah was falling.

　　80% of the top Jewish boy names of the '70s begin with one of three initials — A, D, or J. David and Daniel were the most popular, and the 1970s was the height of Joshua's popularity among Jewish men.

　　

Girls

Heart1RachelChevron - RightHeart2SarahChevron - RightHeart3RebeccaChevron - RightHeart4JenniferChevron - RightHeart5AmyChevron - RightHeart6LisaChevron - RightHeart7ElizabethChevron - RightHeart8JessicaChevron - RightHeart9DeborahChevron - RightHeart10MelissaChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1DavidChevron - RightHeart2DanielChevron - RightHeart3JoshuaChevron - RightHeart4MichaelChevron - RightHeart5BenjaminChevron - RightHeart6JonathanChevron - RightHeart7AdamChevron - RightHeart8AndrewChevron - RightHeart9JeremyChevron - RightHeart10AaronChevron - Right

　　

Top 1980s Jewish Names

The top Jewish names of the 1970s — Rachel, Sarah, and Rebecca for girls, David and Daniel for boys — remained unchanged in the '80s. The 1980s also saw peak popularity for Jewish names such as Jessica, Sara, and Aaron.

　　

Girls

Heart1RachelChevron - RightHeart2SarahChevron - RightHeart3RebeccaChevron - RightHeart4JessicaChevron - RightHeart5LaurenChevron - RightHeart6SaraChevron - RightHeart7JenniferChevron - RightHeart8EmilyChevron - RightHeart9MelissaChevron - RightHeart10ElizabethChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1DavidChevron - RightHeart2DanielChevron - RightHeart3BenjaminChevron - RightHeart4JoshuaChevron - RightHeart5MichaelChevron - RightHeart6AaronChevron - RightHeart7MatthewChevron - RightHeart8JonathanChevron - RightHeart9JacobChevron - RightHeart10AdamChevron - Right

　　

Top 1990s Jewish Names

Rachel held onto the title of the top Jewish name of the 1990s, but new girl names with ties to Judaism such as Hannah and Leah rapidly gained popularity.

　　For boys, the 1990s was the first decade in which all ten of the most popular Jewish boy names are of Jewish origins. Names that peaked in popularity among Jewish boys in the 1990s include Benjamin, Zachary, and Max.

　　

Girls

Heart1RachelChevron - RightHeart2HannahChevron - RightHeart3SarahChevron - RightHeart4RebeccaChevron - RightHeart5EmilyChevron - RightHeart6LeahChevron - RightHeart7ElizabethChevron - RightHeart8EmmaChevron - RightHeart9SamanthaChevron - RightHeart10JessicaChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1BenjaminChevron - RightHeart2DanielChevron - RightHeart3SamuelChevron - RightHeart4JacobChevron - RightHeart5JoshuaChevron - RightHeart6JonathanChevron - RightHeart7AaronChevron - RightHeart8ZacharyChevron - RightHeart9DavidChevron - RightHeart10MaxChevron - Right

　　

Top 2000s Jewish Names

Right behind the boys, the 2000s was the first decade in which all ten of the most popular Jewish girl names are of Jewish origins (Eliana is often interpreted to mean "my God answered" by Jewish parents, while Sophie is considered to be a derivation of the Hebrew name Tzofia). Hannah, Miriam, Talia, Abigail, and Sophie were most common among Jewish girls in the 2000s.

　　Classic Jewish boy names Samuel and Jacob saw the most popularity in the 2000s, along with Noah, Jonah, Gabriel, Adam, and Eli.

　　

Girls

Heart1HannahChevron - RightHeart2MayaChevron - RightHeart3MiriamChevron - RightHeart4RebeccaChevron - RightHeart5TaliaChevron - RightHeart6ElianaChevron - RightHeart7AbigailChevron - RightHeart8SophieChevron - RightHeart9NaomiChevron - RightHeart10SarahChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1SamuelChevron - RightHeart2JacobChevron - RightHeart3BenjaminChevron - RightHeart4NoahChevron - RightHeart5DanielChevron - RightHeart6JonahChevron - RightHeart7GabrielChevron - RightHeart8AdamChevron - RightHeart9EliChevron - RightHeart10EzraChevron - Right

　　

Top 2010s Jewish Names

Many of the top Jewish names of the 2010s remain top choices on birth certificates today. Choices like Maya, Noah, Talia, Yael, and Ari are also among the most popular names in Israel.

　　Maya, Noa, Eliana, Shoshana, and Yael were more popular than ever before during the 2010s, along with boy names Ezra, Asher, Ethan, Isaac, and Ari.

　　

Girls

Heart1MayaChevron - RightHeart2NoaChevron - RightHeart3HannahChevron - RightHeart4ElianaChevron - RightHeart5MiriamChevron - RightHeart6NaomiChevron - RightHeart7AbigailChevron - RightHeart8ShoshanaChevron - RightHeart9TaliaChevron - RightHeart10YaelChevron - Right

　　

Boys

Heart1EzraChevron - RightHeart2AsherChevron - RightHeart3BenjaminChevron - RightHeart4JacobChevron - RightHeart5SamuelChevron - RightHeart6JonahChevron - RightHeart7EthanChevron - RightHeart8IsaacChevron - RightHeart9AriChevron - RightHeart10EliChevron - Right

　　

About the Author

　　

Sophie Kihm

LinkSophie Kihm's Personal Website

　　Sophie Kihm has been writing for Nameberry since 2015. She has contributed stories on the top 2020s names, Gen Z names, and cottagecore baby names. Sophie is Nameberry’s resident Name Guru to the Stars, where she suggests names for celebrity babies. She also manages the Nameberry Instagram and Pinterest.

　　Sophie Kihm's articles on names have run on People, Today, The Huffington Post, and more. She has been quoted as a name expert by The Washington Post, People, The Huffington Post, and more. You can follow her personally on Instagram or Pinterest, or contact her at [email protected]. Sophie lives in Chicago.

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