Yiddish Girl Names

Discover beautiful traditional Jewish girl names from Yiddish and Hebrew traditions. Each name carries deep meaning, cultural significance, and generations of heritage.

55 traditional Jewish girl names with meanings, pronunciations, and origins

Alte

אַלטע

Old one; Elder

YiddishAHL-teh

Given as a protective name to ensure long life

AltaAlttaAltke

Bella

בעלא

Beautiful

YiddishBEH-lah

Common among Eastern European Jews

BelaBelle

Bluma

בלומא

Flower

YiddishBLOO-mah

Symbolizes beauty and natural grace

BlumeBlumkeBlumele

Breindel

ברײנדל

Brunette; Brown-haired

YiddishBRANE-del

A descriptive name celebrating natural appearance

BraindelBreineBreindl

Bryna

ברײנא

Brown; Brunette

YiddishBREE-nah

Celebrates natural beauty and earthiness

BreineBrayneBryndle

Chana

חנה

Grace; Favor

HebrewKHAH-nah

Biblical Hannah who prayed for a son and bore Samuel

HannahChanahHanna

Charna

טשאַרנא

Dark; Black-haired

YiddishCHAR-nah

Descriptive name celebrating dark beauty

CharneTcharnaCharnke

Chava

חוה

Life; Living one

HebrewKHAH-vah

The biblical Eve, mother of all living

HavaEveChavah

Chaya

חיה

Life

HebrewCHAI-yah

Represents vitality and life

ChayeleChayka

Dvoira

דבורה

Bee; To speak

HebrewDVOY-rah

The biblical judge and prophetess Deborah

DevorahDvoraDeborah

Eidel

אײדל

Gentle; Refined; Delicate

YiddishAY-del

Represents refinement and gentle character

EdelEideleEidl

Elka

עלקא

God's oath; Noble

YiddishEL-kah

Yiddish diminutive form related to Elizabeth

ElkeElkehElkele

Esther

אסתר

Star

PersianES-ter

Queen Esther from the Purim story

EsterEsti

Faiga

פייגא

Bird

YiddishFAY-gah

Symbolizes freedom and spirit

FeigeFeigel

Feige

פייגע

Bird; Fig

YiddishFAY-geh

Yiddish vernacular form of Tzipporah, meaning bird

FaigeFeigaFaigy

Freida

פרײדא

Joy; Happiness

YiddishFRAY-dah

Represents joy and gladness

FreydeFraydeFreidel

Fruma

פרומא

Pious; Devout

YiddishFROO-mah

Represents religious devotion and piety for girls

FrumeFrumkeFrumele

Gitel

גיטל

Good

YiddishGIH-tel

Yiddish name expressing a wish for the child's goodness

GittelGittlGitta

Gittel

גיטל

Good

YiddishGIT-tel

Represents goodness and virtue

GitlGitteleGitle

Golda

גאָלדאַ

Golden

YiddishGOHL-dah

Represents value and preciousness

GoldieGoldy

Hadassah

הדסה

Myrtle tree

Hebrewhah-DAH-sah

The Hebrew name of Queen Esther, heroine of Purim

HadasaDassieDassi

Henye

העניע

Grace; Favor

YiddishHEN-yeh

Yiddish form connected to Chana/Hannah

HeneHenyeHenke

Hinda

הינדא

Deer; Doe

YiddishHIN-dah

Symbolizes grace and gentleness

HindeHindelHindke

Hodel

האָדל

Myrtle; Splendor

YiddishHO-del

Yiddish form of Hadassah, Queen Esther's Hebrew name

HodlHodeleHadassah

Kayla

קיילא

Crown of laurel; Slender

YiddishKAY-lah

Represents grace and natural elegance

KeylaKailaKayleh

Kreindel

קריינדל

Crown

YiddishKREIN-del

Represents royalty and honor

KreineKreindele

Leah

לאה

Weary; Wild cow; Gazelle

HebrewLAY-ah

Biblical matriarch Leah, wife of Jacob and mother of six of the twelve tribes of Israel

LeaLeiaLia

Liba

ליבא

Beloved; Dear one

YiddishLEE-bah

Represents love and being cherished

LibeLibkeLibele

Malka

מלכה

Queen

HebrewMAHL-kah

Represents royalty and leadership

MalkeMalkie

Mindel

מינדל

Wisdom; Understanding

YiddishMIN-del

Connected to wisdom and intellectual depth

MindlMindeleMindle

Mirele

מירעלע

Bitterness turned to wonder

YiddishMEER-eh-leh

Yiddish diminutive of Miriam, Moses' sister

MirelMirkeMiriam

Mushka

מושקא

Musk; Fragrant

YiddishMOOSH-kah

Beloved Chabad name, associated with Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson

MushkeMuska

Nechama

נחמה

Comfort; Consolation

Hebrewneh-KHAH-mah

Represents comfort and solace

NechameNechamke

Perl

פּערל

Pearl

YiddishPERL

A precious gem name expressing a child's worth

PerlePerlaPerele

Perla

פּערל

Pearl

YiddishPER-lah

Represents beauty and rarity

PerlePerl

Pesha

פעשא

Addition; Increase

YiddishPEH-shah

Connected to fruitfulness and blessing

PeshePeshkeBatya

Raisa

רייזא

Rose

YiddishRYE-sah

Connected to the rose and natural beauty

RaiseRaizeRaizel

Raizel

רייזל

Rose

YiddishRAY-zel

Symbolizes beauty and love

RaizeleRaizka

Reina

ריינא

Pure; Clean

YiddishRAY-nah

Represents purity and moral clarity

ReineRayneReyne

Rivka

רבקה

To bind; To tie; Captivating

HebrewRIV-kah

Biblical matriarch Rebecca

RifkaRivkele

Rokhel

רחל

Ewe; Lamb

HebrewRO-khel

The beloved matriarch Rachel

RochelRachelRuchel

Shaina

שיינא

Beautiful

YiddishSHAY-nah

Represents beauty and grace

ShayneShayndel

Shayna

שיינע

Beautiful

YiddishSHAY-nah

One of the most beloved Yiddish names expressing inner and outer beauty

ShainaSheinaShayne

Sheindel

שיינדל

Beautiful one

YiddishSHAYN-del

Diminutive of Shayna, an especially tender form of the name

ShaindelSheindl

Shifra

שפרה

Beautiful; Improved

HebrewSHIF-rah

One of the heroic Hebrew midwives who defied Pharaoh

ShifrahShiphrah

Shprintze

שפּרינצע

Hope; Esperanza

YiddishSHPRIN-tzeh

One of Tevye's daughters in Fiddler on the Roof

ShprintzaShprintzlShprinca

Suri

סורי

Princess; Sarah

YiddishSOO-ree

Yiddish diminutive of Sarah, the first matriarch

SureSureleSura

Toiba

טויבא

Good; Pleasant

YiddishTOY-bah

Yiddish variant of Tova, representing goodness

ToybaToibeTauba

Tova

טובה

Good

HebrewTOH-vah

Represents goodness and kindness

TovahTovale

Tzipporah

ציפורה

Bird

Hebrewtsih-POH-rah

Wife of Moses

TziporaTzipporaZipporah

Yente

יענטע

Noble; Gentle

YiddishYEN-teh

Iconic name in Yiddish culture, famous matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof

YentlYentaYentel

Yentl

יענטל

Noble; Gentle

YiddishYEN-tl

Diminutive of Yente, made famous by the Barbra Streisand film

YentelYentil

Zelda

זעלדא

Blessed; Happy

YiddishZEL-dah

Connected to blessedness and contentment

ZeldeSeldeZeldele

Zissel

זיסל

Sweet

YiddishZIS-sel

Represents sweetness and charm

ZiselZisskele

Zlata

זלאַטא

Golden

YiddishZLAH-tah

Represents preciousness and golden worth

ZlateZlatkeZlatele

About Yiddish and Hebrew Girl Names

Yiddish girl names carry centuries of Jewish tradition, culture, and meaning. These names come from two main linguistic traditions: Hebrew, the sacred language of the Torah, and Yiddish, the everyday language of Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Eastern Europe.

Hebrew girl names like Chaya (life), Rivka (captivating), and Tova (good) connect daughters directly to biblical figures and spiritual values. Yiddish girl names like Shaina (beautiful), Golda (golden), and Raizel (rose) reflect the warmth and expressiveness of Eastern European Jewish culture.

Many Jewish families choose to give their daughters both a Hebrew name (shem hakodesh) and a Yiddish name. The Hebrew name is used for religious purposes such as being called to the Torah, while the Yiddish name serves as the everyday name. This dual-naming tradition preserves both the sacred and cultural aspects of Jewish identity.