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Judith

♀ Girl

Pronounced JOO-dith /ˈdʒuː.dɪθ/High

Meaning: Woman of Judea or she will be praised; from the Hebrew Yehudit, the feminine form of Yehudah meaning praise of God or JudahHigh

In 30 seconds: Judith means woman of Judea or she will be praised in Hebrew, the name of the courageous biblical heroine who beheaded the Assyrian general Holofernes to save her people, a name of extraordinary strength and moral courage.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningWoman of Judea or she will be praised; from the Hebrew Yehudit, the feminine form of Yehudah meaning praise of God or Judah
U.S. rank (2025)#790 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births344 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1943
Total births (all-time)≈ 454,705

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 194318802025

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Judith is the Latin and English form of the Hebrew Yehudit, the feminine of Yehudah (Judah), meaning praised or he who is praised, from the verb yadah (to praise). In the Bible, Judith was the wife of Esau and the heroine of the deuterocanonical Book of Judith.

Judith was popular in medieval England, appearing in Domesday Book records. It revived strongly in the 20th century, ranking in the top 10 U.S. girls names from the 1930s through the 1950s. It has since declined to classic steady-use status but retains great dignity and literary association.

Did you know? The Book of Judith is one of the most dramatic narratives in all of scripture. The widowed Judith seduced and then beheaded the Assyrian general Holofernes, whose army was besieging her city of Bethulia. Painters from Caravaggio to Klimt have depicted this scene, making Judith one of the most painted women in Western art history.
Overall data confidence 97%
Behind the Name — Judith — Hebrew etymology and biblical historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

JuditJuditaJudi

Nicknames

JudyJudiJudie

Famous Bearers

  • ★Judith Sheindlin (Judge Judy) (1942–present)
    American former judge and television personality, star of the long-running courtroom series Judge Judy.

If you like Judith…

Deborah— same category of strong Old Testament heroine name from the Hebrew tradition
Ruth— shares the beloved Old Testament feminine heritage and two-syllable simplicity
Miriam— fellow Old Testament Hebrew name with deep historical weight
Esther— same biblical heroine tradition and vintage dignity

Frequently Asked

What does the name Judith mean?

Judith means woman of Judea or she will be praised, from the Hebrew Yehudit, feminine of Yehudah.

How do you pronounce Judith?

It is said JOO-dith, two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Judith a biblical name?

Yes, Judith is a significant biblical name, borne by the courageous heroine of the Book of Judith who saved her people.

Is Judith a popular name?

Judith peaked in the U.S. top 10 in the 1940s and 1950s and remains in classic steady use today.