Yiddish Girl Names
143 yiddish girl names with meanings, U.S. popularity, and audio pronunciation on every page.
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These names smell like a Friday-night kitchen. Yiddish girl names come out of Ashkenazi Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe, and they carry an intimacy that few naming traditions manage — warm, unpretentious, often built from an affectionate diminutive rather than a formal root. The heirloom group is where most parents begin. Goldie comes from the word for gold and glows exactly that way. Zelda has a brisk, clever energy that keeps finding new admirers, Faigy traces back to feygl, meaning bird, and Raizy connects to the rose. None of these are museum pieces; they are still very much in daily use.
The second group is the one you meet in Orthodox and Hasidic communities today, where Yiddish forms of Hebrew names are the everyday standard. Rochel and Rivky are the Yiddish faces of Rachel and Rivka, Yehudis is the Yiddish form of Judith, and Suri and its variant Sury both belong to Sarah. Malky comes from the root for queen, and Gitty and Hindy have that same affectionate -y ending that makes the whole set sound like someone calling you in for dinner.
Every name below opens to its full page — a sourced meaning, its U.S. popularity, and a clear audio pronunciation so you can hear it before you fall for it.
Yiddish Girl Names
Goldie#621 in the U.S.From Yiddish golde meaning 'gold,' or as an English nickname from the word gold, used as a give▶Zelda#832 in the U.S.Short form of the Old High German Griselda, composed of gris (gray) and hild (battle), meaning ▶Mazikeen#1235 in the U.S.Harmful spirits; the injurious ones; from Hebrew/Yiddish mazikim (harmful demons, spirits that ▶Baila#1427 in the U.S.Dance, to dance with joy▶Gitty#1443 in the U.S.Good, joyful, a good thing▶Maven#1544 in the U.S.Expert, connoisseur (from the vocabulary word, via Yiddish meyvn)▶Faigy#1558 in the U.S.a Yiddish pet form of Faiga, from Yiddish 'feygl' meaning 'bird'▶Suri#1628 in the U.S.a Yiddish pet form of Sarah, from Hebrew meaning 'princess, noblewoman'▶Malky#1648 in the U.S.A Yiddish given name from Hebrew 'malki' meaning 'my king' or 'my queen', popular in Orthodox J▶Rivky#1676 in the U.S.Diminutive of Rivka/Rebecca▶Yehudis#1687 in the U.S.Yiddish form of Hebrew Yehudit (Judith), meaning 'woman of Judea' or 'Jewish woman'.▶Rochel#1700 in the U.S.the Yiddish form of Rachel, from Hebrew meaning 'ewe'▶Yitty#1722 in the U.S.Jewish woman▶Raizy#1779 in the U.S.Rose (diminutive of Raizel)▶Sury#1874 in the U.S.Lady, princess, noblewoman▶Hindy#2039 in the U.S.Deer▶Chany#2100 in the U.S.Yiddish pet form of Chana/Channah (Hebrew Hannah), from the root ḥ-n-n meaning 'grace, favor, c▶Raizel#2126 in the U.S.'Little rose / rose', from German Rose + Yiddish diminutive -el; Yiddish equivalent of Hebrew S▶Shaina#2336 in the U.S.beautiful, pretty▶Gittel#2349 in the U.S.good, virtuous▶Shaindy#2421 in the U.S.beautiful, pretty▶Faiga#2484 in the U.S.bird▶Hinda#2511 in the U.S.Deer / hind (female deer).▶Zissy#2593 in the U.S.sweet▶Shayna#2623 in the U.S.Beautiful, lovely.▶Golda#2666 in the U.S.Gold▶Blimy#2748 in the U.S.Flower▶Liba#2861 in the U.S.Love▶Pessy#2998 in the U.S.Yiddish hypocoristic of Basya/Batya, itself a Hebrew name meaning 'daughter of God'▶Blima#3017 in the U.S.From Yiddish blim or blume (flower, blossom), ultimately from Middle High German bluome; means ▶Fraidy#3084 in the U.S.Joy, happiness; from Yiddish freyd or German Freude meaning joy▶Perel#3101 in the U.S.Pearl; from Yiddish perl meaning pearl, the Ashkenazi Jewish equivalent of the Hebrew name Peni▶Bruchy#3276 in the U.S.Blessing; Yiddish diminutive of Brucha (Bracha), from Hebrew berakhah, 'blessing'▶Yides#3376 in the U.S.Yiddish form of Yehudis (Judith), from Hebrew Yehudit, 'woman of Judea', traditionally glossed ▶Basya#3508 in the U.S.Daughter of God; Yiddish form of Batya/Bithiah — the pharaoh's daughter who drew Moses from the▶Ruchy#3552 in the U.S.Yiddish diminutive of Rochel (Rachel) — Hebrew 'ewe' — sometimes folk-linked to ruach, 'spirit,▶Bayla#3642 in the U.S.Beautiful; a Yiddish name, possibly from a Slavic root for 'white, fair' or related to 'beautif▶Chavy#3969 in the U.S.Yiddish pet form of Chava — Hebrew Chavah, 'life', the first woman (Eve)▶Leeba#4073 in the U.S.From Yiddish liebe/lib, 'love, dear, beloved' — a tender traditional name▶Shana#4266 in the U.S.From Yiddish sheyne/shayna, 'beautiful', or a feminine of Shane (John, 'God is gracious'); rout▶Breindy#4291 in the U.S.Pet form of Breindel — a Yiddish name linked to Germanic 'brown' or 'sword/flame'; routes layer▶Mazel#4487 in the U.S.From the Hebrew/Yiddish mazel, 'luck; good fortune' (as in mazel tov, 'good luck; congratulatio▶Fraida#4580 in the U.S.From Yiddish Freida/Fraida — from Germanic freude/freud, 'joy, happiness'▶Shaindel#4632 in the U.S.From Yiddish Shaindel — from sheyn/schon, 'beautiful, pretty', with a diminutive -el▶Shulamis#4634 in the U.S.Ashkenazi form of Shulamit/Shulamith — Hebrew, 'peaceful, perfect' (from shalom, 'peace')▶Raisa#4847 in the U.S.From Arabic ra'isa, 'a leader, chief, president (fem.)'; also a Yiddish 'rose', and a Slavic 'e▶Mushka#5235 in the U.S.Yiddish pet form (often of Miriam, via Musya), linked to 'musk; sweet fragrance' (a sweet, affe▶Goldye#5260 in the U.S.Goldye is an early-twentieth-century respelling of Goldie, a name taken straight from the preci▶Mirel#5379 in the U.S.Yiddish pet form of Miriam — variously 'sea of bitterness', 'beloved', or 'wished-for child'; r▶Mayven#5529 in the U.S.May-spelling of Maven — from Yiddish (via Hebrew mevin), 'one who understands; an expert, a con▶Perl#5549 in the U.S.Yiddish form of Pearl — from the gemstone, 'a pearl' (a treasure from the sea; Latin perla)▶Sheynnis#5746 in the U.S.A modern Latina coinage — echoing Shay ('admirable', Irish) and Shayna ('beautiful', Yiddish); ▶Brucha#5810 in the U.S.From Hebrew/Yiddish bracha, 'a blessing'▶Goldia#5810 in the U.S.Goldia is a lengthened form of Golda or Goldie, ornamental names taken straight from the word g▶Devoiry#5981 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Devorah (Deborah) — from Hebrew Devorah, 'a bee'▶Frady#5998 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Fraidy/Fraida — from German Freude, 'joy, happiness, gladness'▶Bluma#6187 in the U.S.From Yiddish Bluma, 'a flower, a blossom' (from German Blume, 'a flower')▶Ruchel#6330 in the U.S.The Yiddish form of Rachel — from Hebrew Rachel, 'a ewe; a female sheep'▶Toba#6349 in the U.S.A Yiddish name from Hebrew tov, 'good' (the feminine of Tovia/Tobiah); routes layered▶Yenty#6358 in the U.S.A spelling echoing the Yiddish Yenta/Yentl — variously from the French gentille, 'noble, kind, ▶Blimi#6411 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Blima — from Yiddish blum, 'a flower, a blossom'▶Frimet#6449 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously from German fromm, 'pious, devout', and linked to 'joy'; routes layer▶Leba#6512 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously from German Liebe, 'love, beloved, dear', and linked to the Hebrew le▶Yitta#6599 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet name, variously linked to Yetta (from the Germanic 'whole; ruler of the home') an▶Fradel#6714 in the U.S.From Yiddish freyd, 'joy; gladness', with the affectionate -el ending; 'little joy'▶Frimmy#7696 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Fruma — from Yiddish frum, 'pious; devout; religious'▶Tzirel#7894 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously a form of Sarah ('a princess', Hebrew) and an endearing Yiddish coina▶Yachet#7909 in the U.S.A Yiddish girls' name, of uncertain origin, variously linked to Hannah ('grace; favor', Hebrew)▶Zlaty#7935 in the U.S.A Yiddish/Slavic form of Zlata — from the Slavic zlato, 'gold; golden'▶Aidel#7950 in the U.S.From Yiddish eydel, 'gentle; refined; noble; delicate'▶Ettel#8072 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously a form of Etta ('noble', from Germanic) and linked to Esther ('a star▶Henya#8100 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously a form of Hannah ('grace; favor', Hebrew) and a feminine of Henry ('a▶Bryna#8108 in the U.S.Bryna sits between two roots: the Irish Brenna, from a byname meaning 'raven' or 'dark-haired',▶Mindel#8243 in the U.S.A Yiddish diminutive, variously a form of Mina (from Wilhelmina, 'a resolute protector') and of▶Draizy#8556 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form (of Draizel/Dreizel) — of debated meaning, variously linked to a name and to▶Reizel#8817 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Reyzl, 'a little rose' (a diminutive of royz, 'rose')▶Tzivi#8885 in the U.S.A pet form of Tzivia/Tzvia — from the Hebrew tzvi, 'a deer; a gazelle' (a symbol of grace and s▶Ratzy#9395 in the U.S.A modern name, styled as a Yiddish pet form (of names like Rachel/Rivka); no single fixed root;▶Roizy#9409 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Roiza/Reyzl — from the Yiddish/German for 'a rose'▶Sheina#9429 in the U.S.From the Yiddish shein, 'beautiful; lovely; fair' (also Sheindel)▶Netta#9430 in the U.S.From Hebrew neta, 'plant, sapling, young shoot' — a green, hopeful word-name used in Israel. In▶Shterna#9436 in the U.S.From the Yiddish shtern, 'a star' (related to the German Stern)▶Tzippy#9479 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Tzipporah — from the Hebrew tzippor, 'a bird'▶Brocha#9642 in the U.S.A Yiddish form of Bracha — from the Hebrew berakhah, 'a blessing'▶Breindel#9722 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Bryna/Brayna, tied to the Hebrew berakhah ('blessing') and to the word 'b▶Frimy#9759 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, variously a pet form of Fruma ('pious; devout; righteous'); routes uncertain▶Maiven#9952 in the U.S.A modern respelling of Maven — from the Yiddish meyvn (via Hebrew mevin), 'one who understands;▶Mavyn#9973 in the U.S.A modern spelling of Maven — from the Yiddish/Hebrew mevin, 'one who understands; an expert/con▶Roiza#10089 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Roiza/Reyza, 'a rose' (from the German Rose); a traditional Jewish name▶Serel#10128 in the U.S.Variously a Yiddish endearment form of Sarah (Serel/Sorel, 'little princess') and a modern coin▶Yittel#10210 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Yittel/Yentl, an endearment form (variously 'a little one' or linked to Judith▶Sydelle#10220 in the U.S.A twentieth-century Jewish-American elaboration, generally read as a feminine flourish on Sydne▶Zissel#10236 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Zissel, 'sweet' (from zis, 'sweet'); a tender traditional Ashkenazi name▶Blimie#10442 in the U.S.A Yiddish name from Blume, 'flower,' with the affectionate ending -ie. It is a common and warml▶Freidy#10513 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Frayda/Freida, from the Yiddish freyd, 'joy; gladness.' A warm traditiona▶Fruma#10514 in the U.S.From the Yiddish frum, 'pious; devout; religious; righteous.' A traditional Ashkenazi name expr▶Henchy#10542 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form in the Henie/Hendel family, ultimately tied to Hannah ('grace; favor'). A tr▶Nechuma#10815 in the U.S.From the Yiddish/Hebrew Nechuma (Nechama), 'comfort; consolation.' A traditional Ashkenazi Jewi▶Shiffy#10929 in the U.S.A Yiddish affectionate pet form, most often of Shifra, from the Hebrew shifra, 'beautiful; plea▶Tzivy#10999 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Tzivia (Zivia), from the Hebrew tzvi, 'deer; gazelle.' Common in Ashkenaz▶Baylah#11225 in the U.S.A spelling near the Yiddish Bayla/Beyle, 'beautiful' (a form of the Slavic bela); it can also r▶Reizy#11895 in the U.S.Reizy is read as a Yiddish pet form of Reiza/Raizel ('rose'), popular in some Orthodox Jewish c▶Surie#11994 in the U.S.Surie is a Yiddish pet form of Sarah, from Hebrew 'sarah' meaning 'princess; noblewoman'. Commo▶Kimyetta#12556 in the U.S.Kimyetta joins Kim, the short form of Kimberly, to Yetta, a Yiddish pet name once tied to Henri▶Rhayna#12915 in the U.S.A stylized spelling of Rayna/Reyna — from the Spanish reina, 'queen,' and by another route the ▶Rifky#13142 in the U.S.Rifky reads as a Yiddish-style pet form of Rivka (Hebrew Rivkah, the biblical Rebecca), where R▶Shandel#13387 in the U.S.Shandel has two plausible readings. It may be an anglicized Shaindel, a Yiddish name from shein▶Charna#13787 in the U.S.A Yiddish name from a Slavic root meaning 'black; dark' (compare Polish czarna), used for a dar▶Elky#13927 in the U.S.Most likely a spelling of the Yiddish name Elke/Elka, a pet form usually traced to Adelheid ('n▶Glika#14016 in the U.S.A Yiddish girls' name from glik, 'luck, good fortune' (cousin to German Glueck). Used in Ashken▶Feiga#14050 in the U.S.A Yiddish girls' name from feygl, 'bird,' most often as a diminutive form of Feygl. It is a tra▶Kayle#14303 in the U.S.Most often a trimmed spelling in the Kayla/Kaylee family. It is also a Yiddish girls' name, Kay▶Goldi#14425 in the U.S.A spelling of Goldie, from the Yiddish/English 'gold' - an affectionate name for something prec▶Litza#14479 in the U.S.Litza is a diminutive — in Greek a familiar ending (-itsa/-itza) clipped off longer names such ▶Maisel#14538 in the U.S.Maisel is a German and Ashkenazi Jewish surname — borne, for example, by the Prague philanthrop▶Nechy#14727 in the U.S.Nechy is a Yiddish diminutive, most often of Nechama — Hebrew for 'comfort; consolation'. Affec▶Rayzel#14848 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Reyzel, a diminutive of reyz, 'rose' — so 'little rose.' A traditional Ashkena▶Charne#14863 in the U.S.Charne is linked to Charna, a Yiddish name from a word meaning 'black' or 'dark,' and is also f▶Tziry#15066 in the U.S.A Yiddish affectionate form in the Tzirel/Tziril family, used in Ashkenazi Jewish communities a▶Tzurty#15067 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet name (of the affectionate diminutive kind), whose exact fuller form and root are ▶Hudis#15212 in the U.S.A Yiddish form of Yehudis (Judith), from the Hebrew for 'praised; woman of Judea.' A traditiona▶Shaney#15643 in the U.S.Shaney reads two ways: as a soft feminine spin on Shane, the Irish Sean and so a cousin of John▶Chasya#15669 in the U.S.From the Hebrew, 'protected by the Lord; sheltered by God' — a warm devotional name, familiar i▶Feigy#16035 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Feige (Faiga), 'bird' - a traditional Ashkenazi name, warm and affectiona▶Gitel#16079 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Gitel (Gittel), 'good' (from gut, 'good'), often as an affectionate 'good litt▶Hendel#16128 in the U.S.A Yiddish name, a pet form tied to Hendl/Hene (linked to Hannah, 'grace'), also echoing the com▶Tzipa#16275 in the U.S.A Yiddish pet form of Tzipporah (Zipporah, the wife of Moses), from the Hebrew for 'bird.' A wa▶Hudes#16399 in the U.S.A Yiddish form of Yehudis (Judith), from the Hebrew for 'praised; woman of Judea.' A traditiona▶Kreindy#16515 in the U.S.Kreindy is a Yiddish name, a pet form of Kreindel, a diminutive of Kroin ('crown') — so 'little▶Zisel#16846 in the U.S.From the Yiddish Zisel, 'sweet' (from zis, 'sweet') -- an affectionate name from Ashkenazi trad▶Raiza#17078 in the U.S.By one route a form of the Yiddish Reyzl/Raizel, 'rose'; by another an Arabic name (from a root▶Reichel#17096 in the U.S.A Yiddish form of Rachel, from the Hebrew for 'ewe' — the biblical matriarch, wife of Jacob. A ▶Tziri#17445 in the U.S.A Yiddish affectionate form of Tzirel, a traditional Ashkenazi name often paired with the Hebre▶Yetta#17508 in the U.S.Yetta is a Yiddish diminutive, most often of Henrietta (feminine of Henry, from Germanic roots ▶Yidis#17563 in the U.S.A Yiddish form of Yehudis, itself the Hebrew Judith — 'woman of Judea' or 'praised.' A traditio▶Zeldy#17563 in the U.S.A pet form that echoes Zelda, itself a short form of Griselda ('grey fighting maid') and used i▶Zirel#17984 in the U.S.Zirel is a Yiddish girls' name, traditionally used as an affectionate form linked to Sarah, and▶Malkie#18273 in the U.S.Malkie is a Yiddish affectionate form of Malka, the Hebrew name and word for 'queen.' A warm, t▶Sheyna#19428 in the U.S.Sheyna comes from the Yiddish sheyn, 'beautiful, lovely,' and is a spelling of Shaina/Shayna, a▶Shainna#19546 in the U.S.Shainna is a doubled-n spelling of Shaina or Shayna, a Yiddish endearment from 'sheyn,' meaning▶Sharna#19592 in the U.S.Sharna has two honest routes: it can be a short form of Sharon, the Hebrew place name for a fer▶Shaynna#19771 in the U.S.Shaynna reads as an embellished spelling of Shayna, a Yiddish name meaning 'beautiful' or 'love▶TzeitelA Yiddish pet form of Sarah (Hebrew, 'princess; noblewoman'). Tzeitel is the eldest daughter in▶
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Frequently Asked
What are traditional Yiddish girl names?
Long-standing favourites include Goldie, Zelda, Faigy and Rochel. They come from Ashkenazi Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe and many are still given today.