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Home › Baby Names Directory › Shifra

Shifra

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHIF-rə /ˈʃɪf.rə/High

Meaning: Beauty, loveliness (from a root meaning to improve, to make beautiful); one of the two midwives who defied Pharaoh in ExodusHigh

In 30 seconds: History's first recorded civil disobedience has a name: Shifra, the midwife who refused Pharaoh's order and let the boys live. 'Beautiful' by etymology, brave by résumé.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningBeauty, loveliness (from a root meaning to improve, to make beautiful); one of the two midwives who defied Pharaoh in Exodus
U.S. rank (2025)#2580 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births68 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2025
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,714

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202519302025

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Shifra (Shiphrah) is one of the two Hebrew midwives of Exodus who 'feared God' and defied Pharaoh's decree to kill newborn boys — an act tradition celebrates as the Bible's first civil disobedience; her name traces to a root for beauty and bettering. Ancient Egyptian records even attest a slave named Shiphrah.

The name lives vigorously in Orthodox and Hasidic communities, honoring grandmothers and the midwife's courage alike; outside them it is rare. Beauty that stood up straight.

Did you know? Exodus names the midwives Shifra and Puah but never names the Pharaoh they defied — the Bible's quiet verdict on who mattered.
Overall data confidence 85%
Behind the Name — Shiphrah — etymology

Variations

ShiphrahSchifraShifrah

Nicknames

ShifShiffy

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Shifra…

Fraidy— a fellow staple of Hasidic naming
Bruchy— the companion Yiddish-community classic
Devorah— another biblical heroine strong in observant use
Devora— echoes that soft -ra sound
Shira— a fellow Hebrew choice

Explore names like Shifra

By themehebrewbiblicaljewish
By meaningLoveBeauty

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shifra mean?

Shifra means 'beauty' or 'loveliness' in Hebrew — the name of the midwife who defied Pharaoh in Exodus.

How do you pronounce Shifra?

It's said SHIF-rə /ˈʃɪf.rə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Shifra a boy or girl name?

Shifra is a girl's name.

How popular is Shifra?

Shifra is rare nationally and steady in Orthodox Jewish communities.

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