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Home › Baby Names Directory › Tziporah

Tziporah

♀ Girl

Pronounced tsi-POR-ah /tsɪˈpɔr.ɑ/High

Meaning: Bird; from Hebrew tzippor — the Midianite wife of Moses who saved his lifeHigh

In 30 seconds: Moses's wife, the woman who saved his life: Tziporah means 'bird' — the Midianite shepherdess who married the prophet and, in a fierce desert moment, rescued him. Scripture's bird with a sword.
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Origin HighHebrew
MeaningBird; from Hebrew tzippor — the Midianite wife of Moses who saved his life
U.S. rank (2025)#3827 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births39 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2021
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,101

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202119702025

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

Tziporah (Zipporah) is Hebrew tzippor, 'bird' — the daughter of the Midianite priest Jethro who became Moses's wife and, in a mysterious night-journey episode, saved his life. The name has been treasured in Jewish tradition for millennia.

It thrives in Orthodox and Hasidic communities and appears rarely beyond them; the spelling Zipporah is the more anglicized form. A bird-name with a heroine's steel.

Did you know? In a startling Exodus passage, Tziporah saves Moses from a deadly divine encounter with a swift act of circumcision — one of the Bible's boldest, briefest heroines.
Overall data confidence 88%
Behind the Name — Zipporah — etymology

Variations

ZipporahTziporaTzippy

Nicknames

TzippyZiporah

Famous Bearers

  • ★Tziporah Malkah (1973-)
    Australian model and actress, formerly known as Kate Fischer

If you like Tziporah…

Shifra— a fellow biblical-heroine name in observant use
Basya— the companion Hebrew-meaning name
Devorah— another bird-linked biblical heroine, 'bee'
Ruchy— a sister Yiddish-community classic

Explore names like Tziporah

By themehebrewbiblicaljewishbird
By meaningBirdLife

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Tziporah mean?

Tziporah is Hebrew for 'bird' — the name of Moses's wife, who saved his life in Exodus.

How do you pronounce Tziporah?

It's said tsi-POR-ah /tsɪˈpɔr.ɑ/ — three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Tziporah a boy or girl name?

Tziporah is a girl's name.

How popular is Tziporah?

Tziporah is rare nationally and steady in Orthodox Jewish communities.

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