(no subject)

[dehaywardati.livejournal.com]

I’m converting to Judaism next month and I need to pick a Hebrew name for myself. Please give me your opinion on my top candidates:

Ami (ah-mee, as in awesome--my people): Ami bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu
Lehava (leh-HAH-vuh--flame, fire): Lehava bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu
Nahara (na-HAR-uh, as in hard, light): Nahara bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu
Neriah (ner-eye-uh--light of God): Neriah bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu
Nataliyah (nah-tal-ee-uh--God’s dew): Nataliyah bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu
Oriah (ore-eye-uh--light of God): Oriah bat Avraham aveinu v'Sara Imeinu


Other candidates:
Atara (crown)
Etana (strong)
Leilah (night)
Matea (gift of God)
Mesora (transmission, tradition)
Nedara (adored)
Noa (wandering, wanderer)
Orali (my light)
Ronili (joy is mine)


Background:
This name will be used on Jewish legal documents (like the marriage contract, the ketubah) and in certain worship practices (called up to Torah, prayed for, etc).

Hebrew names follow this pattern:
Given (Middle) Bat/ben Father v'Mother: i.e. Noach ben Ilan v’Chaya (Noach, son of Ilan and Chaya), Rachel bat Shai v’Yael (Rachel, daughter of Shai and Yael). 

Because I’m a convert and don’t have Jewish biological parents, my name will be Given (Middle) bat Avraham Ameinu v’Sara Imeinu, meaning Given (Middle) daughter of Abraham our Father and Sara our Mother.
My given name is Natalie (Child of Christmas/to be born) and my middle name is Kathleen(pure). I really like the letters A, D, L, N, O, R, and T.  I prefer to keep names under three syllables, or a combination of 5 total for first and middle.  I like the concept of light, of journeys, of peoplehood and prefer Biblical/God-centered names to some of the more common Hebrew names that are nature-oriented.

Comments

[zombiemombie.livejournal.com]

I think Oriah and Nahara are very pretty

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

Such a personal decision, and those are all good options.
I personally would go for Nataliyah because it's closest to your secular name. A situation might come up where someone would want/need to pray for you, but they didn't know your Hebrew name and didn't feel comfortable asking for some reason. That's probably the name they would guess.

I haven't heard Ami used as a female name. I've known several guys named Ami or that go by Ami as a nickname for Amichai, so you might want to keep that in mind.

[sliveredlight.livejournal.com]

Interesting observation - I have a friend from Senegal named Aminata who shortens her name to Ami :)

[blosmbee.livejournal.com]

I meant I hadn't heard the Hebrew name Ami used as a female name. I have heard it as a female English/Secular name.

[sliveredlight.livejournal.com]

Ah I see what you mean. :)

[dehaywardati.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the input on Ami--it was listed as unisex in the two books I checked out from the library, but if it's not really used that way, I don't think I'd want to pick it...

[becomingun.livejournal.com]

I've also only known guys called Ami, until I met a female Japanese student called Ami at the school I work at!

[thusbands.livejournal.com]

I like Neriah and Oriah. Nataliyah is nice too.

[retrodancekitty.livejournal.com]

Ooh I like Neriah a lot!

[fletwock.livejournal.com]

I kind of have a thing for N names. They sound so nice. I love Neriah and Nahara. These names are all really pretty though.

[lilacmermaid.livejournal.com]

Of your top choices, I think my favourite is Oriah. Of your others, I like Matea, Noa and Orali.

[unaccepatable.livejournal.com]

I like Lehava the most

[holidaylights.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the tribe! :)

Out of your favorites, I'd go with Nataliyah, but I like Ami and Noa as well.

[beekeeperswife.livejournal.com]

I like Nataliyah and Ami. Plus I think that's so awesome! I've started my conversion process & I'm looking VERY forward to my first Passover. :D

[elwooddowd.livejournal.com]

Nahara and Neriah are gorgeous.

[devofriends.livejournal.com]

Welcome! I'm also a convert. :-)

Couple of things--in Hebrew, נריה and אוריה are pronounced Ner-ya and Or-ya, not ner-eye-ah etc.

You may want to seriously reconsider "Orali" if you are going to use it around English speakers.

I'm a big traditionalist, so my favorites in this list are those found in religious communities--Noa, Atara, occasionally Natalia. I'm rather curious why there are next to no biblical names on this list, especially since you said at the end that that's what you prefer.

With one thing and another...I'm used to people picking names that go closest to their English names, so I'd have to vote for Natalia. Hope that helps!

[dehaywardati.livejournal.com]

I am now having serious doubts about the books I picked up at the library... first Ami listed as unisex and now these being listed as separate pronunciation possibilities (i.e. different vowels) when that's apparently not the case. I thank you for the corrections though because I feel really different about those pronunciations.
Equally good point about Orali... hadn't even crossed my mind until you mentioned it.
I think part of the problem with me picking a Biblical name for myself is that I go "omHaShem... how could I EVER disgrace the legacy of Sarah by picking that name for myself?! I'm nothing like Sarah..."
I just don't see me naming myself after a tree species either... like fire and water I get, it's like what you have to go through with accepting the mitzvot and the mikvah for conversion... but trees and flowers and seasons, not so much for me. I do thank you commenting!

[devofriends.livejournal.com]

Well, the pronunciations you have are, I believe, the "English" version--you know, like Jonathan instead of Yonatan. Basically legit in this language, but...since you wanted a *Hebrew* name, yeah, not so helpful for you.

As for "disgrace the legacy of Sarah"--I do see your point, but you're already joining that legacy by naming yourself "daughter of Sarah", and that's why it's such a big deal to convert and we are held to such higher standards. Just throwing that out there....

Also, one thought: what do you think about Nechama? It's close enough to your English name, means "comfort," and is (I think) biblical somewhere.