Understanding Hebrew names
In the table below you can see the Hebrew name of each one of the sons of Ya’akov who became the 12 tribes and their English names and in the third column you can see the words they derived from. You can pay attention to the similitude between them, for example: אשר – אושר, for Asher, and the meanings behind their root words.
| English | Hebrew | Meanings |
|---|---|---|
| Reuben | ראובן | ראו בן (see son) |
| Simeon |
שמעון | שמע ה' (God heard) |
| Levi | לוי | לויה (joining) |
| Judah | יהודה | הודיה (thankfulness) |
| Dan | דן | דין (judgement) |
| Naphtali | נפתלי | התפתלות (struggle) |
| Gad | גד | בא המזל (the luck has come) |
| Asher | אשר | אושר (happiness) |
| Issachar | יששכר | יש שכר (there is a reward) |
| Zebulun | זבולון | מתנה (present) |
| Joseph | יוסף | הוספה (addition) |
| Benjamin | בנימין | Son of the right (strong) side.= גבורה (strength) |
Does your name have a Hebrew origin? Would you like to delve into its meaning? When you study Hebrew, you don't only learn how to write your name in Hebrew, you also can better understand its origin or the meaning of other Hebrew names and words. Join our online classes from your comfort of your home, study Modern Hebrew with the best Ulpan teachers from Israel, and don't forget to ask about your own Hebrew name.
