The Do’s and Don’ts
of Jewish
Baby Naming
ERIC SCHUCHT | JE STAFF
B aby naming can be one
“When you endeavor to make
of the hardest tasks
everyone happy, you end up
expectant parents under-
being unhappy,” Kushner said.

take, but Jewish tradition can
Rabbi Robert Layman also
help. has some words of wisdom on
Some practices for selecting
the topic. For two decades his
a newborn’s kinnui, or secular
column “Speaking of Names”
name, and their shem kodesh,
was published in the Jewish
or sacred or Hebrew name, date
Exponent, and he’s previously
back generations. Other strat-
served as religious leader of
egies come and go with the
Beth Tikvah-B’nai Jeshurun
times. Regardless of the method,
in Erdenheim and as regional
however, many experts in the
director of the United Synagogue
Jewish community have advice
of Conservative Judaism.

to share.

Layman spoke of the
One such naming expert
Ashkenazi tradition, according
is Cantor Mark Kushner. He
to which children are to be
has multiple decades of expe-
named aft er a deceased relative.

rience performing brit milahs
Th e idea is it will lead the child
and simchat bats. In that time,
to embody that person’s better
he estimated he’s been involved
qualities and to help keep their
in the naming of thousands of
memory alive. It’s the same
children. reasoning behind the Sephardic
Kushner said a name serves
tradition, except they go the
several functions according to
other way, instead naming their
Judaism. It describes a person’s
children aft er a living relative.

essence, provides identity and
But for many Jews, these rules
generational connection and
aren’t set in stone.

begins the process of shaping a
“Th ere are no hard and fast
human being. He said a person’s
rules when it comes to naming,”
name can aff ect their personality
Layman said. “And the only rule
and defi ne them. It can infl uence
that I came across is that you
Cantor Mark Kushner holds Graham Salata, son of Elizabeth
behavior and provide a spiritual
don’t name a person aft er an
Courtesy of Cantor Mark Kushner infamous person in the Bible.”
connection between the indi- and Kyle Salata.

vidual and his soul. Naming
For secular names, Layman
allows for creativity in the same vain of God’s fi rst task to Adam
encourages people to research the origin or meaning before
— that of naming every living thing.

picking it. He said it isn’t appropriate for a Jewish person to have
When it comes to choosing a name, Kushner had three pieces
a name related to Christianity or paganism — names like Mary,
of advice. Th e fi rst is to pick a name before the child is born, as life
Natalie or Christian.

can get hectic and time consuming once they arrive. Th e second is
“People use names without knowing the origin of them,”
to take your time and select something meaningful, as it shouldn’t
Layman said. “I like to advise that people, especially young
be picked on a whim. Th e last suggestion is to pick something that
couples having children early on, that they should stay aware of
parents like regardless of what relatives think. Receiving too much
their Jewish identity and pick a name that’s going to be appropriate
family input can lead people to struggle or doubt their choice.

for a child that is going to be raised Jewish.”
6 OCTOBER 24, 2019
SIMCHAS JEWISHEXPONENT.COM