Where do Yiddish names come from?

amother

↑ Aqua

Today at 12:20 pm

There are Yiddish names that make come backs. No ones naming Draizel, Shprintza, Dobra, Hentsha but there are so many Kayla, Baylie, Reva. It’s a little on its way out already but those are Yiddish great grandma names that a few years ago everyone was using even if their real great grandma was Carmella or Aliza.

amother

↑ Cerise ↓

Today at 12:26 pm

amother Aqua wrote:

Depends where. I know very many Draizys and Hentshys. Kayla is less common. Baylie is not even yiddish it is aramaic and very common. I don't know anyone named Reva.

amother

↑ OP

Today at 12:28 pm

I don't think a Yiddish name is less authentic than a Hebrew version. My grandmother Baila is the most authentic Jewish woman I've ever met. Our family doesn't speak Yiddish but we have some Yiddish names nonetheless.
It's just fascinating that in my community nobody would just make up a name or change a name to a new version (except Hebrew). So it's fascinating to me that someone named their baby Gitty thousand years ago and now we have a whole bunch of little Gittys.
Some names are more obviously translated, but others sound like just a word someone chose. Like Yenta, that was mentioned in this thread. Or Ita.

↑ Ruchel ↓

Today at 12:46 pm

amother Aqua wrote:

I'd name Dreizel for pleasure.
Doba? Yes I know little ones. My daughter's second name. She likes it actually and would use it np. I just asked lol

Kayla super trendy

amother

↑ Tangerine ↓

Today at 12:56 pm

amother Cerise wrote:

Depends where. I know very many Draizys and Hentshys. Kayla is less common. Baylie is not even yiddish it is aramaic and very common. I don't know anyone named Reva.

Doesn’t Baila come from white in Russian?

amother

Snowflake ↓

Today at 1:02 pm

amother Tangerine wrote:

Doesn’t Baila come from white in Russian?

I thought it comes from Spanish, similar to Shprintza.
Bella = Beauty/beautiful one

amother

↑ Oak

Today at 1:44 pm

amother Oak wrote:

Interesting it doesn’t have my name, Shayna, I wonder what it’s from

Anyone know where the name Shayna is from?

amother

↑ Cerise ↓

Today at 1:55 pm

amother Oak wrote:

Anyone know where the name Shayna is from?

https://www.sefaria.org/Beit_S.....ng=bi

go to אות ש

(שרה שערלין שארקה) כתבתי באות בית (שרה שרי) הוא שינוי ממש ואם כתב שרא באלף כתבתי לעיל (שרה. שעריל. שערלין. שערכין. שרכי. שרלין) כולן בשין וכתב מהרש"ל שארקה שירקא כותבים נמי בשין דיוצאין משם שרה וכ"כ בט"ז לפ"ז יש לכתוב שירקה בה"א ובס"מ כתב סירקא בסמך (ושעריל שרכי שרלין) בשין (שערכין. שינא. שינלין. שינדלין. שונדלין שינדיל. שונדליין. שענל. שונלין. שפרינצא) כ"כ בז"מ ובד"א ונראה דתליא במבטא דהא בס"מ כתב (שפרינץ. שפרינצא. שפרינצל)

amother

↑ Cerise

Today at 1:57 pm

amother Oak wrote:

Interesting it doesn’t have my name, Shayna, I wonder what it’s from

It has your name. See post above. שינא
A lot of people mistakenly think Yiddish names are spelled with two yuds, but most are spelled with one.

For reference of the spelling of the name here is a matzeiva. You will see it has the name of the Skulen Rebbe's wife Shayna Ruchel - https://www.geni.com/photo/vie.....77983

b.chadash

Today at 2:59 pm

amother Tangerine wrote:

Doesn’t Baila come from white in Russian?

Baila is actually considered a holy name. Not sure it's considered a Yiddish word. It's an acronym for Baruch Hashem leOlam Amen.

amother

↑ Snowflake

Today at 3:07 pm

b.chadash wrote:

Baila is actually considered a holy name. Not sure it's considered a Yiddish word. It's an acronym for Baruch Hashem leOlam Amen.

Throw the tomatoes, but sometimes I wonder if these explanations are not attempts at retro-fitting. So that bedi'avad it sounds holier and more Jewish than just admitting to having taken a word from some non-Jewish language of the local country.

amother

Wine

Today at 3:18 pm

amother Linen wrote:

I think this is a very valid concern. I'm pretty sure Rabbi ,Paysach Krohn mentions this in his sefer Bris Milah, that parents should take heed not to name their children strange or unusual names, or names that will cause the child pain. I don't know of this is his own thought or if he brings it down from someone.

Another examples would be Yenta, which has a negative connotation.
And somehow, whenever someone wants to give an example of a random name, they use Shprintzy...

Kind of funny because a lot of people might find Paysach to be unusual. Happens to be Pesach is a common name in my family but I know plenty people wouldn't give it.

amother

↑ Glitter

Today at 3:20 pm

amother Snowflake wrote:

Agree this sounds apocryphal, I’d love to see an actual source that the acronym is the etymology of the name Baila. I’ve read it comes from Bella or possibly Bilhah.

amother

↑ Tangerine

Today at 3:48 pm

amother Snowflake wrote:

I tend to agree with this….