Jewish or Hebrew Baby Names for Boys or Girls - Naming Your Jewish Child. The importance of naming your child in Jewish tradition.

Like the other monotheistic religions, Judaism emphasizes the importance of finding an appropriate name for your child. In the Hebrew Bible in particular and in Jewish tradition generally, a person's name reflects his or her character. Also, in the act of naming, parents connect their children to the traditions of the past, and in so doing, literally bring those traditions to life. In the act of naming, the parents are also making a statement about the future and express their hope for what their child will become.

According to Anita Diamant in What to Name Your Jewish Baby, "Like Adam's appointed task of giving names to all living things in Eden, naming is an exercise of power and creativity."

For these reasons, Jewish parents often invest considerable thought in choosing a name for a child.

Charles Henderson

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The Rev. Charles P. Henderson is a Presbyterian minister and Executive Director of
CrossCurrents.
He is the author of God and Science (John Knox Press, 1986).
A revised and expanded version of the book is appearing here.
God and Science (Hypertext Edition, 2005).
He is also editor of a new book, featuring articles by world class scientists and theologians, and illustrating the leading views on the relationship between science and religion:
Faith, Science and the Future (CrossCurrents Press, 2007).

Charles also tracks the boundry between the virtual and the real at his blog: Next World Design, focusing on the mediation of art, science and spirituality in the metaverse.
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